Different music in different rooms- Sonos

[Mhayli]

I have a Spotify premium account (Individual). I generally use the Sonos app to play music from Spotify on my Sonos speakers.

Since I have had this set up, I have been able to play different music in different rooms. However, when I now try this, it will only play Spotify content on one speaker, and stop playing any other speaker with Spotify content. The message ‘Playback in (room) was stopped. Spotify is being used somewhere else’.

Anyone else having this problem? Only saw it for the first time last night. Have Spotify changed their terms and conditions?

Thanks. 

[Alex]

Hi @ullefutz,

Thanks for your reply.

Currently it's not possible to have two Spotify accounts active and streaming on the same device (phone/ computer etc.). This is why playback stops in the room where it was originally playing once you switch the Spotify account. This is expected behavior. To play two different streams of music in different rooms, you'd need two separate devices like a phone with two separate Spotify accounts.

Regarding the multiroom feature that allows you to play one stream on all speakers, you can look to Sonos for updates as they're already investigating it.

Don't hesitate to reach out again if you have questions.

[balle3201]

Hi @Alex and @CarlosE.

I find it quite strange and upsetting that you both refer to the Sonos + Spotify-functionality to be limited to only one stream at the time, when so many (experienced) Sonos-users clearly have been using it this way for years on now. 😧

I've always been under the impressions that Sonos is able to do this as it is treated as one system, and not multiple devices, and hence are able to split different streams across multiple room (without having to group the speakers).

In a thread, "Different tracks in different rooms no longer supported?", a reference to a Sonos marketing ad for Spotify-support (in 2013) is made, and points towards statement in the commercial where the following is stated: "..you can enjoy different tracks in different rooms".

Rocio (a Community Manger/Spotify Legend) answered a thread (way) back in 2013 "confirming" this exact functionality: "....Spotify on Sonos enables you to have multiple streams on different Sonos zones (connected to the...."  

Several Sonos-representants have also claimed the same over the years, so it clearly seems to be supported in one way or another, although others have experienced issues with this along the way. 

"......The way music services count streams is a little fuzzy regarding Sonos, but basically you can...

Another source, SmartHomeSounds.co.uk, also mentioned (in 2018) that such functionality was a great advantage of the Sonos + Spotify integration: "....Because of how the ecosystem of Sonos works, you can also play different tracks in different roo..."

I also got a confirmation that this should still be possible from a Sonos-representant in my recent thread in the Sonos-community related to the same issue(s) we're now facing: ''...You’re quite correct that you should be able to start multiple Spotify streams from within the Sonos..."

It appears that Spotify and/or Sonos does not have clear understanding between themselves on how this integration is supposed to work. At least, it proves to be very difficult to find any concrete documentation on this integration. Given that there in fact are limitations (from Spotify) regarding multiple streams/account using Spotify simultaniously, but might be "variations" to this when it comes to Sonos, such documentation/terms etc. is highly needed.

Adding a few other threads/post as reference:
https://community.spotify.com/t5/Other-Partners-Web-Player-etc/Is-there-a-good-description-of-how-Sp... 

https://community.spotify.com/t5/Other-Partners-Web-Player-etc/Premium-account-and-Sonos-spotify-has... 

https://community.spotify.com/t5/Other-Partners-Web-Player-etc/Spotify-on-Sonos/td-p/1392757/page/2 

https://community.spotify.com/t5/Other-Partners-Web-Player-etc/Different-tracks-in-different-rooms-n... 

[Aznerek]

Agree 100% with balle! It is very annoying that this has started happening but even more annoying to get answers suggesting it’s meant to be like this/has always been like this when loads of us are saying we’ve been able to use spotify with Sonos in different rooms for years. Would really appreciate it if we could get confirmation of whether 1) this is a bug that Spotify/Sonos are going to fix or 2) Spotify have changed its t&cs so that multi room listening isn’t possible anymore, in which case we can look into whether we need to switch to another provider. But saying this is just how it’s sposed to be doesn’t really solve the issue. Thanks

[Mihail]

Hey folks,

Thanks for reaching out.

We can confirm that streaming from one Spotify account can indeed happen only from one speaker or one speaker group at a time. If you switch to another device or device group, playback on the initial one will be paused. 

Please keep in mind that this is also known and acknowledged by Sonos on their official website in this article. Any other info is either outdated or inaccurate. We'll take care to archive any such information to avoid any confusion in the future.

Hope this shines a bit of light on the matter. We'll be here if you have any other questions.

[Aznerek]

I think you are confirming, though frustratingly you do not say so in as many words, that Spotify has indeed changed its policy and from now on we won’t be able to play different music in different rooms at the same time, even though we could before. That being the case I will have to look into switching to a different service, which is very disappointing as I have held a premium Spotify account for almost as long as Spotify has existed. 

[cornixx]

The article you linked refers only to split S1/S2 systems.

"For music services with single stream limitations, like Spotify, playback can only be initiated on one system at a time using the same music service. For example, if you begin playing Spotify on your S2 system, playing from the same Spotify account on your S1 system will stop playback on your S2 system."

Note the bold "one system at a time". System refers to a S1 or S2 system, which is a set of one or more rooms. I am supposed to be able to play only on one system, there is no mention of only being able to play to one room.

"Services that support direct control will show all S1 and S2 system rooms in their respective apps. For services with single stream limitations, playback can only be initiated to one system or room at a time."

This paragraph only describes restrictions when using the Spotify app, not streaming via the Sonos app directly.

I'm starting to feel gaslighted.

[nicoshaps]

@Spotify any news on this issue? Are you in touch with Sonos to find a solution ?

[magnusholmqvist]

Hey all,

We apologise about this, this is indeed an issue that we are working on to solve.

/magnus

[magnusholmqvist · Accepted solution]

Hey all, 

We have identified the problem and fixed it. 

Please report if you still have issues streaming to multiple rooms from your Sonos app.

Again, we are sorry for this issue.

/magnus

[nicoshaps]

Hi,

I Confirm this is fixed on my side !

Thank you so much 🙂

Best regards

Nicolas

[Mhayli]

Good evening (in Australia),

All appears to be back how it was here.

Thank you.

[Aznerek]

Hurrah! I’m so pleased you sorted this. Working as before me too now. Thanks everyone for your posts making it clear it wasn’t just me!

[ullefutz]

Yes! I can also confirm that the issue is fixed. It's working as before. Thanks!

[Ivan]

Hey there folks, 

Thanks for sharing the good news with us. 

We're happy to hear the speakers now work with Spotify as expected. 

Give us a shout if you experience this again - we're always here to help.

Еnjoy your music! 

[sjm240]

Can someone help me find the solution? I can find it in this thread. 

Thanks 

[Alex]

Hey @sjm240,

Thanks for the post.

Give us a bit more info about your issue at hand and we'll try to help out 🙂

Cheers.

[Salcio]

So, whats the solution. I’m having this issue now. 

[Jeremy]

Hi @Salcio,

Thank you for your reply in this thread.

Can you let us know what devices you're trying to stream on and if you start the playback from the Sonos or Spotify app or voice commands?

We'll keep an eye out for your reply.

Take care!

[Androandra]

Hi, I have this exact problem. I try to playback from Spotify through two SYMFONISK Sonos speakers and one Sonos Beam, each playing different streams in separate rooms. Only one room keeps playing while the others stop quickly. 

[ThreeVotes]

I've just upgraded my Sonos system and now have a better ability to have multiple rooms/zones through the house.

Try to play different streams from my Spotify account on one of my Sonos Play Ones and also my Sonos Amp and am experiencing this problem.

Both playbacks were started from the Sonos App.