A method for operating a portable media player having a processor, said method comprising: (a) obtaining media player status information corresponding to a current operating state of the media player by the processor during operation of the media player; (b) powering down the media player comprising storing in persistent memory of the portable media player, the media player status information characterizing the most recent operating state of the media player immediately prior to the powering down of the media player, wherein the stored media player status information includes each of (i) a media asset playlist indicator; (ii) a media asset identifier; (iii) a media asset position indicator indicating an elapsed play time of the media asset; (iv) a media player volume level indicator; (v) a media player pause status; and (vi) a shuffle playlist validity indicator, which is set to valid when a new shuffle playlist is created, and set to invalid when the end of a shuffle playlist is reached, or when a switch from shuffle mode to another mode takes place; subsequently powering up the media player, the powering up comprising retrieving the media player status information stored in the persistent memory by the processor; and restoring the media player to the most recent operating state of the media player immediately prior to the powering down of the media player using the media player status information retrieved from the persistent memory once the media player is powered up, wherein, when the most recent operating state is a shuffle mode, if the shuffle playlist validity indicator is valid, then a next media asset on a media asset shuffle playlist is retrieved and played (1313, 1315), otherwise, if the shuffle playlist validity indicator is invalid, then a new media asset shuffle playlist is created. (a) obtaining media player status information corresponding to a current operating state of the media player by the processor during operation of the media player; (b) powering down the media player comprising storing in persistent memory of the portable media player, the media player status information characterizing the most recent operating state of the media player immediately prior to the powering down of the media player, wherein the stored media player status information includes each of (i) a media asset playlist indicator; (ii) a media asset identifier; (iii) a media asset position indicator indicating an elapsed play time of the media asset; (iv) a media player volume level indicator; (v) a media player pause status; and (vi) a shuffle playlist validity indicator, which is set to valid when a new shuffle playlist is created, and set to invalid when the end of a shuffle playlist is reached, or when a switch from shuffle mode to another mode takes place; subsequently powering up the media player, the powering up comprising retrieving the media player status information stored in the persistent memory by the processor; and restoring the media player to the most recent operating state of the media player immediately prior to the powering down of the media player using the media player status information retrieved from the persistent memory once the media player is powered up, wherein, when the most recent operating state is a shuffle mode, if the shuffle playlist validity indicator is valid, then a next media asset on a media asset shuffle playlist is retrieved and played (1313, 1315), otherwise, if the shuffle playlist validity indicator is invalid, then a new media asset shuffle playlist is created.