No longer able to stream music directly to Chromecast Audio or use it as a Default music speaker

[RetiredBy55]

Hello Community,

Up until a few days ago, I've been able to stream Spotify to my Chromecast Audio. This device has been working flawlessly but now something has changed.

Here's my configuration: Google Nest Audio (obtained as a replacement when Google Home Audio devices were bricked), 4 Google Home Minis and 1 Google Chromecast Audio. All devices are on the same mesh WiFi network and are reporting as connected. They're all running the latest cast firmware. They all respond to verbal commands correctly (not the Chromecast as it has no input.) I can stream music to them directly via a linked premium Spotify account. While streaming, I am able to transfer the audio from once device to another via the UI in Spotify. 

The output Chromecast Audio, which is named "Stereo", is connected to my home stereo and has been set as the Default music speaker for the Google Nest Audio. Until a few days ago, I've been able to invoke the Nest as follows: "Hey Google, play (insert request here)" to which it responds "Alright. Playing (request) on stereo." The result is the music request plays on the stereo.

Now when I attempt the same request, I get the same response but nothing happens. No music and no indication of music playing when looking at either the Nest or the Chromecast via the Google Home app on my Android device. If I attempt to force music to the Chromecast with "Hey Google, play (request) on stereo", the response is "Alright. Playing (request) on stereo" but nothing plays.

I've rebooted all the Google devices, reset the Chromecast to factory, and reset the network. Still no music.

What have I missed? Any suggestions? Thanks in advance for any help you might offer.

[JockC]

Same problem here. I have three streaming sets of speakers (two Sony and one LG) that used to work perfectly as the default speaker for two of my Google Homes. They all stopped working  in recent days. The Google Homes says it is playing on device xyz but nothing happens. Using the same speakers directly from Spotify etc works fine.

[swargolet]

Same issue here with all my Chromecast Audio devices.  Everything else works fine from Google home and I can cast to the CCA from Spotify.  Hoping this will be fixed soon as I have various automations that I use daily that include the CCA. 

[brsgraves]

I am having the same problem and have been pulling my hair out trying to sort it out.  It does seem specific to the hub though.  I dug out an old mini and set up the CCA to be the default audio device and it works using the "Hey google, play xyz." command.  As others have mentioned, I can still cast to the CCA.  Hopefully this get resolved soon.

[swargolet]

For myself, I only have Google home mini and an Android phone to interact with Google Home. Oddly enough, not only can I cast Spotify directly to the CCA, I can even use "Hey Google" to listen to the radio, through Tuneln, to play onto the CCA and also use YouTube music.  So it seems like it may be specific to Google Home + Spotify + CCA. 

[brsgraves]

After your reply, I tried playing something on another music service on my hub max with CCA set as the default audio device and it worked.  Seems like it does have something to do with Spotify.

[RetiredBy55]

I can confirm that this true. I posted the issue in the Spotify Community.

[moralesvicente]

Hello RetiredBy55, 

Thank you so much for posting in this community. I’m sorry to know that you are no longer able to stream music directly to Chromecast Audio or use it as a default music speaker. Don't worry: I’m happy to help.

I appreciate that you have taken action by performing the troubleshooting steps above. So let’s explore more tips.

• Ensure the Google Home app is up to date.

• If you have a speaker group created, try to unlink them and reconnect the speakers.

• Try to check if this behavior just happens with a specific streaming music service.

Let me know how it goes.

Best regards,

Daniel

[RetiredBy55]

Hello Daniel,

Thank you for your response. The Google Home I'm running on my Android phone is at 3.28.1.7. I do not have any speaker groups created. Would you like me to try? As @kmat0720 mentioned, this problem seems to be specific to Spotify music

Here is a link to the thread in the Spotify Community that I started. https://community.spotify.com/t5/Android/No-longer-able-to-stream-to-Google-home-devices-with-Chrome...

Regards,

RetiredBy55

[Christoforadams]

Hi Daniel- this is clearly a google speaker firmware issue.

[Heyheyheyzee]

I have the same issue but it’s same behavior for Apple Music or Spotify

[kmat0720]

I'm experiencing the same issue as everyone else.

When I request music playback with the default speaker set to Chromecast Audio on my Nest Hub and Nest Mini, and the default music service set to Spotify, the Assistant responds, but no music plays.

However, when I set the default music service to YouTube Music or stream a radio app, everything casts to Chromecast Audio without any issues. Additionally, Spotify podcasts stream successfully, so the problem seems to be limited to Spotify music streaming.

Could this be an issue on Spotify's end?

[RetiredBy55]

Hello kmat0720,

I concur that this is probably a Spotify issue. I started a thread within the Spotify community a few days ago to get them involved.  Could you please add your findings about podcasts to that thread? Hopefully this will help get the issue resolved. You should be able to find the thread here: 

https://community.spotify.com/t5/Android/No-longer-able-to-stream-to-Google-home-devices-with-Chrome...

Thank you.

[moralesvicente]

Hey folks, 

Thank you for your interest in our community and for taking the time to perform the troubleshooting steps outlined in the post. I appreciate your efforts.

Since the situation seems specific to the Spotify streaming app, I recommend contacting their support team directly. They should be able to provide the most accurate information and assistance in getting the app working smoothly again.

Regards,

Daniel 

[Justmurdoch]

Hi Morales. When may we expect to receive a response and/or help from Google? It would appear from various different forums that users are experiencing a host of issues related to Chromecast across different devices, the whole since a recent Google update. Thank you.

[masflug]

My Nest mini is exhibiting similar behaviour, up until 2 weeks ago it worked perfectly when asked to play music. However in addition to not streaming Spotify to Chromecast listed as an external speaker, it will not stream iHeartradio either. That is if I ask for a certain artist. But if I ask the nest mini for a local radio station that does work from iHeartradio. 

[swargolet]

Interestingly enough, I can ask Google Home to play a specific artist, song, or playlist on Spotify and that will play just fine on my CCA.   

While I understand Daniel said it is a Spotify issue, It seems odd that saying that as saying "Hey Google play Spotify" will play Spotify on my google home mini device just fine but it's only when I ask it to play on a CCA device that it fails to start.

[thilland]

Hello,

I too am having this issue, it started in the last week or so.  I have done everything I can to troubleshoot it and still end up with the same result.  "Play music on the Stereo" is answered but nothing happens.  If I use the spotify app, I can stream to the Stereo fine.

[Justmurdoch]

Hello all. I am having the exact same issue -cannot have Google Nest Hub play Spotify on the Chromecast Audio. Google will say something to the effect “now playing on (…)” but nothing will in fact play. YouTube music plays fine via this setup, as does SiriusXM, so it must be something to do with Spotify.

[Thunder3dan]

Same issue here. I can get it to work if I say the speaker name when requesting music from Spotify. So “Hey Google play my playlist on blank speaker”. So I believe this is in fact a google issue.  

[Thunder3dan]

This doesn't work with any streaming service now.  

[MarcusP]

Same problem here. I have a Google nest mini speaker. I was able to play spotify on my WIIM Pro D108 (chromecast based player) directly from my nest speaker. For example by saying "hey google, play blackbird from the beatles". A couple of days ago, this stopped working. No error-messages. The speaker just says it is streaming the audio, but nothing happens. Choosing another streaming service (like live radio) works perfectly fine. Also,  streaming from Spotify app on my phone to my WIIM works perfectly fine. 

[MarcusP]

Also interesting: when playing music from my phone on my WIIM, I can still pause,  resume, stop, and skip to the next track using comments to my Google nest mini. These commands still work. Starting a new track/ playlist directly from my Google nest does not work. 

[CCA]

Not just Spotify. I'm no longer able to stream Apple Music, Pandora, or Spotify to CCAs. If I had a radio station playing and tell a mini to play an artist on a CCA, it claims to do it but it doesn't even interrupt the radio station playback. They play on home minis and a JBL speaker with the GA built in. Those devices can play the services on themselves. They can also cast to one another. I hope this doesn't indicate ending support for CCA. Note that I would think Google's Youtube music could e a special case, and the fact that a WIIM works also points to interaction with the CCA.

[MarcusP]

CCA,

To avoid misunderstanding: the WIIM does have the same problem,  probably because it is chromecast-based as well. I cannot play music from my nest mini to my WIIM using Spotify, but I can control (pause, resume, stop,  change volume) for a spotify stream initiated from another device (like a phone).

[Hellosomeonehel]

Purchased a WIIM as a fix to the problem and it had the same problem. Returning it 

[Christoforadams]

Same- it’s any non google product.

[RetiredBy55]

@moralesvincente

Hi Daniel @moralesvincente,

Seems to me there is enough detail in this thread and the one in the Spotify community to attempt to reproduce the problem in a controlled environment. Is there a way that you can initiate a collaboration with Spotify to work out a solution? 

I'm posting the same note in the Spotify thread with a callout to their moderators to try to get some traction there.

Thanks in advance for your help.

[DeaneG]

I think this is a Chromecast Audio firmware issue, not a Spotify issue. Both Spotify and Pandora quit working on my two Chromecast Audio devices 1-3 weeks ago. Of course, I've rebooted everything, removed the devices from their rooms and re=placed them in the rooms. They both continue to stream Youtube music and my local radio station fine.

[Christoforadams]

100% agree it’s a google firmware issue

[masflug]

But has the Chromecast audio firmware been updated in the last 1-2 weeks? If not then it can't be the cause.

[RetiredBy55]

This is all I can find on release notes that includes mention of the CCA. There's no indication that CCA firmware was changed recently.

Apologies for the snip. I found this within the streaming help center - however the full URL contains data not permitted in a community post.

[DeaneG]

Given that the issue happens when initiating a stream from a Google speaker to a CCA, but not when transferring an ongoing stream from the same speaker to a CCA, I think the problem is likely in the speaker's firmware.

[Justmurdoch]

@MarcusP has reported that the behaviour occurs even with the use of a WiiM device which I understand to be a fully supported and advanced streaming device which would further support the point that the issue lies in an interaction with the Nest Hub and Spotify firmwares.

[MarcusP]

Correct!

[DeaneG]

I found something - the difference between always work and never works.

Never works: saying to a Google Nest device "Hey google, play spotify on [Chromecast Audio device]"

Also never works: having a Chromecast Audio device set as the default audio output for a Google Nest device  and saying to the device "Hey google, play spotify".

Always works: saying to a  Google Nest device "Hey Google, play spotify", followed by "Hey Google, move this to [Chromecast Audio device]"

Something goes wrong when initiating a stream from Pandora or Spotify when the output device is a Chromecast Audio. But it's OK to initiate a stream at a Google Nest device and then move it to a Chromecast Audio device.

Specifically, this behavior happens in my home with two different Chromecast Audio output devices when the voice input device is a Google Nest Hub, a Google Nest Audio, or the original Google Home (cylindrical air freshener style) device.

[Twang1337]

Same issue here. I also see chromecast audio  drops off Google home app randomly. As well as the speaker group just vanishes.

[mcm_fr]

Same issue.
saying to Google Nest device "Hey Google, play spotify", followed by "Hey Google, move this to [Chromecast Audio device]" to bypass the issue, while waiting for a fix.
Thanks @DeaneG for the solution.

[RetiredBy55]

Daniel moralesvincente / Moderator(s),

Can we find out exactly when the last firmware updates to the Nest and the CCA were? If they were in the right timeframe, can we get a rollback version posted? I'm sure some folks here would be glad to help test that to get our CCAs functioning again.

[Snap]

I have the same issue and my music service is Deezer. My parents also have the same problem with Apple music as their music service. YouTube music will still play on CCA, as will radio.

I hope this isn't Google dropping support for the CCA.