Skip to main content
Will alexa skill be able to play from my music library?
It does not currently, correct? If not, that’s a pretty big fail. On first blush, I can’t figure out how to do it. Looks like it has to be one of Amazon’s supported music services. Please someone tell me I’m wrong...
You can use Alexa to start playing from Amazon Music, Amazon Music Unlimited, Pandora, iHeartRadio, SiriusXM, TuneIn Radio, and we’re working to bring Spotify controls in the future too. Alexa doesn't have access to your local music library.



Also, any Alexa device on your account can use basic controls, such as play, pause, volume, and skip, on your Sonos players. This works for all services and music on Sonos, started through the Sonos app.



We don't have any specifics on what's up next, or if local library will be working for the future, but the skill will be improving over time, so you never know what might get added next.
Drat. Where on your roadmap is it planned?
Disappointing! I have been waiting for Alexa integration and am excited to use it. I have it up and running well with Amazon Music and SiriusXM but am very disappointed that it cannot access the music library, Sonos playlists, etc.
I'd go as far as to say totally misleading. I don't have not want to sign up to a streaming service to use voice control. Sonos should have made this clear you need a streaming service to use it. I dot. What to be forced into renting music
Alexa doesn't have access to your local music library.



What?! That's crazy... I've spent years building a library of my own music... and was so looking forward to having the alexa integration. But it won't play anything from my local library? That's just NOT ok! Once Alexa figures out teh commend is for Sonos, it gets transferred to the Sonos cloud for processing... and the Sonos cloud has access to my library. So it should work.



I'm one of those weirdos who doesn't like to pay the monthly fees to listen to the music I like... I just buy the music I like. Having the Alexa-Sonos integration only work with [a handful] of streaming services really cripples the integration.



Are there plans to allow Alexa commands that play from my music library?
No local library access makes this pretty much useless. And that's before I start on not having access to Apple Music. So close but, alas no cigar.
Alexa doesn't have access to your local music library.



What?! That's crazy... I've spent years building a library of my own music... and was so looking forward to having the alexa integration. But it won't play anything from my local library? That's just NOT ok! Once Alexa figures out teh commend is for Sonos, it gets transferred to the Sonos cloud for processing... and the Sonos cloud has access to my library. So it should work.



I'm one of those weirdos who doesn't like to pay the monthly fees to listen to the music I like... I just buy the music I like. Having the Alexa-Sonos integration only work with [a handful] of streaming services really cripples the integration.



Are there plans to allow Alexa commands that play from my music library?



Looks like we have to rent music
Totally agree. I don't use any music streaming services and have a great personal music library. I want to play that.

Update needed asap please Sonos.
I don't have not want to sign up to a streaming service to use voice control. Sonos should have made this clear you need a streaming service to use it.

You're not being forced to do anything different than you did yesterday. You're reversing the requirement in your statements.



Today, if you want to use voice control to initiate the playing of music, you will need to have a streaming service.



And as Ryan stated, you do get *some* benefit with the "basic controls"

Also, any Alexa device on your account can use basic controls, such as play, pause, volume, and skip, on your Sonos players. This works for all services and music on Sonos, started through the Sonos app.
I'd go as far as to say totally misleading. I don't have not want to sign up to a streaming service to use voice control. Sonos should have made this clear you need a streaming service to use it. I dot. What to be forced into renting music



Misleading? They stated right in their annoncement what would be supported!
I notice "Alexa, what's playing on [room name]?" seems to work well even when playing local music. It's a little glitchy, however -- if I query a room that was previously streaming from Amazon and is now playing as part of a Sonos group, it seems to prefer naming the last streamed song until I ungroup/regroup using the Sonos app.



Overall, it's a bit disappointing, but still provides nice functions I didn't have yesterday. My wife prefers to have our full local library playing in shuffle mode all day, so the basic controls work well for our particular use case. And it's nice being able to ask Alexa for the name of a song that I can't quite remember.
Disappointing! I have been waiting for Alexa integration and am excited to use it. I have it up and running well with Amazon Music and SiriusXM but am very disappointed that it cannot access the music library, Sonos playlists, etc.I too am very disappointed thst my music libr assry is not accessible through Alexa. One of my favourite Sonos features is thsst it integrates my music with my streaming services.
I'd go as far as to say totally misleading. I don't have not want to sign up to a streaming service to use voice control. Sonos should have made this clear you need a streaming service to use it. I dot. What to be forced into renting music



Misleading? They stated right in their annoncement what would be supported!



I think it's obvious that they said control your sonos with Alexa - you cannot
I'd go as far as to say totally misleading. I don't have not want to sign up to a streaming service to use voice control. Sonos should have made this clear you need a streaming service to use it. I dot. What to be forced into renting music



Misleading? They stated right in their annoncement what would be supported!



I think it's obvious that they said control your sonos with Alexa - you cannot



No, the announcement today specified exactly what sources could be controlled and how. No specifics were given before today, and if you assumed, . . . well . . . you know. But hey, plumbers gotta plumb, complainers gotta complain. One is who they are.
I agree with the general consensus that not being able to play music from our libraries is a major flaw in this product. I had high hopes for Sonos/Alexa integration and I'm disappointed.
Hi,

I'm also a little dissapointed, and will hold off for now. I currently control my local music with a google home and an audio chromecast into my play 5 + IFTTT. It only works on group or the play 5 though and was hoping for proper integration.

It would seem a step backward to upgrade to a new unit to add lesser functionality... maybe the next iteration or the google home integration will add full functionality ?
Come on people! This is a launch, it’s early days and who knows what constraints Amazon may have put on it. Of course in the first instance it works best with Amazon music services, but I’m sure more is to come. The fact that it can tell you what is playing from your own library is encouraging so I would expect control of local libraries can’t be far away. Why persecute the company? Is there any other independent with a similar offering?



I’ve enjoyed being part of the beta, it has come a very long way and will doubtlessly go further.



One thing I did realise is that personally I rarely know exactly what music I am to play and tend to leaf though the app albums or artists list for inspiration, much like flicking though a stack of lp’s in my youth. Being able to skip tracks with voice is very handy, especially when listening to the garbage that is 50% of tacks on “the difficult second album “.



Give Sonos a break, many have complained how long voice control has taken to arrive,or if it even would, and now the overwhelming response is unjustly negative.
Come on people! This is a launch, it’s early days and who knows what constraints Amazon may have put on it. Of course in the first instance it works best with Amazon music services, but I’m sure more is to come. The fact that it can tell you what is playing from your own library is encouraging so I would expect control of local libraries can’t be far away. Why persecute the company? Is there any other independent with a similar offering?



I’ve enjoyed being part of the beta, it has come a very long way and will doubtlessly go further.



One thing I did realise is that personally I rarely know exactly what music I am to play and tend to leaf though the app albums or artists list for inspiration, much like flicking though a stack of lp’s in my youth. Being able to skip tracks with voice is very handy, especially when listening to the garbage that is 50% of tacks on “the difficult second album “.



Give Sonos a break, many have complained how long voice control has taken to arrive,or if it even would, and now the overwhelming response is unjustly negative.



However your comment makes sense, you can't blame users to be disapointed, knowing that we waited like 1 year.

Logical that we excpeted more than that for 1 year developement. I tested yesterday evening and it works but can't use my streaming service (Qobuz) nor my local libray. I leave me with the basic commands, you must admit it's a little light for 1 year wait.

But like you said lets hope the skill will quickly get updated...
Oh grow up. Honestly the moaning about a feature no other manufacturer other than Google or Amazon has is pathetic. Even Apple with it's wealth an resource has brought nothing to market yet.



I have all my music locally, and also have spotify so would love further integration but I fully expect that to come. If only the simplest of technical projects I work on for a major company could deliver in a year! And actually work!
Not happy. I don't subscribe to "this is a day one release" theme of thinking. Sonos have been actively marketing this for over a year. Never once did they say that this would be limited to online streaming services (apologies if I'm wrong on this, but they have been advertising "Complete control"). There were unofficial Sonos skills published many months back that were almost as polished as today's offering, so technically this is not rocket science (I've played with the Alexa API, it's pretty straightforward).



Today we get the most basic of basic functionality, still in beta format. Sonos is not Microsoft. They have built a brand that promotes excellence and ease of use. It's a luxury product that it's loyal user base expect quality from. Today it failed.



Footnote: It doesn't even include support for the streaming service "Deezer", which I joined following a one year free subscription offer I received when I bought my first Sonos One. Thanks.



I imagine things will get better, if they had said that they will support local libraries in the future then I wouldn't even by angry, but all current info suggests it'll be streaming services only.
Being able to have Alexa play one of my own imported playlists (or artists) is the #1 improvement I am hoping for for the Alexa/Sonos partnership.
I'd go as far as to say totally misleading. I don't have not want to sign up to a streaming service to use voice control. Sonos should have made this clear you need a streaming service to use it. I dot. What to be forced into renting music



Misleading? They stated right in their annoncement what would be supported!



I think it's obvious that they said control your sonos with Alexa - you cannot



No, the announcement today specified exactly what sources could be controlled and how. No specifics were given before today, and if you assumed, . . . well . . . you know. But hey, plumbers gotta plumb, complainers gotta complain. One is who they are.



It's a comment forum, people complain, get over it
Come on people! This is a launch, it’s early days and who knows what constraints Amazon may have put on it. Of course in the first instance it works best with Amazon music services, but I’m sure more is to come. The fact that it can tell you what is playing from your own library is encouraging so I would expect control of local libraries can’t be far away. Why persecute the company? Is there any other independent with a similar offering?



I’ve enjoyed being part of the beta, it has come a very long way and will doubtlessly go further.



One thing I did realise is that personally I rarely know exactly what music I am to play and tend to leaf though the app albums or artists list for inspiration, much like flicking though a stack of lp’s in my youth. Being able to skip tracks with voice is very handy, especially when listening to the garbage that is 50% of tacks on “the difficult second album “.



Give Sonos a break, many have complained how long voice control has taken to arrive,or if it even would, and now the overwhelming response is unjustly negative.



If it's able to tell you what it is playing how hard can it be to ask it to play that song in first place? Amateur Code exists that has this functionality
Not happy. I don't subscribe to "this is a day one release" theme of thinking. Sonos have been actively marketing this for over a year. Never once did they say that this would be limited to online streaming services (apologies if I'm wrong on this, but they have been advertising "Complete control"). There were unofficial Sonos skills published many months back that were almost as polished as today's offering, so technically this is not rocket science (I've played with the Alexa API, it's pretty straightforward).



Today we get the most basic of basic functionality, still in beta format. Sonos is not Microsoft. They have built a brand that promotes excellence and ease of use. It's a luxury product that it's loyal user base expect quality from. Today it failed.



Footnote: It doesn't even include support for the streaming service "Deezer", which I joined following a one year free subscription offer I received when I bought my first Sonos One. Thanks.



I imagine things will get better, if they had said that they will support local libraries in the future then I wouldn't even by angry, but all current info suggests it'll be streaming services only.



Sonos is extremely slow at implementing anything hence my frustration like many others that they didn't even bother putting local library control at top. A year for this , wow, what did the beta testers even say? I presume they all rented music through streaming services and don't own music
Terms & ConditionsCookie settings