Playing Pandora station on Sonos via Alexa echo dot does not use linked account

If you're playing the source on your Sonos equipment, it should be using the account that is set up on your Sonos app. For all practical purposes, Alexa is just another controller, and is not actually the "source" of the music. You're still telling the computer in the speaker to connect to Pandora using the Sonos credentials, and play the stream. You're not telling the speaker to go get the credentials from your Alexa device and use those for playing on the speaker. The only way that would happen is if you actually used the Alexa device to feed the Sonos speaker via a line in, either to a PLAY:5 or CONNECT. That's the only time it would be using the credentials you set up in the Alexa app.

Thanks for the comment. However, evidence is to the contrary to what you are asserting. My Sonos app does in fact have my credentials to Pandora. Thus when I play my Pandora stations from my Sonos app, it shows the familiar thumbs up/down icons, etc on the current song screen. However, when I tell Alexa "Play from Pandora in kitchen" I notice that the music mix is off and also the Sonos current song screen shows no thumbs up/down icons. This seems to mean to me that the Alexa integration through Sonos is accessing Pandora in a "free account" manner. And whatever might be going on regarding creds, the current Alexa Sonos Pandora integration prevents me from accessing basic Pandora functionality such as thumbing songs up/down or creating new stations from the Sonos app. This is a big step backwards for me.

And just to note it, my Alexa app also has my Pandora credentials and is set as my default music service.

That's an interesting case I think. I believe Bruce is still correct though, and you're probably correct regarding your assumption that Sonos is using some sort of access without an account. The solution seems rather obvious though, just setup your Pandora account in Sonos. In that way, whether Sonos or Alexa is 'driving' the Pandora account and visuals, you should se the correct settings.

I'm curious though. Why hadn't you setup Sonos with Pandora already? Why do you want to see your Pandora settings in Sonos if you weren't interested in listening to Pandora on Sonos without Alexa control.

As noted in my 2nd post, I do indeed have my creds for Pandora in my Sonos App:
"My Sonos app does in fact have my credentials to Pandora. Thus when I play my Pandora stations from my Sonos app, it shows the familiar thumbs up/down icons, etc on the current song screen.".

Has anyone else noticed my noted behavior with Alexa/Sonos/Pandora?

The Alexa dot to Sonos integration is disappointing. Same issues. Back to just using the So is app. Is it me or does the new Sonos app UI kind of bite too?

I agree Randy. The previous Sonos App UI was much more stable. I find i need to make changes on rooms/songs multiple times, and it stops playing Pandora randomly regardless of what controller we use (typically Iphone 6 plus or newer) UI is much more confusing, with a lot of usable screen space used up by a full screen album art screen that you keep having to swipe out of the way.