Limited functionality > Sonos controller & Google Play Music All Access

Did you know that you can play to Sonos directly from the Google Play Music app? That way you get full functionality. See this link for details: https://sonos.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/2452/session/L2F2LzEvdGltZS8xNDEzMDQ4MDkwL3NpZC9haUM3RUM0bQ%3D%3D

I know... But only on Android and I am on apple devices. Another victim of the apple/google wars. Thanks for the answer though!

I will also add my voice to wanting the Auto playlists to show up in the Sonos software.

I agree the Sonos controller is really lacking features for Google Music. No adding to playlists. No creating playlists. No auto-playlists. No "listen now" playlists. When can we expect to see the missing functionality added?

Andrew_179 wrote:

I agree the Sonos controller is really lacking features for Google Music. No adding to playlists. No creating playlists. No auto-playlists. No "listen now" playlists. When can we expect to see the missing functionality added?

To add a few things to this thread regarding GPM within the Sonos app:

1. Re Auto Playlists, the Sonos app does now show the 'Thumbs up' list, but not the 'Last added' list - the latter would be a very useful addition.

2. Within the GPM native app or the web interface, the 'Listen Now' view contains:
(i) The Songza time-of-day/themed suggestions
(ii) Recent activity
(iii) Recommended for you
...and is one of (along with the 'Thumbs up' & 'Last added' Auto Playlists) the most useful views within GPM. BUT, the Sonos app does not contain this view. Again, this would be a VERY useful addition. This Listen Now view within the GPM native app and web app is one of the main ways in which new music discovery occurs (and effortless new music discovery is one the great features of GPM), so it's absence from the Sonos app is a very big deal, IMO.

3. There's a terminology inconsistency between GPM and the Sonos app: GPM uses the term 'Stations', but the Sonos app is using 'Radio' in some places (eg. within My Library) but 'Stations' in other places. It should be consistent and be the same as the GPM app and the web app.

4. There's a bug in the Sonos app's list of Stations ('Radio') within the My Library View. It appears to include all the GPM Stations you've ever had, ie. including all those Stations you've long since deleted. As such, the list is wrong and essentially unusable.

If these are all issues needing Google staff to fix, perhaps Sonos could give them a nudge behind the scenes. Thanks.

If Sonos do talk to GPM staff, then it might be an idea to mention this issue to them also:
https://en.community.sonos.com/troubleshooting-228999/wakelock-when-casting-from-google-play-music-app-6732137

Very recent native GPM Android app releases have introduced a bug that causes it to record sky-high Keep awake times when casting to Sonos, essentially destroying battery life. It's because of this battery life issue that I've recently switched from using the native GPM app (casting to Sonos) to instead selecting GPM as a source within the Sonos app, discovering the above shortcomings in the process. I'll try to post more if I find them.

duplicate

RDog wrote:

4. There's a bug in the Sonos app's list of Stations ('Radio') within the My Library View. It appears to include all the GPM Stations you've ever had, ie. including all those Stations you've long since deleted. As such, the list is wrong and essentially unusable.

Any chance this could be investigated (or the issue passed onto Google)? Tricky for me to flag this directly with Google as the native GPM app/webapp work correctly.

FWIW, this looks like it may be an API issue: if I use BubbleUPnP to set up new access to Google Play Music, the exact same problem manifests. Just like the Sonos app, it shows 232 Stations, instead of the (correct) 48 that the GPM Android or Webapp show. Both the Sonos and BubbleUPnP apps show *all* the GPM Stations that I've ever had, ie. they erroneously also include all those Stations that I've deleted in the past as well. Seems a coincidence they're both doing this, so maybe the API you're using is duff?

Thanks.

+1 Sonos please get this fixed!

I've just taken out a GPM subscription due to the imminent demise of Songza, and as stated above "As such, the list is wrong and essentially unusable", which makes the GPM integration a step down from what Songza integration provided.

I am not able to see Google Play radio stations in the Sonos Controller. Please fix this, Sonos.

If you use android tablet you can cast to sonos from within Google cast app, using GPM app and not use the sonos app at all. Not sure what extra functionality it would give, I'll have to experiment with it.

I have just started a trial with gpm arter my 12months deezer subscription ended.

Very disappointed to see i cannot add to a Google playlist from within sonos. An essential feature. Yes i can cast direct from the gpm app but then i lose sonos functionality and have to switch between the two apps to access all features.

Is there any chance that sonos/google will ensure all features are available within sonos? Really feels like pure laziness not to ensure the service is complete.

I tend to cast direct from GPM, to either sonos or cromecast audio, so don't use sonos app much anymore. I usually stream a new release album, or a google radio station of grouped similar artists that I like. I can't see me buying anymore play units until sonos intergrate with CA better.

Have you guys had issues with google radio pausing and unable to playback songs after a few minutes casting to Sonos system? This just started happening to me recently.
Radio streams fine on Nexus 7 device when I do not cast it to Sonos.
Any ideas?

Interference in your wifi communicating to your Sonos speaker would be my guess. Look for sources of interference. Change the wifi channel you're using (and don't use "automatic" if your router has that option). Try rebooting both the speaker (s) and the router. Finally, look at the option of reserving IP address space for your speakers, which would be in the router manual.

Unfortunately google wifi system does not allow for wifi channel selection.

RDog wrote:

4. There's a bug in the Sonos app's list of Stations ('Radio') within the My Library View. It appears to include all the GPM Stations you've ever had, ie. including all those Stations you've long since deleted. As such, the list is wrong and essentially unusable.

Any chance this could be investigated (or the issue passed onto Google)? Tricky for me to flag this directly with Google as the native GPM app/webapp work correctly.

I was just on another thread observing (OK complaining!) about another basic Sonos/GPM integration bug that hasn't been fixed in two years. And here's another basic and unresolved bug, which I run into regularly, which is at least a year old.

I read in the trade press that Sonos' new CEO is trying to reinvigorate the company and give it a bias for action. I hope he is successful, so this kind of nonsense stops.

Dave Ings

Hi mha, we would be happy to take a look at a diagnostic of your Sonos system for you. Reply here with the confirmation number.

@Dave, thanks for the feedback we're always looking to improve the Google Play Music experience and we'll pass this along to our development team and the team at Google Music.

Hi Tyler,

I thought I'd follow up by mentioning that I got so fed up with this basic Sonos/GPM stations integration bug that I switched my primary music service from GPM to Spotify, for which the Sonos integration is far better (at least on iOS).

I am a loyal Sonos customer, so I dumped GPM. However others might dump Sonos I think. So this basic bug needs to be fixed and the generally poor GPM integration really needs to be addressed, IMHO.

Thanks for listening.

Still not able to add to google playlist from within Sonos app. Can this please be added? It must be simple enough to implement.

Dear Sonos,

Why are you not able to enhance the Google Play features?

Your customer

MeAgain wrote:

Dear Sonos,

Why are you not able to enhance the Google Play features?

Your customer

Because it is up to each *music service* to provide the features they want their customers to use. Ask Google to fix their SMAPI service.