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Playing Spotify podcasts via Sonos

  • 27 November 2020
  • 39 replies
  • 23476 views
M
Userlevel 3

A podcast I have listened to on Stitcher via Sonos for some time has just moved to be on Spotify only. Now searching via Sonos app for this does not find the podcast. When I search in Spotify app, it is there and I can play on my iPhone but when I try to switch playback to Sonos device, get error message for all Sonos devices “can’t play this right now”. This seems to affect only podcasts rather than playlist or artist searches. Am I correct in assuming that Spotify podcasts can be played via Sonos ? This seems odd if true. Any ideas welcome. Thanks

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Best answer by controlav 20 January 2021, 16:47

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39 replies

L

Thanks for raising this issue.

I also have issues with some podcasts from the Sonos 1 app which appear perfectly well under tunein or mytuner radio. However, when pressing "play" the Sonos app retuns the message: could not play "podcast name" (translation from Danish). The podcast in question is: "Sara & monopolet". Importantly, some other podcast play perfectly well from the Sonos app. 

Even so, the all podcasts can be played from the spotify app AND from there be played on the Sonos speakers. 

Looking forward to your feedback. Thanks 

R

It’s been over a year since this thread was started and still no action from Spotify. I chatted with a support tech today who said he would submit this as an upgrade request. If you’re a paid Spotify member, please contact their support and make the same request.
https://support.spotify.com/us/contact-spotify-support/

J

Spotify’s inaction to fix issues with Sonos could be influenced by their attempt of getting into the connected speaker market. I highly doubt they will convert many Sonos users with their attempt at speakers. A physical button on a smart speaker is hardly a ground breaking technological development, I disable the buttons on all of the Sonos speakers since the app is more practical. 

https://www.tellerreport.com/tech/2021-10-20-ikea-develops-the-first-connected-speaker-with-the-spotify-tap-button.SypfN3pSK.html

Airgetlam

I’d assume someone could, although I’m not sure Sonos would choose to carry it….
 

But the key is, with the rare exception of some Sonos Radio content, none of the data being streamed is held on Sonos servers, so Sonos has no ability to control what data is being fed. All the system does is point to content on other people’s servers. 

Bruce
C
Userlevel 6
Badge +14

Interesting read.  I couldn't find any reference to content.  Looks like someone could set up a service just replaying  speeches and anthems from the Third Reich and Sonos would be agnostic to the content. 

Airgetlam

As far as I’m aware, it’s all detailed on the Sonos partners page, but I haven’t re-read that data in years.

My belief is that Sonos confirms that the implementation works within the Sonos application, and the server responds with data both audio and search data. But they don’t have control over what is presented by that server, since they don’t own that server. They just point the Sonos “client” to it. 

Bruce
C
Userlevel 6
Badge +14

A bit like Facebook accepting no responsibility for what appears on their service, then? 

What criteria does Sonos apply when making a service available? 

Airgetlam

This is completely under the control of Spotify, Sonos has zero input as to what Spotify makes available through the connection. 

Bruce
C
Userlevel 6
Badge +14

Checking the Spotify thread shows no progress on this issue.   I find the Spotify resource on Sonos a real mess - reams of junk material to to scroll through to get to my content at the bottom of the page (... And still no podcasts!). 

It is possible by ways and means as this pic shows:

 

J

Up until a month or so ago sonos speakers showed in the spotify app for podcasts and would connect. I just spent time with spotify support to get podcasts to stream on my sonos speakers. They gave me a temporary account to try and I could play podcasts from the spotify app to sonos. The solution they gave was to open a new account. This worked initially, but within an hour it was back to the same greyed out "can't play this right now" message for sonos in the spotify app. Definitely a spotify problem with their podcasts.

When the sonos speaker was greyed out again for podcasts in the spotify app I found a way to connect to sonos:

1) start by playing music to sonos

2) while the music is still playing on sonos select and start playing a podcast. 

 

 

 

S

https://community.spotify.com/t5/Other-Podcasts-Partners-etc/Cannot-Play-Podcasts-on-Sonos/td-p/5095613

I've posted a link to this thread on a related Spotify thread... We shall see what happens...

 

Airgetlam

Note that Sonos doesn’t decide what content is provided by any service other than HD Radio. Spotify is in control over what is provided to Sonos by the Spotify service. If you find something you’d like to be on the Sonos stream, Spotify should be where you are lodging your request, not Sonos. 

Bruce
B

Hi @mjstocker, thank you for your response and for providing additional information about your concern. We appreciate your feedback. As per checking, you can play podcasts on the Spotify app to your Sonos speakers. However, streaming Spotify podcasts is not yet available in the Sonos app. What I can do is to submit this as a feature request to our engineering team so they can take a look. We don’t have information to share with you but you can check our announcements for any feature releases and updates.  Please do not hesitate to reach out if you have further questions, additional feature requests, or concerns. We are always happy to help out.


Thank you for the information Rowena.  However, I am VERY SURPRISED Sonos has yet to update their software to allow Spotify podcasts to play over its system.  I too listen to a SPOTIFY-ONLY podcast, which also happens to be the most listened to podcast on the internet.  Surprised Sonos has not made it a priority to update its system to allow this basic capability. 

M
Userlevel 3

This still seems to be a Spotify issue and not one that is getting fixed. There is an enhancement topic - getting some more votes to raise its profile might help. Vote here

https://community.spotify.com/t5/Live-Ideas/All-Platforms-Connect-re-categorise-podcasts-as-AUDIO-so-they/idc-p/5167439#M215037

O

Thank you for this information. It would be REALLY nice to be able to play Spotify podcasts, as my Sonos will not connect to my Spotify player. I have followed all suggestions to ‘restart’ my system and made sure the connections are consistent, but they just won’t connect. I won’t call it frustrating, bc I can play music, but I would like to be able to listen to podcasts. Cheers.

Airgetlam

That’s actually up to Spotify, who is in control over what content appears in the Sonos controller.  I’d drop them a note. 

Bruce
L

Please make it so I can create a list of favorite podcasts in spotify so I can just play myt podcasts on my sonos like I play my music from spotify on sonos. My sonos speakers don’t work with airplay so I have no way to play my podcasts.

Airgetlam

Again, Sonos has no control over what content Spotify presents on the server that the Sonos system connects to. That is completely in Spotify’s hands. If you want there to be additional content, such as Spotify’s podcasts, you need to contact Spotify. To my knowledge, they don’t read these forums. 

Bruce
S

I cant play my spotify podcasts either. If this isnt a feature sonos can support then they need to work on that asap. I love my sonos but its useless if i have to bring a new speaker in to the room every time I want to listen to podcast vs music. Completely defeats the purpose. 

W

This is a real pain, I wish my spotify podcasts would show up in the Sonos app like all my other spotify content.

E

Added tunein and now i can find my favorite podcast via the sonos app. I hope good karma finds you, thanks again.

E

In case there is still some belief that this is not a Spotify problem, go here:

https://sonos-pmap.ws.sonos.com/spotify_pmap.24.xml

This is the Spotify metadata file, even if you can’t read XML, go look at the SearchCategories section, and you will see this:

Note: no Podcast entry. This is either a bug in Spotify, or a deliberate decision by them.

However, if you look at the end of the file, at the QuickSkips section, you will see that there is podcast support for jumping forward/backward 15 seconds. Curious. I am going to guess that someone accidentally deleted the podcasts entry in the SearchCategories section.

Suggest someone who wants this feature sends this post to Spotify and tell them to fix it. This is as clear a bug report as could be presented to them.

Awesome- thank you for the thorough investigation! I definitely would not have figured it out and now feel like an idiot for my original post/speculation. I think i will just add a new service to get the podcast search feature back. THANK YOU SIR!!! (Or madam)

controlav
Userlevel 7
Badge +23

In case there is still some belief that this is not a Spotify problem, go here:

https://sonos-pmap.ws.sonos.com/spotify_pmap.24.xml

This is the Spotify metadata file, even if you can’t read XML, go look at the SearchCategories section, and you will see this:

Note: no Podcast entry. This is either a bug in Spotify, or a deliberate decision by them.

However, if you look at the end of the file, at the QuickSkips section, you will see that there is podcast support for jumping forward/backward 15 seconds. Curious. I am going to guess that someone accidentally deleted the podcasts entry in the SearchCategories section.

Suggest someone who wants this feature sends this post to Spotify and tell them to fix it. This is as clear a bug report as could be presented to them.

Author of the leading independent Sonos app for Windows, the only Sonos app for Xbox, and a Sonos app for iOS
controlav
Userlevel 7
Badge +23

Sticher and TuneIn are the only music services I have on Sonos that support a search category of podcast. Spotify does not.

 

So then why does my spotify still show podcasts and a podcast tab but my sonos app does not?


Because Spotify chose not to include podcasts as a category in their SMAPI service. Search categories are exposed via this API: https://developer.sonos.com/reference/sonos-music-api/search/#Sample-presentation-map-configuration

Author of the leading independent Sonos app for Windows, the only Sonos app for Xbox, and a Sonos app for iOS
E

So then why does my spotify still show podcasts and a podcast tab but my sonos app does not? Any idea on how to get podcast search functionality back into my sonos app?

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