Google Home never plays the right version of a song

[RichardA]

If I ask Google to play a song it ALWAYS plays remixes or live versions. Even if I ask for the original version I still get something weird. It has gotten worse more recently too. I know I can cast but that defeats the object of Google Home. I know I'm not the only person suffering with this but I haven't been able to find a solution. Any help or ideas would be greatly appreciated!

[Fgm93]

Just came here to say we have the same issue and it’s so annoying. If there’s ever been a remix made of a song, google home will play that instead… even when you ask for the original version. We pay for Apple Music and use that to stream music through google… however my mom also has Apple Music linked to her Alexa and it plays music just fine. Definitely a google problem. At this rate, it would be a big annoyance to switch over bc I have google office display, speaker, mini speaker and doorbell. Please fix the problem 

[Oconnedp]

I am having the same issue as everyone else above. I will request that Google play a song via our Apple Music  and more often than not I get the live version or a foreign language version. I have kids so movie soundtracks are a frequent request. Frozen is always playing in a Scandinavian language no matter how the request is phrased. Encanto is the same thing except in mandarin. No matter if we ask for the original, film soundtrack, English version it always plays the same incorrect version. There should be a way to tell Google to not pull this song version in the future. 

[Cheezburglar]

I have my Google Home Mini connected to my Spotify Premium account. In the past, it would occasionally play a live version of a requested song, but when I'd ask for the studio version, it would correct itself. Last night I asked for the same song using multiple phrases but it still kept playing a live version. I finally just gave up.

Ideally, I'd like an option that says, "Never play live versions". I don't ever want to hear the live version of any song!

[Morgles]

Hi Muddi.

Have you any role here apart from popping in every few months and asking the same questions again and again?

If you read through the thread you will see that the issue and the variables around it have been very well described by the community.

I have some questions for you.

Are you a Google employee?

If not, does anyone know, is this community thread actually visited by anyone with the capability of fixing this issue, ie a Google employee?

[buckrussell]

it's obvious they don't care. my guess, they have nothing on deck that even comes close to what chatGPT can do in terms of being smart and conversational and have, essentially, given up on it.

[Mcheshire]

Still is an issue. Over a year later.... Just happened to me two times in a row. 

[Cbeau7]

Muddi! Help us!

We installed our google speakers and points about 6 months ago and the problem has been persistent from the beginning. In a given day google will play strange versions of a song (from a live album or a remix by a different artist or sometimes the wrong song all together) between half and three quarters of the time. It’s also a running joke in our house, like google is intentionally trying to find the weirdest, most obscure recording of a song to mess with us. And it’s not that google is mishearing us - it will repeat back exactly what we asked for but then play a live or remixed version of it. We have an Apple Music account and have had a subscription for years. We’ve never tried another music platform because Apple has been great but I’ve read on other forums that people with Spotify have been having similar issues. Our Apple Music also worked fine on Alexa before we switched over.

All I want is for google to play the most popular, studio version of a song as the default. If Alexa can do it, google can do it. 

[Ktkat723]

I have been complaining about this issue for weeks now and have been searching for answers and I can't find a SINGLE post anywhere that has had an answer to this issue. I don't understand why it seems like this is completely being ignored by Google? It's affecting the product to the point that they're going to start losing customers if they haven't already. I just bought a new nest mini 2nd gen speaker to replace a home mini 1st gen speaker that I've had for well over 3 years, hoping that maybe since we got a newer speaker and bought it directly from the Google store that it would function properly but it doesn't. It seems to be an issue with the assistant not with the speaker itself. I've been scrolling these help forums for hours reading just how much trouble the entire Google nest line of products is and I'm quite taken aback. Google is basically THE INTERNET and owns all of our most used and beloved apps and programs and I just can't fathom how they can have so much trouble with the basic operations of their devices. I have all but given up hope of ever having the functionality that I once enjoyed from all the smart home stuff. It's such a shame, because it's an amazing thing to see coming from being a kid in the 90s, seeing the boom of the internet and all the magical leaps we've made in technology in such a short time frame.... Now watching it all fall apart due to glitches in programming and firmware and poor customer service. *Sigh* 

[Reed125]

I literally have the same issues as above through Apple Music. I just want to listen to the correct song not a remix!!

[Spacehopper28]

Well this is disappointing - came here hoping to draw on the hive mind and it looks like everyone is having the same issue. And Muddi seems to have disappeared never to be seen again. 

[bcousins94]

**bleep**. I came here for the same reason. My GA keeps playing the wrong song no matter if I say the artist or not. I’m just gonna go get an Alexa bc obviously they don’t have the answers. 

[DeonSand7]

Same EXACT problem I’m having and it’s frustrating af. It’s like it’ll play the version I want when it wants to other than that it plays a remix of everything. And yes I have my music subscription linked. Sick of this sh*****

[RichardA]

I don't know what the point of these forums is. We all have the se problem, some of us have invested in whole-house Google Assistant/Nest  devices so we can't just walk away, but Google couldn't give a rat's ass about it. The annoying thing is it used to work perfectly. It's definitely am Assistant issue and not hardware, it does on every Google device I have and Android phones.

Get your bloody act together Google and communicate with us about this. 

[CNJ]

Please go update your review of the product where you purchased it. I also made a YouTube video showing the problem. https://youtu.be/Ynh2zy4LTrI

[SwordfishData]

Same issue here, on both my Nest Audio and my Home minis. I listen to mostly full albums, but when I ask for a specific one on YouTube Music, I get "here's a YouTube Playlist called 'artist-album." half the time it contains tracks that "aren't available in my region."

The album is on YouTube Music, I have premium, I can cast it just fine, but Google Assistant refuses to acknowledge it exists. 

[Cschroedss]

I tried to play umbrella by Rhianna eighteen times and I couldn’t get it to work. Many many other songs as well but seriously, how is it that mid 2022 google can’t figure out exactly what song I’m requesting when I give it the correct title album and artist?

[RichardA]

I've started saying don't play this song again of it is the wrong one, it moves onto a different version that way. Sadly, it doesn't remember not to play it again next time you ask for the same song!

It is annoying because something like Umbrella by Rihanna is pretty straightforward, how it then chooses a 12" remix or live acoustic version which is in the title but doesn't match what you asked for is beyond me! 

I notice Google are very quiet too. There was someone from Google looking at this but they disappeared.

[Reed125]

Still no response from google. Shocking! We have paid for these items and they technically don’t function as expected! 

[Kung09]

Same issue here, bout ready to get rid of the thing. Any update @Muddi ?????

[rsf]

Let Muddi have it.

[DeonSand7]

Hell nawl cuz I’m still waitin on Google yo send one of their overpaid reps in here and explain this issue too. A billion dollar company and the users can’t get a simple mf’n bug fixed 

[rsf]

I think this must all come down to money. They want to avoid royalties. Maybe not, I pay Pandora so why would Google have to pay them. Confusing. The only thing for certain is that Google does does not monitor communities or care what they post. I think I will put this topic on the reviews of their product. Everyone else should do the same.

[rsf]

My not to Google:

Muddi,

If you ready all of the subsequent posts you will see that this is not limited to any particular common element, EXCEPT GOOGLE. Pick a popular song from any service linked to the Google app and we get crap. The collective has decided to move these posts to reviews of your product.

[Jenny_Anne]

Same issue in our house. So, so frustrating. We use Apple Music, and it’s ALWAYS the most possible obscure version, live recording etc, and it’s impossible to get the one we want, even by naming the album. Honestly ready to change products, since this is the main reason we bought them.

[Reed125]

All - not a fix but a work around that works (should’nt have to mind!!). enable Bluetooth paring mode on your speaker under its Audio settings tab and you can play your correct songs straight from your music streaming app or playlists! 

[rsf]

Reed, thanks for the response. What you say is true, but does defeat the purpose of the Google Home. I have blue tooth speakers, but I can't just yell to them from multiple rooms. Still we hope.

[rsf]

I just did a search on "alexa doesn't play the correct version of songs." Same issues. And still nothing useful that I have seen.

[RichardA]

I've just been through all my Google settings including for the Assistant. I've tried switching things on and off with no change. I thought I'd read out some of the tracks from my favourites playlist in Deezer, word for word. 

Free to Feel by LF System plays the right song.

ACDC Back in Black plays a live version every time no matter how I ask.

Depeche Mode Never Let Me Down Again plays Never Let Me Down Again by The Smashing Pumpkins. I've told it I don't like that song. Not to play it again etc but every time I have asked it to play Depeche Mode it plays the Pumpkins. 

Google Assistant is worse now for music than it has ever been. 

[CNJ]

I too am having this problem using Apple Music. Asked it to play Sure Shot by the Beastie Boys and it plays some dank basement music. Ask Siri to play it and she plays the song no problem. It's beyond frustrating, especially for my children. I bought my mesh system at Best Buy and am changing my rating on it to one star. 

[CNJ]

Here's a link to my new Best Buy review. How else can we spread awareness that this is a a "Game breaking" feature? 

https://www.bestbuy.com/site/reviews/google-geek-squad-certified-refurbished-ac1200-dual-band-mesh-w...

[Jenny_Anne]

Just followed suit!

[RichardA]

---

@CNJ wrote:

Here's a link to my new Best Buy review. How else can we spread awareness that this is a a "Game breaking" feature? 

https://www.bestbuy.com/site/reviews/google-geek-squad-certified-refurbished-ac1200-dual-band-mesh-w...

---

They replied to that fast! I'll try to find a link to review my kit, it's all Google Home or Google Nest and all bought directly from Google.

Great idea btw, maybe they'll take notice.

I just had another thought, I'm a member of Google 1, it gives priority support amongst other things. I'll get hold of them tomorrow and share the outcome.

[SGD]

Just adding in same issue here. My daughter always once "Shape of you" by Ed Sheeran but it plays the Skrillex remix. A bit jarring. 

[SGD]

Also I am using Apple Music through Google Home device, in Australia

[CNJ]

Yeah, try asking it to play Bohemian Rhapsody by Queen and it plays the muppets version....

[IntenseKiwi]

Had this happen to us too and first we were creeped out and then laughing and confused and still can't figure out who on earth would ever want this Muppet version?! 

[LeJamesIndustry]

Throwing in mine here: Lust for Life by Iggy Pop plays a prodigy remix. Tried using Spotify and Apple Music, same results. Clearly google is the issue here

[Treskovich]

I love how the moderator asks more and more questions instead of actually providing solutions.

it seems like a simple fix: Google play the original version as a default or when the user speaks “play original version” of ____ song, it should abide.

Why is this so difficult and pervasive? It has been happening to me for probably 2+ years.

Muddi - the users in this forum have answered all the questions to this problem. More information is irrelevant, find a solution and find feedback. These canned responses (“sorry you are having difficulty,” more tangential questions, no solution) are unacceptable. 
What is the solution?

[Indya]

It's miserable that Google still doesn't have a fix for this. Definitely considering replacing my Google Nest Hub with an Apple Home Pod.

[Lbw]

Same problem for me. I asked for a song by the Rolling Stones and they played the song being sung by Brad Paisley instead.