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Sonos One Google Assistant and Youtube music premium - Playback paused because this account is being used in another location

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56 replies

V

I have the same issue as well , does not play all the songs, it is totally random, YouTube Music need to just add casting to Sonos like Play Music, problem solved.

M

I have the same issue as well - only happened since Sonos stopped supporting Play Music and forced me to switch to Youtube Music.  Diagnostic number is 992642682.  Trying to play Barber of Seville via Youtube music.  SImilar to other members, I don’t really want to sit on the phone with call support.  Given that multiple people have this issue, I think Sonos should research it and provide an online answer.

M

Exact same issue here.  Using YouTube Premium since Google Play got canned.  SONOS Playbar and numerous Ones throughout the house and intermittently a song will not load and the ‘other location’ message is shown.  I am also experiencing songs losing sound half way through for 4-5 seconds and then coming back on.  Wifi is through a brand new Google Nest Hub using NBN and speeds over 60mbps.  No other wifi issues in the house.  This issue has been around for over 12 months and its annoying a fix is still not applied.  Dropped thousands on the gear and it keeps falling over! 

M

OK I investigated a bit more and this does seem like a caching issue to me. I can force the issue to happen if I play an album on my Macbook in YouTube Music (e.g. through the web app) and then try to play it at the same time through Sonos. Predictably, and correctly, Sonos gives the “account is being used in another location” error.

However, if I STOP the music in the YouTube Music app and then try again to play it through Sonos, I continue to (incorrectly) get the “other location” error. At this point the album is completely inaccessible through Sonos. I imagine that at some point (hours? days?) later Sonos will clean itself up and allow me to play the album again, but I can’t seem to do anything to force it to re-check the album.

Note that I can continue to play OTHER albums through Sonos just fine.

Some concrete steps to reproduce this:

  1. Play Album A in YT Music (e.g. phone app, web browser).
  2. Play Album A through Sonos at the same time. Expected (correct) result: will fail in Sonos with “other location” error.
  3. Stop Album A in YT Music.
  4. Try again to play Album A through Sonos. Expected (incorrect) result: will fail in Sonos.
  5. Play Album B through Sonos. Expected (correct) result: works fine.
  6. Play Album C through YT Music app and then simultaneously through Sonos. Expected (correct) result: will fail.
  7. Play Album A again through Sonos. Still fails!
  8. Play Album B again through Sonos. Still works!
  9. Play Album C again through Sonos. Still fails!
M

I have this problem too. It’s intermittent. I tend to go back and forth through the day between (1) Android phone + YouTube Music app + Bluetooth speaker and (2) a Sonos Play:1. The issue happens to me every day or two.

Right now it’s happening with Jennifer Castle / Monarch Season.

Some observations:

  1. Open Sonos app on my phone. Search for JC/MS. Try to play it. Result: “Playback paused because your account is being used in another location”.
  2. Open Sonos app on my Macbook. Search for JC/MS. Try to play it. Result: same as above.
  3. Open Sonos app on my phone and find anything else (e.g. random album from my library). Try to play it. Result: works fine.
  4. Go to YouTube Music app on my phone. Find JC/MS. Try to play it on my phone. Result: works fine.

Is it possible that Sonos has cached this error condition somewhere for this specific album, and isn’t actually checking back with YT Music?

J

Add me to the list, tried all the suggested fixes above, unsurprisingly with no effect.

I’m using S1 app and various Google Home devices. I just now received the ‘playback paused error’, after I used Assistant to ask for a track specifically. Google successfully processed the request and the correct track appeared in the app, but it didn’t play and the app showed the error. I located the exact same track in YTMusic and it played no problem. I also searched for the track manually in the app, and it played it fine. So at least on this occasion, the problem seems to be between YouTube and Sonos, but only if the request comes via the assistant.

 

I can only guess that maybe at the point that Sonos tries to play the track, maybe the assistant is lingering on the request still, and that is actually where the YTMusic account is ‘in use’. All I’m asking is “play xxx”, the Assistant may well still be considering (for want of a better word) playing it on itself (the Home device I’m talking to) and not passing it to the Sonos. I wondering if I define a Sonos speaker in the initial request it will bypass the problem? Or remove YTMusic from my Assistant completely (probably not even possible). I guess I’ll have a look.

 

I’m adding this issue to my list:

  • Account incorrectly labeled ‘in use’: can’t play music.
  • Using Android app to search ‘Podcasts and shows’ and the app crashes: can’t play music.
  • Browsing through my library and only a small percentage of my ‘artists’,  ‘songs’ or ‘albums’ are loaded: can’t play music. 

I really don’t care at this point if the issues are with Sonos or Google, I’ve had enough. I’d really love these to be ironed out, hence my input here. But it’s increasingly clear that this is the way my system will quickly deteriorate as Sonos itself suggested it would via the end of updates during the initial announcement of the whole S1/legacy fiasco. So I’m not too surprised, but very disappointed. 

Simon B
Userlevel 6
Badge +16

Hi @ziad, Thank you for reaching out and welcome to the community. And for sending a diagnostic report of your Sonos system. Sorry to hear about this issue. Upon checking, Youtube Music is added on your account. If you have tried to remove and readd the Music service and it still doesn’t work. I'll ask you to kindly contact our phone support team for further assistance and more in-depth troubleshooting steps.  They may request for remote access on your device controller where you have the Sonos App to check further.

Let us know what you have in mind with the advice above.

The Sonos community is always here to help.

Help others find useful content by clicking the like button and selecting the best answer to your question
Z

I have the same problem

I do not use any other device 

My diagnostics number 1312538136

W
Userlevel 2

I have this problem too, had it for months. Premium subscription. Same experience of YouTube Music support being dismissive or inappropriate  ("have you tried switching your Sonos speaker off and on again?"). It's Google believing their "single stream limit" is being breached. Almost certainly a defect in their Sonos plugin service that will only get fixed when Sonos approaches them to take it seriously.

N

I have this problem as well, albeit isn’t when using Google Assistant - it happens when trying to play via the Sonos app.

It happens intermittently.  I first reported the issue to Youtube Music about a year ago, and despite multiple interactions there has been no progressed.  I also reported it to Sonos, who after taking me through a bunch of troubleshooting could come up with no solution.  

The same tracks that don’t work on Youtube Music are fine when using Google Play Music as the source within the Sonos app.  The tracks also work fine when using Youtube Music in its own app or via the web.

The problem seems to be playing via the Sonos app.  Unclear whether it is a Google problem or a Sonos problem, but it doesn’t seem like either see it as a priority to fix (though Sonos support has been a lot easier to work with!).

Airgetlam

Then I would repeat my statement about calling Sonos support.

Bruce
H

Dear @Airgetlam i can see your point. 

I have googled on the internet, and there are many people complaining about the same issues with Google Assistant on Sonos.

  • Does not understand
  • Does not provide voice feedback
  • Does provide feedback but does not take an action

I have tried my Sonos at 3 different places. 

This is how it looks when Sonos does not react - it is from 1 meter distance from the speaker that is at the level of my eyes (could be due to position of microphone in the Sonos).

While from same distance, talking to my phone has around 90% of accuracy.

 

Tested in the quiet room. Sonos is placed nearby router. That could cause interference, but even when I made a test with Sonos at the window, furthest from the all devices at home, issue was same. 

Airgetlam

Important to note that the only function here for Sonos is to take your voice input, and pass it off to the Google cloud for processing. Sonos does no processing of voice commands in their own software. Once the cloud processes what it received, it sends back a digital command to whatever device needs to be told to do something. In your case, it’s the speaker to play a particular track or artist, streaming from a particular service.

Since you indicate you’re not having issues with other input devices, my guess is there’s something impeding your voice reaching the microphones on the Sonos, so Sonos is having trouble hearing, and sending that information to Google for processing. I’d take a look at the environment that is around the speaker to see if there’s anything that may be blocking your voice from clearly reaching the speaker’s microphones. 

There’s always the slight possibility of a failure on the electronics of the Sonos. If you think there may be an issue with the microphones on your speaker, I would recommend that you submit a system diagnostic , and call Sonos Support to discuss it.

There may be information included in the diagnostic that will help Sonos pinpoint the issue and help you find a solution.

When you speak directly to the phone folks, there are more options available beyond just the diagnostic analysis. 

Bruce
H

Hi @Simon B 

Thank you for your attention.

I'm currently using only only one Sonos One and Sonos app for android. I have device for few days now.

It was happening as of beginning. Some commands seems to be easier to understand but Sonos. For example "Play Johny Cash" and some more difficult. I haven't tried much voice commands as I looked like an I*** in front of my family. My cat seems to understand me better than my Sonos. Usually, the slower and louder I speak, the better Sonos understand. I don't have this issue with Google Assistant on my phone, Shield, Tablet.

I'm not aware of any changes that I would do. I'm new to smart home, so I'm using very basics. 

My YouTube music is connected also to my Shield TV, but during testing, I have made sure that Shield is turned off. 

It happens each time I ask for playing London Grammar. But as I said, I can play it on the YouTube music, on the Sonos, if I launch it from my phone. 

Simon B
Userlevel 6
Badge +16

Hi @leviticus71, thanks for the update. Sorry to hear that the issue still persists after doing some necessary troubleshooting steps. You might want to check this link on Youtube Music support which has the exact same error message. but If that still doesn’t work, I'll ask you to kindly contact our phone support team for further assistance and more in-depth troubleshooting steps to check what could be causing this issue. 

 

Hi @HyperKo, Thank you for reaching out and welcome to the community. Sorry to hear that you’re having the same issue. I want to ask some questions to further check.

  • Have you tried it on another controller device where you have the Sonos App if the issue persists?
  • When did it start happening?
  • Are there any changes made on the settings on the Google Assistant or Youtube Music and Sonos before the issue occurred?
  • Is your Youtube Music account being used in other locations?
  • Does it happen randomly or on almost all the song requests?

Let us know what you have in mind with the advice above.

The Sonos community is always here to help.

Help others find useful content by clicking the like button and selecting the best answer to your question
H

I have exactly same problem. 

When I ask assistant to play Johny Cash, I have no problem. If I ask for London Grammar and I get same error. On the screen of Sonos app, few songs from London Grammar jumps from one to another with this error and noting plays. 

 

If I search for London Grammar in the Sonos app and start play, it works. Issue is only via assistant. 

 

Not even mentioning issue where Sonos does not understand 80% of time I want something and my Google activity is full of Sonos Unknown requests.

L

Don’t know if this helps anyone… I’ve had this problem for a while now google play would work fine, but youtube music wouldn’t play stating the usual: your account is being used on another device, when it wasn’t. 

I opened the sonos app, selected settings, opened Services & Voice. under Voice I selected add a service and then chose Google assistant. 

Everything then started to work for me all youtube music has played perfectly since yesterday! 

I hope this helps someone?

Nope Sorry this has stopped working again :( 

Any help would be appreciated 

L

Don’t know if this helps anyone… I’ve had this problem for a while now google play would work fine, but youtube music wouldn’t play stating the usual: your account is being used on another device, when it wasn’t. 

I opened the sonos app, selected settings, opened Services & Voice. under Voice I selected add a service and then chose Google assistant. 

Everything then started to work for me all youtube music has played perfectly since yesterday! 

I hope this helps someone?

Simon B
Userlevel 6
Badge +16

Hi @clas00904, thanks for the update. I'll do my best to find a fix about the issue. Bohemian Rhapsody plays on my Youtube Music. It is the 2011 mix that I have on Youtube Music. Also, if you have time, kindly contact our phone support team for further assistance and more in-depth troubleshooting steps.

Let us know how you get on with the advice above.

We're here to answer any further questions you have.

 

Help others find useful content by clicking the like button and selecting the best answer to your question
C

@Simon B I don’t want to do that. I will just use Google Play Music instead and hopefully you have fixed the YouTube issue when it gets closed.

Does Bohemian Rhapsody play on your YouTube Music account?

Simon B
Userlevel 6
Badge +16

Hi @clas00904, thanks for the update. I appreciate you taking the time to do some basic troubleshooting to resolve the issue. Regarding this concern and error message, I'll ask you to kindly contact our phone support team for further assistance and more in-depth troubleshooting steps. They may request for remote access or screen share to your controller or device where you have the Sonos App to further check what could be causing this issue. 

Let us know how you get on with the advice above.

We're here to answer any further questions you have.

Help others find useful content by clicking the like button and selecting the best answer to your question
C

Hi @Simon B.

I tried removing both service and adding only YouTube Music. That didn’t help.

It seems to be happening for certain artists only.

If I try to play anything by Queen, then I always get the error.

Other artists play just fine.

The player returns “TransportStatus=ERROR_SONOSAPI_7” if that helps in any way.

Simon B
Userlevel 6
Badge +16

Hi @clas00904, Thank you for reaching out and welcome to the community. Thanks for bringing this up and we understand where you're coming from. I appreciate you taking the time to submit the diagnostic report. Upon checking, you have the Google play music and the Youtube Music added on the Sonos App, I’ll ask you to try to remove the Google Play Music and Youtube Music. and readd just Youtube Music. let’s see if it will work.

Let us know how you get on with the advice above.

We're here to answer any further questions you have.

Help others find useful content by clicking the like button and selecting the best answer to your question
C

I have the same issue with YouTube Music.

Google Play Music doesn’t have the same issue.

Diagnostics #  863107402.

Play works fine on Android and when casting.

Tried to Reauthorize and Readd the service. Both didn’t help.

Simon B
Userlevel 6
Badge +16

Hi @AaronW, Thank you for reaching out and welcome to the community. Thanks for bringing this up and we understand where you're coming from. I appreciate you taking the time to submit the diagnostic report. Regarding your concern about the diagnostic that you provided, I can’t see any issues with the Sonos system. and with the Youtube premium subscription set up on your Sonos account. I'll ask some questions to assist further.

  •  Have you tried to remove and readd the Youtube Music on your Sonos App? 
  • Have you tried another device if it’s the same error?

Let us know how you get on with the advice above.

We're here to answer any further questions you have.

 

Help others find useful content by clicking the like button and selecting the best answer to your question
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