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Contributor I
May 18, 2018

Alexa won't play anything on Sonos, but will stop/pause etc if something already is playing

  • May 18, 2018
  • 19 replies
  • 934 views
I have a lot of Sonos speakers and also have a lot of Echo devices. I just signed up for Spotify to give it a try and linked it all together. I will say for example "Alexa, play Tina Turner on the Kitchen" and she'll say "Okay, playing music by Tina Turner on Spotify on the Kitchen." then nothing happens. I'll say "Alexa, play workout playlist on kitchen" and same thing "Okay, playing workout playlist from Spotify on the kitchen." and nothing happens.

If I open the Sonos app on my computer, it will show (?) beside playing on the kitchen speaker. If I go to my library and start playing a song, THEN if I say "Alexa" the Sonos goes quiet throughout the house and I can say "stop playback" etc and it works. But as soon as I try to request something she doesn't play.

The alexa.amazon.com site shows her understanding exactly what I said, and showing that she's controlling Spotify but it never actually works. This is a brand new setup, I've wiped the Echo's and set everything up from scratch.
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19 replies

lmoreauAuthor
Contributor I
May 18, 2018
Sorry for the flood but one last update. If I tell her to play a song but I say "using PRIME MUSIC" it works every time, providing the song exists (hardly any do which is why I don't use this service). It's just Spotify then that won't play. At least I've narrowed down the culprit.
lmoreauAuthor
Contributor I
May 18, 2018
I think I've spent too much time as is on this so being that I'm still within my 30 days I'm going to just return everything as this is a little too difficult to make simple music control work. I'm a Google Play Music guy anyway but was only trying Spotify since it said Alexa can control it, so bought 3 of the Ecobee Switch+'s, the Ecobee 4 with Alexa and a few Dots but to have music still not work when that was the primary reason I bought all of this is just too frustrating. $1000 in Alexa hardware and 2 hours later it still won't control the music, not really a good first impression. Thank you for your help though I'm off to Best Buy!
Lyricist II
May 18, 2018
appreciate your frustration. I've got 4 echo devices, 9 sonos speakers + connect and spotify and prime. Spotify / Alexa / Sonos works for me as advertised. can you play your sonos speakers from within the spotify app?
Ken_Griffiths
May 18, 2018
Imoreau,

I have sent you a personal message with some instructions, see if those help.
lmoreauAuthor
Contributor I
May 18, 2018
Hi Ken thanks for the PM. I've tried all of that, there's no duplicate devices. I finally wiped everything, made a new Amazon account and set it all up using ONLY the Sonos, no SmartThings nothing. FINALLY that worked, but barely. For whatever reason I cannot get it to use Spotify as default. It has it selected as default music library, but under default station service only Amazon Music comes up. So it only works if I say "Play Pitbull on Spotify in the Kitchen" if I just say "Play Pitbull in the Kitchen" she says something about needing a Prime music subscription or says that song can't be found. You have to say 100% what she wants or she doesn't get it which isn't really useful.

However it still isn't properly working. Only the Kitchen Sonos works, if I say the Gym or any other room she says "Sorry, something went wrong, try again later." When you open the Alexa app it doesn't even show you asking any history, it just says "ask Alexa to play Spotify or use the Spotify app to find the music you love."

I don't know I'm still going to return it. I work in IT and I've spent 2 days on this, I've never sen such a complicated set up in my life. I have no idea how a normal non technical person can make any of this work. I don't want to put any more effort into it as 100% it will be the same "Oh it's because you're using English Canada as your language and not English US" or some nonsense about certain features not working in Canada.
Ken_Griffiths
May 18, 2018
Imoreau,
It sounds like you have the Spotify Skill missing from your Alexa skills ... wait I will post a screenshot for you to compare.
Ken_Griffiths
May 18, 2018
Imoreau.

In the Alexa App Settings (Music and Media) you should see these things .. see attached
Ken_Griffiths
May 18, 2018
I assume Spotify Skill on Alexa is authorised in your country. If so, check the country setting of your Sonos Profile at Sonos.com. Then check your Amazon profile too.

To change the Sonos country, go to your profile and click on the image of the flag in left hand margin and select country.

I assume your Amazon music services profile is straightforward to change that via you Amazon profile online.

They are both worth checking, at least.
Ryan S
Retired Sonos Staff
May 18, 2018
Great suggestions, Ken. Also, make sure that the Spotify account you have added to Alexa is the same one that's added to Sonos (and that they're both the Premium subscription, not the Free account).

If you want to submit a diagnostic from your Sonos system and reply back with your confirmation number we can take a look for you too.
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