diff --git a/mopidy/backends/__init__.py b/mopidy/backends/__init__.py
index c3dee726..49e9790c 100644
--- a/mopidy/backends/__init__.py
+++ b/mopidy/backends/__init__.py
@@ -335,7 +335,7 @@ class BasePlaybackController(object):
             self.state = self.PLAYING
 
     def _next(self, track):
-        raise NotImplementedError
+        return self._play(track)
 
     def pause(self):
         """Pause playback."""
@@ -369,7 +369,7 @@ class BasePlaybackController(object):
             self.state = self.PLAYING
 
     def _previous(self, track):
-        raise NotImplementedError
+        return self._play(track)
 
     def resume(self):
         """If paused, resume playing the current track."""
diff --git a/mopidy/backends/despotify.py b/mopidy/backends/despotify.py
index abdf4a1d..85f5abee 100644
--- a/mopidy/backends/despotify.py
+++ b/mopidy/backends/despotify.py
@@ -43,9 +43,6 @@ class DespotifyLibraryController(BaseLibraryController):
 
 
 class DespotifyPlaybackController(BasePlaybackController):
-    def _next(self, track):
-        return self._play(track)
-
     def _pause(self):
         self.backend.spotify.pause()
         return True
@@ -54,9 +51,6 @@ class DespotifyPlaybackController(BasePlaybackController):
         self.backend.spotify.play(self.backend.spotify.lookup(track.uri))
         return True
 
-    def _previous(self, track):
-        return self._play(track)
-
     def _resume(self):
         self.backend.spotify.resume()
         return True
diff --git a/mopidy/backends/libspotify.py b/mopidy/backends/libspotify.py
index 638e0a34..588ad175 100644
--- a/mopidy/backends/libspotify.py
+++ b/mopidy/backends/libspotify.py
@@ -46,9 +46,6 @@ class LibspotifyLibraryController(BaseLibraryController):
 
 
 class LibspotifyPlaybackController(BasePlaybackController):
-    def _next(self, track):
-        return self._play(track)
-
     def _pause(self):
         # TODO
         return False
@@ -59,9 +56,6 @@ class LibspotifyPlaybackController(BasePlaybackController):
         self.backend.spotify.session.play(1)
         return True
 
-    def _previous(self, track):
-        return self._play(track)
-
     def _resume(self):
         # TODO
         return False