Yes, it's normal. Google wants you to pay for a subscription to play uploaded tracks on Sonos. Makes perfect business sense. Sonos gets GA, Google gets more subscriptions. Win-win.
No they don't make you pay for it. It's free on Google home speakers and through Google play music on Android and ios. They also have a free subscription you can use through the sonos app. At a minimum I thought the Google assistant could play everything on the sonos speaker that I can play through the sonos app on my phone. So why can't it play the same music from Google play that I can do from the sonos app?
Because Google wants it that way. Simple.
I would not be surprised if this is indeed the case -- that the limitation is imposed by Google. In fact, I seem to recall a few years ago, that the same issue on Google Play Music access came up with Google Home as well. But then, after numerous user complaints, it was "fixed".
If this is indeed the case, it would still seem that Sonos is still in the best position to potentially address the issue with the service provider, given their already established relationship with the firm (contacts already established in previous licensing and sharing discussions, etc.). Also, Sonos would have access to their user usage statistics and Google Play Music access issue statistics (gathered from Sonos usage data, this forum, and other sources), which would put them in the best position to best represent the user community in discussions with the provider.
Anyways, crossing fingers that our voices are heard...
In the meantime, I will probably switch back to Alexa (as the native support for Google's own music services was the primary reason I was looking to switch to Google Assistant)...
Same issue. Using a Google Home speaker to interact, "Hey, Google, play Jazz Pistols (in my own GP library and GP set as default music source) on Family Room Sonos"... "Sorry, not part of your Google Play subscription". Same command with "Family Room Sonos" omitted plays on the GH speaker with content from my collection. Same before when I issue the command to my Sonos Ones. No problem if I use the Sonos app and GP Music as the source. Needs fixing. Not holding my breath...
I would not be surprised if this is indeed the case -- that the limitation is imposed by Google. In fact, I seem to recall a few years ago, that the same issue on Google Play Music access came up with Google Home as well. But then, after numerous user complaints, it was "fixed".
Yep, you're right, I used to have the same problem back then. Only thing you could play were playlists. Too a long time for Google to fix it.
Yeah it is very annoying not being able to control my Sonos music through GA. Yeah sure, when the music is playing, using Sonos app to start it, you can skip and adjust the volume. But overall GA has been neutered. Disappointed.
Same problem. Sonos with GA plays playlists on Spotify but not Play Music. GA on Sonos says Ok then says they are not available. They play to the speakers from the Play app. Alexa wont play Google Music so this is infuriating as it's probably the simplest and most common function.
Used to work for me until very recently. Have error of needing to recertify play music account .. deleted my Google play music account and reconnected ... Now giving error of not part of subscription ... Not ok Sonos. Please fix
Also annoyed by this, I can play my own collection via the app just can't start it up via the voice assistant. Fix it please
worked fine until today now it gives me that message to “play on another google unit”. Tried everything including re-installing everything. I’m at a loss.
It does feel like a problem for Sonos to solve rather than Google, as I can use the Sonos app to instigate new music from my free Google Play Music account on the speakers, and I can use voice to control it after that, just can't use voice to pick a new track.
Next day I come down and the wife is listening to music. I ask how did you get it to play, and she says I just asked it and it worked. Has been working ever since and I have no idea why or how
♂️
I spoke with tech support re: this issue today and they stated that currently they do not have support for playing My Library songs via voice command through Google Assistant, just streaming services apparently. Which is odd, since you can easily do it through the app or verbally through the Google Assistant on your phone/device.
The fact is, this GA implementation on Sonos is classic crippleware (e.g. limited GPM capability, no Music Library capability, etc). I generally don’t use the feature except for the limited functionality it provides with Pandora. Considering that the smart speaker market is booming, and full-blown implementations of GA are available on competing products, Sonos has chosen to make their products non-competitive when it comes to voice control. It’s a deficiency they could fix if they wanted to.
I have found a way round this issue. Firstly as you have Google Play Music I presume you also have Google Drive ( free online storage). In this drive create a folder called music, then in this folder create a folder for each artist, say Adele. then in this folder upload mp3 songs of hers you own. You cannot just upload the album it must just be the mp3s.
Then in the Amazon Alexa app go to the skills and enable Personal Jukebox, this will ask you to choose the online storage for Google. Enter user name and password and accept. Job done. Then on Sonos say ‘Alexa Tell Personal Jukebox to play Adele’ (or which ever artist folder you have created). The only issue is that Personal Jukebox shuffles the songs in the folder, but hey at least you can use you cloud storage!!
