Google Home Mini not working with Spotify correctly

[WillTow]

When I ask Google to play a personal Spotify playlist it only plays 2-3 songs on the playlist and then quits.  Second when I ask Google to play any artist on Spotify it will start playing, play 2-3 songs and quit.  

I have an open case with Google and am getting nothing but the runaround.  I have done everything they have requested most all of which has been recommended on this  Forum.  Now I am at the point where they are telling me to do the same thing they told me in the beginning again.  I do and get the same results.  This has been going on for a number of months.

Google advertises it works with Spotify and it appears not to as far as I am concerned.  I feel they are hoping I will get tired of doing what they ask and give up.  I think it is false advertising to say Google Home Mini works with Spotify when, as far as I am concerned it does not.

I have tried to call Google support but because I have an "Open" case they won't let call.  They say they are "working on it".  This is a bunch of baloney.

Anybody who has any advice would be appreciated.  Pandora works with NO problem.

[Princesss]

Hi WillTow,

Thanks for visiting the Community.

We're sorry to hear that you're experiencing this with your Google Home Mini. Since you've mentioned that you already reached out support, do you have any case ID with you so we can check the steps they provided you?

Looking forward to your response.

Best,

Princess

[WillTow]

I have two. 1-3576000033967 and the second is 2-2127000034660 

Haven't heard a thing from either

[Muddi]

Hey WillTow,

Sorry to hear about your experience. Since this is an isolated issue with Spotify, we'll do our best to figure out what's going on and why it's happening. Just an added questions: have you tried a different Spotify account to check if you will have the same issue? Are you playing a curated or personal playlist?

We got the form that you've submitted and we'll work with the team to make sure that you'll get all the updates that you need. Also, I'll close the thread after 24 hours, and let's continue through that channel to avoid confusion on where to update you.

Cheers,

Muddi

[WillTow]

I was on the phone for five hours with Spotify.  Yes they provided me with a whole new account.  Same problem. They completely cleaned out my Spotify acct. . deleted my cache, reset every thing, had me do a clean uninstall and a clean reinstall.  Nothing worked.  That is why they said it was a Google problem.

The problem exists with a curated playlist, a personal playlist OR just asking Google to play a given artist or Genre.  It happens if I use the "Hey Google Play ....." and/or if I cast any of the above to either Google Home Mini

[WillTow]

Muddi, I gave you my Case Nos. for all of the above.  Isn't that info in the case profiles?

[Muddi]

Hi there,

I appreciate all the information. I'm working with one of our Senior support specialists to further investigate the issue. Please check your email and kindly provide the additional information that we need.

Cheers,

Muddi

[WillTow]

Well I DID check my email and I DID give additional information some of which I already gave plus I was given a new Case no.  I still feel I am getting the run around.  I now have a folder with 25 email contacts with Google and three Case No.'s  Why three case No's..?  To make it look like these are all seperate problems?  

Why does it mater what mobile device I use?  Google Home Mini plays Spotify through the internet not through my phone, my phone can be 10 miles away.  I have been asked MULTIPLE times if I have tried a different account which I have.  Why keep asking me? Why keep asking me the OS I am using? Already answered that multiple times. Why ask me if the problem happens when I play an Album?  I already answered that.

I think if you (ie. Google) keep asking for more and the same information over and over, keep telling me "you" are working on it and occasionally give me a new case no. EVENTUALLY I will give up and you guys will post that the issue has been "SOLVED".

I am sure most people would have done so already.

[Muddi]

Hey WillTow,

My apologies for the delays. I sent you an email. Please check your inbox to confirm.

Cheers,

Muddi

[WillTow]

Muddi,

I did exactly as asked.   I Unlinked Spotify from Home.  I closed Home and did a Restart of my phone.  I then Relinked Spotify.  I then went to one of my Google Minis' and asked Google to play one of my Personal Playlists.  As usual in the past months the Playlist started playing and played about three songs and quit.

Since Google Tech's told me they have no way of talking to/communicating with Spotify and Spotify told me they have no way of communicating with you , how did Google "determine" that it was a Spotify problem and Unlinking and Relinking would solve the problem?  Since you knew I was going anywhere, when you were given the "solution" why didn't you contact me, instead I had to contact you??

I told you before I wasn't going to give up and then one of Google's tactic's  is to tell you do things you have already done.  That is what is happening.  I assume if this was a Spotify problem it would have been addressed in an UPDATE and taken care of automatically without relinking.  I am diligent about keeping things updated

Will be waiting for a reply.

[Princesss]

Hello WillTow,

We just want to check if you have seen our response posted above. Let us know if you have additional questions, otherwise we'll be locking the thread.
 

Best,

Princess

[WillTow]

Please don't close. This issue has not been resolved. My case nos are listed in the above reply  I also spent 5 hrs on the phone with Spotify

They determined confidently that it is a Google problem

[Muddi]

Hey WillTow,

Sorry to hear that. To confirm, are you trying to play a personal or curated playlist on Spotify? Also, does the same thing happen when you cast the playlist to your Nest Mini?

Cheers,

Muddi

[WillTow]

The Google Home Mini's do the same thing when I "cast" music to them.  Both Google and Spotify are aware of the problem.  After 5 hours on the phone with Spotify, they have definitely identified it as a Google problem. 

[Muddi]

Hi WillTow,

We appreciate all your patience. After further discussion with our higher tier of support, we'd be happy to take a look at this further. Please fill out this form with all the needed information then let me know once done, so I can check it immediately.

Cheers,

Muddi

[WillTow]

Well Muddi I have done what you asked (ie. FIlled out the form) but to me this seems like just more run around.  Since March I have had over 20 emails, a number of chat sessions and a number of phone calls with Google.  I have spent HOURS and HOURS with little or no results.  I have 2 open case nos (not sure why they opened a second one, I think it was to make me THINK someone cared) both of which I have sent to you, yet you want MORE information. 

My SPotify account works flawlessly with all other devices.  YOU advertise that SPotify works with Google Home Mini, Nest etc. yet if there is a problem I am told you have no way of contacting or working with Spotify to solve the problem and vice versa.  To me that is a joke.  If Spotify changes something in their program that screws up your ability to use it you have no way to work with Spotify to solve the problem????   You lay it the hands of the us, your customer.  Then Google blames it on Spotify and Spotify blames it on  Google and the customer is caught in the middle.  Its a joke.  All you have to do is GOOGLE 'problems with google Home Mini/Nest and Spotify" and you will find TONS of folks complaining about various problems.

I am quite sure the VAST majority of people just give up on trying to solve them and if you give up then Google marks as "Problem Solved"   I had that happen to me  so I know this is true.  Hesitate and the assumption is your problem is solved.  I am particularly stubborn and persistent otherwise I would have given up.  We switched our Default Music player on out mini's to Pandora and it works fine.

I will be interested in YOUR reply

[Muddi]

Hi WillTow,

Sorry for the delays. Rest assured that our team is doing everything to fix the issue, and we'll update you as soon as we have new information. Thank you for your understanding and patience.

Cheers,

Muddi

[WillTow]

Muddi (Google Support) asked me to do the following

1)From this mobile device go to Settings/Apps/Google Play Services/Storage/Cache/Manage Space/Clear All Data

2) Unlink Spotify from Google Home App

3)Uninstall Google Home and Spotify

4)Reboot the mobile device and the Home Mini

5)Reinstall the Google Home app (Leave the Spotify app uninstalled for the meantime)

6)Relink the Spotify account in the Google Home app

7)Test the feature

This was my response:

Muddi,
Did EXACTLY as you requested (all of which I have done before) with exactly the same results. The Google Home Mini played about 2 1/2 songs from my playlist and then stopped. I tried sending you a video from the the time I said "Hey Google until the Mini stopped playing but when I did I got a message that said the video exceeded the 25mb file size and it would not let me send it.
What happened to this all be referred to upper level engineering? I have looked on Google blogs and Spotify blogs and this has been a known problem for at least two years. As I have said before most people just give up because of the frustration of dealing with you guys. You obviously haven't looked over my two case files or you would have realized that I have done all of this before with the same results. I assume you are a Tech support person (ie. Trouble shooter) and you are just going through the standard trouble shooting routines. RESPECTFULLY THIS IS ABOVE THAT LEVEL OF PROBLEM SOLVING. Again, HOW DO PROBLEMS LIKE THIS GET RESOLVED IF YOU CAN'T TALK TO SPOTIFY AND THEY CAN'T TALK TO YOU. What would you think if you bought a new car that had a problem that the dealer could not solve and you asked them to talk to the manufacturer and they said "Oh we have no way of talking to them"???? I think you would be pretty frustrated.
Please respond.

[WillTow]

Well Muddi wrote back and asked me to send them a Video of me asking the Mini to play a play list showing it quitting (guess they didn't trust me).  I made the video but it was too big of a file to email and I told them so along with the above.  They wrote back that I either needed to compress the file OR download it to You Tube (like most people would know how to do that!!!  I did as asked.  They acted like if I didn't do it they would close the case!!! I feel they are hoping I will give up.  Here is what  I=said back:

Well you haven't beat me yet.  Here is the youtube link for the video of me asking the home mini to play one of my playlists and at the end it will stop playing and you can hear me saying that it stopped playing the play list. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c13XiEIGGzM    

Why you needed me to send this is puzzling.  Don't you trust me that what I told you happens actually happens?  WHY did you say "For your reference your case number is 9-1958000034124. If you need more help, you can contact us again and reference this case number or reply to this email to reopen your case.  Have a new question? There are lots of ways to get back in touch with us below." ???  If I couldn't figur out how to send the video would you CLOSE the case???  The issue is obviously not solved so why would you close the case?

Am I frustrated and unhappy with the lack of service in getting this issue resolved.  Yep, sure am.

WHY HASN"T THIS BEEN ESCALATED TO A HIGHER LEVEL???? 

[Muddi]

Hey WillTow,

We understand your frustrations. I believe I already responded to you via email about this. The case is being handled by one of our senior specialists. We appreciate that you've sent us a video, and that helps us a lot to have a better picture of what's happening on your device.

Moving forward, our team is still investigating the issue, and we'll make sure to update you via email as soon as we have additional information.

Please let us know if you have any additional questions or concerns about your device. Otherwise, I'll close the thread after 24 hours.

Cheers,

Muddi

[WillTow]

If I am not mistaken this is a place for folks to come and look for solutions to problems with their Google device.  Yes you sent me an email about my case being handled by one of your Senior Specialists.  I have been told that before with no results.  I sent you the requested video of exactly what I told Google support was happening (ie.  Spotify playlists play two or three songs and then quit playing) way back in March.   If this was such a critical piece of information (????) why wasn't I asked for this in March.  What did you get from the video that wasn't clear in my written description?  Seems pretty simple and straight forward to me.  Also in one of your last emails you said "Our team is investigating and communicating with the Spotify team for any media playback quality issues".  Why was I told by BOTH Google support AND Spotify support that you guys had no way of communicating with each other??  I still feel, based on what has been going on, that I am getting the run around.  I predicted in the very beginning that at some point I would be asked to do the same things over and over and I was correct.  I also predicted you guys would push to close the issue and that is happening.  In the last email you said "

Please let us know if you have any additional questions or concerns about your device. Otherwise, I'll close the thread after 24 hours. Cheers, Muddi"  WHY WOULD YOU CLOSE A THREAD WHEN THE ISSUE HAS NOT BEEN SOLVED??? So it would 'LOOK" like it was solved to this community.  Why not keep it open so that when your Senior Specialists find a solution they could post it here and I could agree or disagree that it has been solved or not??

SINCE there DOES NOT seem to be a solution AND since it seems obvious by looking at varius Google and Spotify blogs that there is a major problem with many, many folks ability to successfully use Spotify with Google products you should stop advertising that they work together.

PLEASE DO NOT CLOSE THIS THREAD.  I HAVE DONE EVERYTHING YOU GUYS HAVE ASKED ME TO DO WITH NO FIX.  UNTIL THERE IS A FIX THIS THREAD SHOULD STAY OPEN FOR OTHERS TO COMMENT.

[Muddi]

Hello WillTow,

I just wanted to check if you're still experiencing issues with your devices. Please make sure that your devices have the latest firmware version, as we recently released an update for our speakers and displays.

Cheers,

Muddi