Support Spotify Connect to allow users to use the Spotify app as the controller.

  • 3 September 2013
  • 366 replies
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Userlevel 3
Spotify Connect was just announced and I was surprised that I didn't see Sonos in the list of companies that would provide support. Many Spotify users have been asking for a long time to be able to use the Spotify app as the controller for selecting songs, as it provides a superior experience (you still can't even see the Top 5 songs in the Spotify view within the Sonos app, and it is difficult to look through an artist's collection to find a specific song unless you know which album it was in). Please support spotify connect. Additional details on Spotify Connect are here: http://www.theverge.com/2013/9/3/4688166/spotify-connect-launches-to-stream-music-to-compatible-speakers If you look at the post on theverge, even the first comment was one asking for Sonos support for the feature.

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366 replies

Userlevel 7
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Hi everyone,

With the latest version of the Sonos software we've added the ability to control your Sonos system directly from the Spotify app. You can read more about this new feature here.
Userlevel 7
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what confuses me is how this will work if you want to have different music in different rooms. this is currently possible in the sonos app but not spotify connect (I have a couple of spotify connect devices). I wonder if something will change in spotify in future where you can select a room and choose what is playing then select another ? Presumably the spotify integration will remain in the sonos app so what happens if you start doing things in both apps ?! What about the current restriction of not being able to play on sonos and the spotify app simultaneously ? Presumably that have to be removed ?

much to be clarified !
Userlevel 7
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more info from spotify
https://news.spotify.com/us/2016/08/30/spotify-partners-with-sonos-to-unveil-new-era-of-connected-home-listening/
Userlevel 4
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Plus support for Amazon Alexa next year:
http://www.cnet.com/uk/news/amazon-alexa-coming-to-sonos-music-systems/
Userlevel 7
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so there we have it folks - 2 years on and Spotify Connect is finally coming to Sonos next month :-)
http://venturebeat.com/2016/08/30/sonos-will-soon-let-spotifys-app-control-its-connected-speakers/
Userlevel 1
Hi folks, There's not much to say at the moment but we'd like everyone to understand where we're coming regarding the announcement from Spotify. Sonos is a platform for music lovers and we want Sonos customers to enjoy all the music on earth from whatever source they choose. We have an excellent partnership with Spotify which is, and will continue to be, an important part of many of our customers music listening experience on Sonos. Thanks for your continued support.

this is 2 years ago. Why is Spotify still usless on Sonos. Apple music is not much better. a little better interface but Apple Muisc is way behind Spotify. and I am an aplle everthing user. But I draw the line with Apple music. I feel like going back to CDs.
Userlevel 7
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Native apps and chromecast connectivity is where I want things to go. Native apps are going to rapidly change to offer ever more content for users. Who wants a limited dated sonos app for on-line streaming??
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Oh I think I see now, so users want Sonos to support Apple AirPlay, Google Chromecast, Bluetooth, Spotify Connect... I assume next will be something like Microsoft Music-Link and Amazon Access etc. ...or something similar

Surely this moving market of 'music casting technology' has to settle first, before a company like Sonos can choose which way to proceed.

The line-in port has been the 'connect' (verb) method upto now, but perhaps some kind of 'universal standard speaker device port/adapter' needs developing to allow the customer to plugin their own chosen services.

I can't see how Sonos can be all things to all people. Nor should they have to choose. It really needs a 'meeting of minds' to sort the path ahead.

Ken Griffiths


It's actually more simple than that - if I pay for the devices (speakers, phones, computers, etc) and for the rights to play the content (spotify or another service subscription) I want to be able to play anything to anything. I think most users want that or will want that soon and companies like Sonos either give it to them, or, when enough users will want this and enough competitors will provide it, companies that refuse to do it will disappear. This is simply standardization, it happened in other fields, it will happen here as well.

In my particular case, I want to stream the native Spotify app to sonos, because the sonos spotify app does not give me what I want. Since I cannot do that, I am using chromecasts for playing music in certain rooms - Sonos has lost one sale here, because if they supported this I would have bought sonos products instead of chromecast, in spite of the price difference. When they lose enough sales, they will wake up, unless it's too late.
Userlevel 7
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I've noticed recently that the Spotify App on my iPhone "sees" my Sonos-Connect as a Spotify-Connect destination. It cannot successfully connect, but it makes me wonder if there is some development underway to support.

Any new news here Tom?


certainly no luck for me. Whilst I dont have a connect, I have Play 1s, 3s, 5s, playbar and sub.
With Spotify on my phone it "sees" 1 x Panasonic ALL1C, 1 x Pioneer wifi speaker, 2 x Amazon Fire Sticks and my laptop - all Spotify Connect enabled.

How nice it would be to come home from work and just transfer whatever I was listening to in the car to whatever Sonos I wanted without having to figure out which dirty workaround to use for which speaker(s) or have to build an identical music queue on sonos if I could even figure out where I had got the tracks from in the first place !
I've noticed recently that the Spotify App on my iPhone "sees" my Sonos-Connect as a Spotify-Connect destination. It cannot successfully connect, but it makes me wonder if there is some development underway to support.

Any new news here Tom?


Bose is on their third redesign in about the same number of years because of this. They recently dropped Airplay because they could never make it work with multi-room. I personally like the fact that Sonos doesn't latch onto the flavor of the day. It saves them the growing pains like Bose has/had, and it also means they can disconnect their reviews and/or support responsibilities from flawed, unreliable, or dated technology like AirPlay (streams through the phone) or Bluetooth (limited range, compressed quality, through the phone).


'Spot on' jgatie ... I'm really quite amazed at how some people spend around £2k+ on Sonos equipment, without proper research, to get it out the box and then wonder why it doesn't use Bluetooth or have built-in AirPlay etc.

I can only repeat what one Tier 2 Sonos support engineer once said to me. "We are a multi-room wireless speaker company, and we try never to lose sight of that'.

All credit to Sonos for staying focused. I'm sure it will hold them in good stead for their planned future development of products.

Ken Griffiths
BoredofBalham,

Is that the top of the range induction hob with the optional line-out for your wife to use to boil the electric kettle? ha ha :-)

It's truly amazing what people expect to get for their money from some of the manufacturers these days eh?

Ken Griffiths
Oh I think I see now, so users want Sonos to support Apple AirPlay, Google Chromecast, Bluetooth, Spotify Connect... I assume next will be something like Microsoft Music-Link and Amazon Access etc. ...or something similar



Bose is on their third redesign in about the same number of years because of this. They recently dropped Airplay because they could never make it work with multi-room. I personally like the fact that Sonos doesn't latch onto the flavor of the day. It saves them the growing pains like Bose has/had, and it also means they can disconnect their reviews and/or support responsibilities from flawed, unreliable, or dated technology like AirPlay (streams through the phone) or Bluetooth (limited range, compressed quality, through the phone).
Userlevel 5
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I just bought an induction hob. I am bitterly disappointed in the manufacturer because it does not support non-induction compatible cookware.
So I am going to hold my breath until I am blue ( because it makes me feel good) and then tear the kitchen out and replace it with something that will use my aluminium saucepans.
Should only cost around £10,000. I refuse to look at, think about, or even try anything that will work properly because the hob manufacturer is wrong and I am right.

I have read that I can buy expensive conversion plates that will allow me to use my saucepans.

My other half keeps nagging me that why not just get saucepans that will work on the hob...some people eh!
Oh I think I see now, so users want Sonos to support Apple AirPlay, Google Chromecast, Bluetooth, Spotify Connect... I assume next will be something like Microsoft Music-Link and Amazon Access etc. ...or something similar

Surely this moving market of 'music casting technology' has to settle first, before a company like Sonos can choose which way to proceed.

The line-in port has been the 'connect' (verb) method upto now, but perhaps some kind of 'universal standard speaker device port/adapter' needs developing to allow the customer to plugin their own chosen services.

I can't see how Sonos can be all things to all people. Nor should they have to choose. It really needs a 'meeting of minds' to sort the path ahead.

Ken Griffiths
I'm pretty sure that is the verb "connect" and not the noun "Spotify Connect". Spotify Connect is explained by CNET here, and it specifically says it competes with Airplay and Bluetooth:

http://www.cnet.com/news/spotify-connect-what-is-and-how-it-works/

Spotify Connect is one of several competing methods enabling you to listen to music on your phone through a stereo system. Others include Bluetooth, Apple's AirPlay and Google Cast.

The biggest difference between Spotify and popular streaming option Bluetooth is that it uses higher-quality Wi-Fi connectivity, which is less susceptible to dropouts, sounds better and has a much wider range.

. . .

By comparison, AirPlay -- which also uses Wi-Fi -- and Bluetooth stream music directly from the phone to the receiving device, which can wear down the battery more quickly.
Actually, Spotify Connect has nothing to do with AIrPlay. It is a separate entity, basically a Spotify specific version of Google Chromecast Audio that is built into the hardware.

Jgatie ... When I click 'Spotify Connect' in the app. I just get the options for AirPlay or Bluetooth or to Play on the iPad ?... See screenshot. It certainly is not a multi-room, multi-speaker option, like the Sonos products that are available via the Sonos Controller.

Ken Griffiths

@Ken I agree with most of what you are saying, couple of points though. Spotify Connect requires a premium sub, so this isn't about using the free service.

Second, for many people the problem with the Sonos interface is that in their opinion they find the features lacking, they want to use the native apps and play to their Sonos from that app. There are posts about this for almost every music service.
Actually, Spotify Connect has nothing to do with AIrPlay. It is a separate entity, basically a Spotify specific version of Google Chromecast Audio that is built into the hardware.
Spotify Connect is a SINGLE device connection for playing music, either over Bluetooth or AirPlay.

The Sonos System is a multiroom, multi-speaker system, for playing music services over wifi. So it's a completely different thing entirely. However, Sonos do offer a workaround to this issue, as mentioned numerous times in various community posts and that's by using an Airport Express, connected to the line-in of either the Sonos Play-5, Connect etc...

That results in Spotify Connect (and other Apps with built-in AirPlay) of then being capable of playing music through each and every Sonos Product (even those without a line-in), using single or combined speakers in multiple rooms etc, or otherwise... So lots of improvement all round for those people who are lucky enough and aim to afford to have a multiroom hifi system in their home.

Personally I don't see the point of using the line-in though, in this case, as Spotify Music is part of the Sonos Services that can be installed anyway, if you are a premium user. Unless people here are just trying to do things in a much cheaper way, in which case Sonos is probably not the type of product they were after to begin with and perhaps their aim ought to be lower and revert back to playing the free Spotify Music Service on a single device (in a single location) over Bluetooth etc.

Personally I would prefer to aim higher and to be one of those lucky people... But TRUE these things do come at a slight cost to us all.

Ken Griffiths
I just bought the new Sonos 5. VERY disappointed to learn that spotify connect does not work.

Previously to listen to spotify I was connecting my phone to old speakers via aux in and I wanted something that would just play the music I select in the spotify app without any hassle. I thought sonos was the answer. Apparently not.
Oh man. This thread is a thermonuclear bummer. Just got home with about $2k worth of Sonos gear last night...i may be an interesting use case so i'll share details about systems, spotify and sadness.

I currently have multiroom wi-fi systems from Samsung, Play-Fi (DefTech & Polk) and Sonos all set up in my home. I'm a musician/audio professional, and i'm generally of the opinion that there's no way to choose gear without setting it up and using it - so that's what credit cards and return policies are for.

I already have a bunch of high end sound gear - a mixing studio in one room, and a PA with powered QSC monitors in another - but i often don't use them to listen to music for enjoyment because they are often tied up with work tasks (physically or psychologically). So, i want something fun that "just works."

This whole mess started with Samsung R1s being on sale at Costco for $120. I bought three. Easy setup, sounds good enough. Quite reliable as well - mostly used them with Spotify, but a bit of Pandora as well. The problem is with the closed system - no analog line in, and i'm not a huge fan of bluetooth.

Ultimately, I realized the best thing for me would be a system where I could integrate AirPlay, even on a half-assed, ad-hoc basis. I tried out some of the Sony products (X88, etc) and the specs and connectivity options were amazing, but basically it just didn't work well enough. I bet there's a router that it works better with, but I'm not going down that road. This led me to trying out the Play-Fi system (each speaker has an aux line-in) and being pretty happy. With each system, I used Spotify a lot. It's just the most fun and easiest for me...I just want to have the option of sending the audio that's running on one of my pro systems into the wireless speakers as well.

When I came to understand the power of the Sonos Connect, the light bulb lit up. OK, all I have to do is PAY and the problem is solved. Patch in the Airport Express, and done. See where I'm going with this?

So far, I've used the Sonos system for about 15 minutes and I'm figuring I'm gonna have to return it. That's how big of a bummer the Spotify integration is. Spotify Connect, whatever. I don't really care how they do it, but the built-in app is so sad and clunky compared to the latest version of Spotify.

For the casual user, Spotify Connect is a direct competitor to Sonos. For example, on my deck I currently have a Samsung and nothing else. I'm listening to my grouped Play-Fi speakers inside, and when I go outside I just switch to the Samsung from the Spotify app. Yes, of course, not the ideal long-term setup for a fancypants user like me but from a user experience standpoint, a heavy Spotify user could easily buy into multiple systems and unify them with Spotify Connect.

Sonos seems to be betting the farm on being "ecosystem" focused while the hordes of users that will be buying into this marketplace over the coming years will probably be app-focused ("make music app X go into my speakers"). There's probably room for everyone, and maybe I'm wrong.

But, dang. What a bummer. I really thought I'd nailed this thing and so far it seems that the Spotify issue is a deal breaker.
Sonos is not "just another wireless speaker", regardless if you use their app or not. If they were, they'd be put out of business by $50 Bluetooth models. Their real selling point is perfectly synchronized playback to multiple rooms. You can only synch their speakers with other Sonos devices, so the fear of someone purchasing other, cheaper brands is unfounded. Besides, you can stream direct from the Google Play Music app, so I'm afraid your analysis is quite lacking.

The real reason they won't do Spotify Connect is because it requires licensing and contracts, and Sonos has always been service neutral.
Sonos CEO John MacFarlane himself said in a Dutch newspaper in 2014 that Spotify Connect will never be supported by Sonos (https://www.allaboutphones.nl/sonos-heeft-frictie-met-spotify/)

The reason given in that interview is that Sonos has it's own app which is more user-friendly than requiring the user to use different apps for different services.
However, adding support for Spofity Connect doesn't change that, it just gives users more choice.

So this is not the real reason. More likely is that they want people to be tied in with their Sonos platform; if people are used to the Sonos app and have playlists and other items there they would more likely buy another Sonos streamer instead of replacing it with a cheaper Samsung/Philips/etc. streamer.

This is the real fear of Sonos. Once Spotify Connect is supported the Sonos speaker becomes nothing more than a wireless speaker, for which there are many , cheaper alternatives nowadays. Not implementing this feature is just their hopeless attempt to delay this, and at the same time they are annoying and steering away their existing customers. Double Fail!!
I'm not sure basing your purchases on Spotify Connect support is the best way to go. Spotify itself just went against its own Connect implementation and threw support to Google Chromecast, something it was reluctant to do. Seems they are not as confident about Spotify Connect being a success as they once were.