Question

Show song lyrics in SONOS app

  • 3 August 2017
  • 4 replies
  • 13483 views

Userlevel 2
Would it be possible to include song lyrics in the SONOS app? (similar to Shazam). Currently I have to start a song, and than switch quickly to my browser to search for the lyrics on azlyrics or similar.

I don't know how this relates to copyright issues but several sites already exist for years without any problems.

This topic has been closed for further comments. You can use the search bar to find a similar topic, or create a new one by clicking Create Topic at the top of the page.

4 replies

It's a little bit different with Sonos. The speakers go out and get the stream from the internet. The only thing that they notify the controller of is the metadata associated with each song so that you can see what's playing. So each music provider would then have to provide the lyrics with the metadata, and the Sonos API would have to be rewritten to get that data, and then pass it on to the controller as each song starts playing. Not impossible, by any means, but getting each music stream to include the data might be challenging.

But you raise an interesting point. I certainly don't know what copyright issues there might be with including lyrics. I'd assume that they were included with the rights to play the music, but I'm no lawyer 🙂
Badge +20
What my daughters do is...

Have "Shazam" running on the iOS devices, this recognises the track playing and then a link to full lyrics. Happens quite quickly in automatic mode so they only miss a few words at the start of each song.
Userlevel 2
Every time this comes up, Bruce chimes in that is difficult to do...it isn't. As was brought up, it is already available on multiple services. Just like the title/artist/etc that they already list, it is just text. Forward it the app, *optionally* for individual providers/sources. For example for Pandora:

1. Pandora ALREADY supports this! So, for Pandora integration with sonos, ALL they have to do is forward the info/text that is ALREADY there to their app.

2. In terms of sync, i am SURE a ton of the people on here would be happy if they could AT LEAST supply the lyrics, without even attempting to sync it up with the song.

3. Yes, in terms of supporting it for ALL the Sonos sources, that may be a bit more difficult, depending on the source in question. HOWEVER, again, they don't have to do everything at once (make it a optional source feature). Supply the lyrics for the sources that they can implement easily, like pandora, initially. It doesn't have to be all sources immediately. At least they would make SOME people happy...INSTEAD THEY ARE SIMPLY IGNORING THEIR USER BASE FOR YEARS WITHOUT ANY PROGRESS WHATSOEVER!!!

COME ON SONOS, GET OFF YOUR AZZZ!
Another reason people should be able to use their player/app and stream to sonos. Pitty spotify is one of the rare app to support that.