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“I could not find that on Apple Music” - Alexa and Apple Music integration issues


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Finally Alexa and Apple Music integration has come to Sonos in Australia. This would be great if it actually worked.

I have added the Sonos skill and the Apple Music skill to Alexa. I have added Apple Music as the default music service. I have added Alexa to both my Sonos One and my Beam.

When I ask Alexa to play a particular artist, it will default to playing via Amazon Music (despite Apple Music being set as my default). When I specifically request that the artist play from Apple Music, Alexa responds that it “could not find that on Apple Music”, despite the songs being available to play via the Sonos app manually. The only command that works is if I ask Alexa to “play music” and it will play a personalised radio station from Apple Music. However, requesting any particular artist, album, playlist, etc. always either starts playing from Amazon Music or not found if specifically requested to play from Apple Music.

I have completely removed Alexa from my Sonos devices, restarted all my Sonos devices, disabled all the skills in Alexa, deregistered all my Sonos devices from my Amazon accounts and started it all from scratch but the issue still persists. Apparently there was a service outage for a while, but there appears to be no service outage and I am still having this problem.

Does anyone know how to fix this? From what I read on some message boards, other people have had this problem in the past. How do you fix it?

Thank you.
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Best answer by Keith N 31 May 2019, 19:33

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Hi there @AussieSonosUserXCX -

I am having a hard time finding explicit information from us at Sonos regarding bringing this feature to Australia. In our announcement post, Ryan S states:

Currently, Apple Music is only available for Alexa in the US, UK, and Ireland on Sonos and other Alexa-enabled devices.

When Apple Music Alexa control becomes available in a new region, it takes dedicated engineering and testing to bring support to Sonos. We don't have an exact timeline to share for when Apple Music Alexa control will be available on Sonos in Australia, but as new information becomes available we will be sure to share it here on the community.
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Hi there @AussieSonosUserXCX -

I am having a hard time finding explicit information from us at Sonos regarding bringing this feature to Australia. In our announcement post, Ryan S states:

Currently, Apple Music is only available for Alexa in the US, UK, and Ireland on Sonos and other Alexa-enabled devices.

When Apple Music Alexa control becomes available in a new region, it takes dedicated engineering and testing to bring support to Sonos. We don't have an exact timeline to share for when Apple Music Alexa control will be available on Sonos in Australia, but as new information becomes available we will be sure to share it here on the community.


Hi Keith, you have incorrectly ‘answered’ this question. The information you’re looking for is here: https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT209250

can you please explain why I’m having this problem?

you have cited an outdated article.
Hi there @AussieSonosUserXCX - I am having a hard time finding explicit information from us at Sonos regarding bringing this feature to Australia. In our announcement post, Ryan S states: Currently, Apple Music is only available for Alexa in the US, UK, and Ireland on Sonos and other Alexa-enabled devices. When Apple Music Alexa control becomes available in a new region, it takes dedicated engineering and testing to bring support to Sonos. We don't have an exact timeline to share for when Apple Music Alexa control will be available on Sonos in Australia, but as new information becomes available we will be sure to share it here on the community.Hi Keith, you have incorrectly ‘answered’ this question. The information you’re looking for is here: https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT209250 can you please explain why I’m having this problem? you have cited an outdated article.

The Apple support article refers solely to Amazon Echo devices.
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Hi there @AussieSonosUserXCX - I am having a hard time finding explicit information from us at Sonos regarding bringing this feature to Australia. In our announcement post, Ryan S states: Currently, Apple Music is only available for Alexa in the US, UK, and Ireland on Sonos and other Alexa-enabled devices. When Apple Music Alexa control becomes available in a new region, it takes dedicated engineering and testing to bring support to Sonos. We don't have an exact timeline to share for when Apple Music Alexa control will be available on Sonos in Australia, but as new information becomes available we will be sure to share it here on the community.Hi Keith, you have incorrectly ‘answered’ this question. The information you’re looking for is here: https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT209250 can you please explain why I’m having this problem? you have cited an outdated article.The Apple support article refers solely to Amazon Echo devices.


Hi Smilja,

No, it doesn’t. I have extracted the relevant part for you:

Here’s what you need

  • An Apple Music subscription. If you’re not a subscriber, you can join on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch, or on your Android device.
  • An Amazon Echo, Amazon Fire TV, or Alexa-enabled Sonos speaker that you already set up with the Amazon Alexa app on your iOS or Android device.
  • The iOS or Android device that you already set up with Alexa. Make sure that you update to the latest iOS and check the App Store to see if there are updates for the Amazon Alexa app. If you use an Android device, check the Google Play Store for any updates to the Apple Music app or Amazon Alexa app.
Notice in the third dot point it says “or an Alexa-enabled Sonos speaker.”
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@AussieSonosUserXCX

It's great to hear that Apple has brought Apple Music to work on Alexa in Australia, however as I stated in the Best Answer:

When Apple Music Alexa control becomes available in a new region, it takes dedicated engineering and testing to bring support to Sonos. We don't have an exact timeline to share for when Apple Music Alexa control will be available on Sonos in Australia, but as new information becomes available we will be sure to share it here on the community.


Stay tuned.
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I’m being told that it isn’t available in my region despite having an Australian Sonos One, Australian Apple Music account, Australian Amazon account with Australian address, and actually being, you know... in Australia.

Bizarrely though - the web address during the linking is throwing up an Amazon.co.jp address - does Amazon/Sonos/Apple somehow think I’m in Japan?!

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So I have spent many, many, MANY hours on the phone to Apple, Amazon and Sonos over the last two days - first and foremost, Sonos customer care is ABSOLUTELY DIRE and being a new customer who just invested (wasted!) $3,000+ by buying into their ecosystem, they are a nightmare to deal with.

Customer service agents telling me there is no Apple Music skill in Australia, its wrong, I am misinformed blah blah. When I tell them to check Amazon and Apple's website, as well as press release's they said "we are not aware of this being released so we cannot support it".

They refused to contact Apple and Amazon, and said they have no plans to support it.

See an email conversation from today, in which they state there is NO SUPPORT FOR APPLE MUSIC ON ALEXA IN AUSTRALIA.

If you are thinking of buying a Sonos to use Apple Music and Alexa - SAVE YOUR MONEY! DO NOT BUY A SONOS - THEIR HARDWARE AND SOFTWARE DO NOT MATCH UP AND THEY HAVE NO INTENTION OF SUPPORTING SKILLS WHICH OTHER COMPANIES HAVE CREATED FOR THEIR PLATFORM.

Joshuaroth,

What Howard W. from Sonos says in his mail to you is absolutely correct. Did you somehow misread it? See also Keith N's answer in his post above.

This feature is not yet available via the Sonos App in Australia. It requires further engineering and testing before it is made available. You just need to perhaps wait patiently. Posting similar messages on this topic in several different threads is not going to make it happen any quicker. It looks like the companies involved are working on it.

I’m sure you will see it announced on this site when the feature becomes available.
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Joshuaroth,

What Howard W. from Sonos says in his mail to you is absolutely correct. Did you somehow misread it? See also Keith N's answer in his post above.

This feature is not yet available via the Sonos App in Australia. It requires further engineering and testing before it is made available. You just need to perhaps wait patiently. Posting similar messages on this topic in several different threads is not going to make it happen any quicker. It looks like the companies involved are working on it.

I’m sure you will see it announced on this site when the feature becomes available.


Ken -

Check Apple's Australian support page, check Amazon Australia's Skills Store, check the press releases and the specific mention of "Echo and Sonos devices" under the requirements on the Apple and Amazon pages.

Sonos confirmed to me they do not need to engineer a Skill between Alexa and Amazon - it is all done between them, so there is no 'engineering' and 'testing' to be done.

Check the online Sonos forums where it has been confirmed people have been using this service.

As for waiting 'patiently' as you so obviously underlined; I have been mis-sold $3,000 of products because they are advertised as working with a certain service. IF they do not then Sonos has a responsibility to ensure it's name is removed from the compatibility list of these Skills and features, but they do not care because they are letting more people blindly buy into their broken ecosystem.

Amazon and Apple are by definition misrepresenting and damaging the Sonos brand. Do Sonos care? No it appears not.

I will keep posting these messages on this forum and every other Australian based forum to inform people not to buy into this ecosystem which is damaged and does not do what it says on the tin. I bought these speakers because they are specifically touted as being compatible with Alexa and Apple Music - which the manufacturer says they are not.
Userlevel 7
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Hello everyone, I have a quick update on this -

Apple Music via Alexa is in the process of going live in Australia and New Zealand, as such you may find it working already. Since it's still rolling out, the teams aren't allowed to talk about it as it's an unannounced feature. That said, when it's confirmed to be up and running at 100% I'll make sure to update this thread.

Thanks for your patience.
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So Sonos have confirmed its live, however here is my current issue:

I have been able to link Apple Music and Alexa, but when I try to play music ("Alexa play Music") with Apple Music set to the default service, I receive the audio reply: "Hmm, to do that first enable the Skill for your Sonos One in the Alexa app, then ask me to discover devices".

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PS: quite the change of tune from Sonos!

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OKAY - I HAVE GOT IT WORKING.

I am brand new to Sonos so forgive me if a few of these steps weren't necessary, but all I can tell you is it is working.

  • I removed my device (unlinked) from within the Alexa iOS app
  • On the Sonos App, I turned off Alex voice control
  • I deleted the Alexa iOS app
  • I re-downloaded the Alexa app
  • Via the Sonos App, I initiated the Alexa set up
  • I signed in as normal
  • Once the device was set up, I was able to command Alexa by saying "Alexa, play Tina Turner in the Lounge" or "Alexa play Energy by Burns, ASAP Rocky in the Lounge"
I got a bit sick of having to say "... in the Lounge" and I found that if under the iOS Alexa app, you create a group (I created one called Lounge), I now just say "Alexa, play music" or "Alexa play music by Adele" and she goes off and does it ("Adele from Apple Music").

It seems to work, so now I may set up my other Sonos devices and hope for the best....
joshuaroth,

So it was just a case of waiting patiently after-all. I did say this service was looking imminent for Australia and New Zealand.

So all's well, that ends well.

It’s perhaps also worth reading up on “Alexa Enabled Groups” that are widely mentioned in this community, which will allow your Sonos Rooms to Group/Ungroup automatically via voice instruction.

Enjoy your new Sonos/Amazon/Apple music system.
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joshuaroth,

So it was just a case of waiting patiently after-all. I did say this service was looking imminent for Australia and New Zealand.

So all's well, that ends well.

It’s perhaps also worth reading up on “Alexa Enabled Groups” that are widely mentioned in this community, which will allow your Sonos Rooms to Group/Ungroup automatically via voice instruction.

Enjoy your new Sonos/Amazon/Apple music system.


Hi Ken.

Appreciate your input but no, it wasn’t a case of just being patient ‘after all’.

As you will no doubt have read before chiming in:

  1. Sonos themselves denied the service was coming at all - they said they were made aware 3 weeks before any new launches took place
  2. There is written communication from them saying it isn’t supported
  3. Sonos staff members within this forum also said it wasn’t supported
  4. I - like other people - bought these products based upon multiple press releases, verified sources and partners of Sonos who stated these electronic items performed in a way which they did not - being patient has nothing to do with it
  5. The service wasn’t actually working
  6. I’ve received an email from Sonos saying due to the “uptake in activity on the forums” and my “ongoing communication” that they have released this feature early. It seems Sonos staff themselves were unaware until a few of us banded together and kicked up an almighty drink
Sitting back and being patient doesn’t often get you what you want, or in this case, what we were sold on.

Thank you.
Joshuaroth,

I thought Keith N's post from 11 days ago was actually quite clear, when he asked people to 'stay tuned' and quoted the earlier statement, which said...

“When Apple Music Alexa control becomes available in a new region, it takes dedicated engineering and testing to bring support to Sonos. We don't have an exact timeline to share for when Apple Music Alexa control will be available on Sonos in Australia, but as new information becomes available we will be sure to share it here on the community.

Stay tuned.”

That post certainly made me realise that the service was coming to both Australia and New Zealand soon. I also got that from the messages you quoted/posted, which said it wasn’t available at the time ... clearly it wasn’t, but it was imminent in my mind that it was going to be introduced and that’s why I mentioned to you to wait patiently in the other threads here in the community and referred you to this thread.
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Joshuaroth,

I thought Keith N's post from 11 days ago was actually quite clear, when he asked people to 'stay tuned' and quoted the earlier statement, which said...

“When Apple Music Alexa control becomes available in a new region, it takes dedicated engineering and testing to bring support to Sonos. We don't have an exact timeline to share for when Apple Music Alexa control will be available on Sonos in Australia, but as new information becomes available we will be sure to share it here on the community.

Stay tuned.”

That post certainly made me realise that the service was coming to both Australia and New Zealand soon. I also got that from the messages you quoted/posted, which said it wasn’t available at the time ... clearly it wasn’t, but it was imminent in my mind that it was going to be introduced and that’s why I mentioned to you to wait patiently in the other threads here in the community and referred you to this thread.

But that information was conflicting with that Apple says, Amazon says, the Press Releases said, multiple news outlets said, Sonos sales, Sonos Customer Support, users on the Forums, and Sonos' own website said.

Everyone was on the same page EXCEPT the you, Keith and Sonos Customer Support - everyone else was in agreement it had been implemented already successfully in Australia.

I'm not going around in circles. Sonos themselves admitted they released it early after an uptake in forum activity.
joshuaroth,

It sounds like a case of 'sales & marketing' departments at other companies attempting to lead the charge to get the message out first and perhaps a little hastily. Still its here now and hopefully everyone is happy.

I’m also quite happy to wait patiently too for the Google Assistant integration. I’d rather these things be thoroughly tested and working correctly for all users, rather than rushed out for any publicity purpose.
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joshuaroth,

It sounds like a case of 'sales & marketing' departments at other companies attempting to lead the charge to get the message out first and perhaps a little hastily. Still its here now and hopefully everyone is happy.

I’m also quite happy to wait patiently too for the Google Assistant integration. I’d rather these things be thoroughly tested and working correctly for all users, rather than rushed out for any publicity purpose.

I bought direct from Sonos as well as Myer, so no - still Sonos to blame.
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@Keith N I posted in the megathread (https://en.community.sonos.com/announcements-228985/alexa-play-apple-music-on-sonos-6823840/index2.html#post16347695) before finding this thread. Has this officially launched in Australia because per my linked post it still does not work for me and before I go re-adding/troubleshooting I was hoping to clarify whether it’s officially launched or still in a soft launch of sorts?
@Keith N I posted in the megathread (https://en.community.sonos.com/announcements-228985/alexa-play-apple-music-on-sonos-6823840/index2.html#post16347695) before finding this thread. Has this officially launched in Australia because per my linked post it still does not work for me and before I go re-adding/troubleshooting I was hoping to clarify whether it’s officially launched or still in a soft launch of sorts?
This Sonos Support document may help to provide the answer you are looking for, perhaps?

https://support.sonos.com/s/article/3439
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@Ken_Griffiths no luck i’m afraid, have gone through the delete and re-add steps and i’m still no closer it would seem to be able to make it work with Alexa?
Just keeps saying can’t find on Apple Music or that it wants to play a station from iheartradio (which is not selected as default radio), so confused!
IHeart radio might 'possibly' be an Alexa Skill installed. Maybe check and if necessary remove that.

I assume you have set Apple Music as the default service in the Amazon Alexa App “Settings/Music” ...and that you have also installed the same Apple account/service in the Sonos App?
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iheart isn’t listed as a skill in Alexa app.
It is however listed as a music service in the Alexa app Music section by default along with Amazon Music, TuneIn, all of which can’t be removed (iheart doesn’t have login details either).
Apple Music is also there but I manually added/linked that for it to appear and yes same as that configured on Sonos.

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I am in the EXACT same situation as you @beersushi and it still isn’t fixed. I’ve removed everything, completely reset Alexa and Sonos, reset my modem and router and still it doesn’t work. I’m at a loss. I just have to be content with the fact that this doesn’t work!

if you have any luck please me know because I have no idea what else to try.