The new app is GARBAGE

May I ask. Do you use a phone or tablet as main controller?

Both, depending on what's nearest. 🙂 We've an older iPad always on the coffee table and our phones (as they are) are usually nearby. But I most often (moreso recently) use the PC controller which I find the best overall still.
(My fiance has and still does usually use her iPhone).OK thanks. I can understand your comments better if used to the tablet app, but I don't think the phone version has ever had everything on view, there just isn't room.
If you pick room first, then it's easy, which has always seemed more logical to me.
The sequence I gave seems to work for all my music sources though.
As an alternative to swipe down, there is the down arrow top left. In fact this signals swipe down. I used swipe down a lot in the previous app, this is not new.
I still respect your right to prefer the previous app!

No, you're right, the phone versions have always been "condensed" as it were, but even then the Rooms selection was always displayed and available at top, the sources always available to the left, and search was ever-present in the top-right.
The arrangement was different than the larger versions, but the same logical separation existed. And it still does exist, oddly enough but now from the nav-bar... which disappears. :)
I don't want to bad mouth the devs, but I just genuinely think the UI could have been "massaged" a bit more. I'll live. 🙂

I think we will see some 'massaging', and I think that will probably include the nav bar always being visible, at least I hope so.

Just to make my thoughts public, about the app upgrade it is "GARBAGE" both my wife and I agree the old version was simple and intuitive. The new one puts us off using Sonos because it's become a faff to get music out of the desired speaker. I must qualify that last statement by saying we still use Sonos its the BEST bit of tech we own and upto now I have not had any complaints (not a single one) about the system but this new app is APPALLING

You are mistaken. To play your choice of music in your chosen room.
1 Tap the Rooms button on the tab bar
2 If the room you want is already highlighted, fine. If not, tap the room you want to play music in.
3 Tap Browse if you want to choose a source, such as your Music Library, or Search to search just like before, or My Sonos for playlists and favourites.
4. Tap your choice of music to play it.

Now, tell me that doesn't work. Tell me what is difficult about it. Please.

My wife uses hers for Pandora and I listen solely to the Loft on Sirius. The change takes quite a few additional steps since the upgrade and adjusting the room is cumbersome as the app changes back several times to the initial setting before accepting the change. Needs some tweaking to get back to ease of use. I have recommended SONOS several times to Sirius listeners looking to access at home. Please fix the updates.

Ah well.. works every time for me without fail. I must just be lucky

We own 8 and have had them for 6 year the whole family hate the new app. the old one worked so well. Really unhappy with it. i will be looking around to see what else is on the market

Please could you specify what you are having difficulty doing?

It’s new. It’s different. It requires looking at ALL what is on the screen.
Works exactly the same as the previous version.

You are mistaken. To play your choice of music in your chosen room.
1 Tap the Rooms button on the tab bar
2 If the room you want is already highlighted, fine. If not, tap the room you want to play music in.
3 Tap Browse if you want to choose a source, such as your Music Library, or Search to search just like before, or My Sonos for playlists and favourites.
4. Tap your choice of music to play it.

Now, tell me that doesn't work. Tell me what is difficult about it. Please.

I wouldn’t say it’s difficult, the issue is you actively have to look at each screen and pay attention to what you are looking for and selecting. On the old app you knew where you were and selecting rooms and music seemed a simpler task.