Echo & Alexa Forums

General Category => Echo Technical Support => Topic started by: esaathoff on January 20, 2016, 04:51:51 pm

Title: Alexa won't play music from any source but is connected to the internet
Post by: esaathoff on January 20, 2016, 04:51:51 pm
Several weeks ago Alexa stopped playing music from any source (Prime, iHeart, Pandora, etc.); however she continues to provide Flash briefing, weather, Skill apps, etc.

Alexa understands the command to "Play music Prime ..." and says that she is developing a playlist but no music is ever played.

The same result occurs if I use the iPad app to start music on Alexa.   The input is accepted by the "wheel of death" circles for awhile then the music chosen goes back to the unselected state.

Has anyone else seen this problem or have suggestions for a fix?

Title: Re: Alexa won't play music from any source but is connected to the internet
Post by: esaathoff on January 20, 2016, 05:35:35 pm
Called Echo support at Amazon.   Got a quick call back and fixed the problem by unplugging and replugging the Echo ... why didn't I think of that ... forgot it's a computer and may have some Microsoft code in it ... "reboot" the solution to most problems ...
Title: Re: Alexa won't play music from any source but is connected to the internet
Post by: mike27oct on January 21, 2016, 12:15:40 am
In the British TV comedy series, "The IT Crowd," the company's IT guys quickly answer their phone with, "Turn it off, and turn it on," and promptly hang up their phone. 
Title: Re: Alexa won't play music from any source but is connected to the internet
Post by: jwlv on January 21, 2016, 03:17:40 pm
Ahh yes, The IT Crowd. It's a very funny show.
It's available on Netflix: http://www.netflix.com/search/it%20crowd?jbv=70140450&jbp=0&jbr=0
Amazon Prime charges $1.99 per episode.
Title: Re: Alexa won't play music from any source but is connected to the internet
Post by: mike27oct on January 22, 2016, 03:19:07 am
Yes, we watched it on Netflix at no charge for streaming.  I just re-added it to our List. The first season shows were the best, but when they brought the new boss into the show it started to be less interesting.

Another great Brit comedy TV series is called Coupling.  One of the best sit-coms we ever saw.

Uh-oh, we are getting off topic again.  Better stop, or the Thought-Police will be on us.
Title: Re: Alexa won't play music from any source but is connected to the internet
Post by: kis4kori on September 27, 2016, 12:09:47 pm
I'm having the same issue with my Tap...any fix for that? Since it's wireless, I can't unplug. I did try to reboot and it didn't help :(
Title: Re: Alexa won't play music from any source but is connected to the internet
Post by: mike27oct on September 27, 2016, 05:10:38 pm
If you hold the rear power button in for a few seconds you will hear it completely power down -- equivalent to pulling power plug of a Dot or Echo.  (A quick press of button does NOT completely power down the Tap, it just puts it in standby)  To turn Tap back on, hold in rear power button again.

When completely shut off, there is no battery drain, AND the Tap takes a while to re-boot/reconnect -- like an Echo does when power is reapplied.  Use this procedure for rebooting Tap and for preventing battery drain for a short or long time.
Title: Re: Alexa won't play music from any source but is connected to the internet
Post by: merkman on September 27, 2016, 05:53:58 pm
Called Echo support at Amazon.   Got a quick call back and fixed the problem by unplugging and replugging the Echo ... why didn't I think of that ... forgot it's a computer and may have some Microsoft code in it ... "reboot" the solution to most problems ...

DUH.  Just saw the first post in the thread and found the number.  Sorry about that!!!  :(

You were able to call Amazon for support?  Do you mind sharing the number you called?  My TP-Link light switches are working fine with their app, they show up in the Alexa app just fine, but when I try to use Voice Control with my Echo, Alexa says "ok"... but nothing happens.  Lights that are off don't turn on, etc.  And after reading the TP-Link "FAQ" today, I thought maybe I forgot to turn voice control on in the TP-Link "Kasa" app.  Went home at lunch, and it WAS turned on for all my "Smart Switches".

I did read that at least one guy having similar trouble turned the "Remote Control" or whatever it's called off, then back on, and then his lights worked in the Alexa app.  Gonna try that later tonight when I get home, but if I still have trouble I'd love to speak to someone at Amazon and see if I'm missing anything.  With only a Plug smart switch plugged in, it worked great.  But since I've gone to 4 devices, only one works reliably.  :(
Title: Re: Alexa won't play music from any source but is connected to the internet
Post by: Karen on December 05, 2016, 09:27:54 pm
Interested if anyone knows more about this topic beyond the reset? I have the same issue of Alexa acknowledging my music/stream request, but then silence or she say "sorry, I'm having trouble playing music right now." .I have tried a factory reset and wifi update. She can tell me the correct time, a joke, the weather...but will not complete the task of playing prime music, the radio, or alerting me to a done timer request. The odd part, is that my tp link smart plugs stopped working at the same time too. Thanks in advance!!
Title: Re: Alexa won't play music from any source but is connected to the internet
Post by: mike27oct on December 05, 2016, 09:35:01 pm
Have you unplugged the echo device for at least 5 minutes, and then tried again?
Title: Re: Alexa won't play music from any source but is connected to the internet
Post by: Karen on December 06, 2016, 01:16:58 pm
GREAT NEWS!! My wonderful brother figured this mystery out! When we had xfinity installed, it included a 5gz wifi and Alexa can apparently only accept a 2.4gz. When we toggled the 5gz off and reset Alexa, she WORKS!! We then were able to rename the 5gz only on the cable modem to a different SSID. This way, we can still use 5gz for other devices, but can specifically connect Alexa and smart plugs to 2.4gz.
Title: Re: Alexa won't play music from any source but is connected to the internet
Post by: mike27oct on December 06, 2016, 03:11:14 pm
Great, but the Echos can connect to both 2.4G AND 5G (So, that really was not the problem -- rebooting likely fixed the problem.). 

Nevertheless. It is best to connect the Echos to 2.4G, because it is a low-bandwidth requirement audio-only device, so connect only streaming VIDEO devices to 5G.  I keep my half-dozen Echo devices only on 2.4G, but iPhones, iPads, and Fire TV sticks, etc) are all connected to 5G for the wider bandwidth they need to stream quality video.  30+ devices connected to home network and all work great.

Xfinity should have set up (and designated) separate 2.4G and 5G signals for you.  (And, told you how to use them!) If they didn't; shame on the cable guy!  I also have Xfinity cable, but NOT their rental router/modem.  I own my own router and modem.  My experiences with the cable guy installers has never been good. Most are poorly trained with little experience.
Title: Re: Alexa won't play music from any source but is connected to the internet
Post by: MikeS on December 10, 2016, 11:10:51 am
One other hint that may help, I realised NTP from the Echo which were dropped by my firewall. Once the NTP was unblocked playing music started immediately. Just rebooting didn't do the trick

hope this may help in similar cases / setup behind a ffirewall
Title: Re: Alexa won't play music from any source but is connected to the internet
Post by: Max on January 25, 2017, 10:48:56 am
There is a popular radio station in Utah Z104, great country music, Alexa will not recognize any voice command for this station.  Can search on app but that is annoying.  There are three stations Z104 in US.  How do I get my Alexa to recognize my station... frustrating
Title: Re: Alexa won't play music from any source but is connected to the internet
Post by: mike27oct on January 25, 2017, 02:27:27 pm
With some google skills anyone can find it in a second.  Just ask Alexa to play KSOP on tunein.  BTW, there are more than three stations going by the nickname of Z104.
Title: Re: Alexa won't play music from any source but is connected to the internet
Post by: tthoben on January 25, 2017, 11:04:25 pm
There is a popular radio station in Utah Z104, great country music, Alexa will not recognize any voice command for this station.  Can search on app but that is annoying.  There are three stations Z104 in US.  How do I get my Alexa to recognize my station... frustrating

There should be an option in the Alexa app (at least I'm sure the web portal does) to save your station as a favourite.

Thereafter, you can just tell Alexa to play your favourite station on tunein
"Alexa, listen to my favourite radio station on tunein" or "Alexa, listen to the last radio station on tunein"
Title: Re: Alexa won't play music from any source but is connected to the internet
Post by: mike27oct on January 26, 2017, 12:43:21 am
There is.  It is saved in Favorites list of the Tunein section of Alexa app.  I have all of my favorite stations in there.
Title: Re: Alexa won't play music from any source but is connected to the internet
Post by: micah on January 28, 2017, 10:17:33 pm
Had the same problem. I would say "play XYZ radio station" and Alexa would respond "Playing XYZ radio from Tune In" but then the music wouldn't start. 

I followed the advice above and unplugged my dot and plugged it back in. Worked like a charm.

I Created an account here just to say thanks!
Title: Re: Alexa won't play music from any source but is connected to the internet
Post by: mike27oct on January 28, 2017, 11:00:38 pm
Glad to know the chit chat here helped to fix your problem, and you didn't even have to ask the same question a little different way.  Whatever the device, turn it off and turn it back on, and it likely will start working right again.
Title: Re: Alexa won't play music from any source but is connected to the internet
Post by: kjmoss on February 28, 2017, 03:55:32 pm
Alexa could tell me the weather, answer questions, even play radio 1 but she wouldn't play music from prime, my library etc. I rebooted her and it didn't work, I left her for 5 minutes and it didn't work. My husband suggested I try my Amazon prime key on tv - I couldn't play a movie it said I didn't have the internet even though I have a very good signal.

I rebooted my sky hub and now all work. Amazon is playing movies and Alexa on my echo is playing my music.  ;D
Title: Re: Alexa won't play music from any source but is connected to the internet
Post by: mike27oct on February 28, 2017, 03:57:50 pm
http://www.echotalk.org/index.php/topic,1654.0/topicseen.html

Next time see if there are similar posts before leaving one.
Title: Re: Alexa won't play music from any source but is connected to the internet
Post by: Mick on March 12, 2017, 06:42:39 pm
I have had an echo dot since Christmas 16 it worked perfectly until a few days ago then it stopped playing music. It would answer questions, tell me it was playing what I asked for, and even tell me what’s playing, and sometimes it would play some music 10 to 30 seconds every 20 to 30 minutes.
Anyway to cut a long story short I went into my router settings and found two IP addresses the same 192.168.1.72 for the Echo and the same for a DVR I changed the DVR IP address and hay presto Alexa is singing again. 
 :)
Title: Re: Alexa won't play music from any source but is connected to the internet
Post by: mike27oct on March 12, 2017, 08:14:12 pm
Unplug it for 5 minutes so it can completely reset, then plug it back in and it will likely work fine.

Always try turning it off and back on as a first course of action with most anything.
Title: Re: Alexa won't play music from any source but is connected to the internet
Post by: Flyn_Pony on April 17, 2017, 11:17:57 am
Well I have an echo dot and it used to play everything I asked on the spot. But now recently I plugged it in and asked it to play music. About 2 minutes go by before it does anything and it says can't play music right now. I can ask for time jokes news and stuff like that but no music. I have unplugged replugged with large times in between, I have reconnected to internet, and nothing will work. Please help.
Title: Re: Alexa won't play music from any source but is connected to the internet
Post by: mike27oct on April 17, 2017, 12:01:45 pm
Maybe the Amazon music player is down for a while.  Wait 10 minutes before panicing.
Title: Re: Alexa won't play music from any source but is connected to the internet
Post by: Fog34 on July 06, 2017, 12:38:57 pm
Alexa stopped playing music from any source (Prime, iHeart, Pandora, etc.); however she continues to provide Flash briefing, weather, Skill apps, etc.

Alexa understands the command to "Play music Prime ..." and says that she is developing a playlist but no music is ever played.

I have moved the echo location, uninstalled alexa app and readded, unplugged and Alexa still can't find music.  It worked a week ago. Any thoughts?



Has anyone else seen this problem or have suggestions for a fix?
Title: Re: Alexa won't play music from any source but is connected to the internet
Post by: JimmyJim on November 17, 2019, 03:24:11 am
I fixed this buy deregistering and the registering my echo studio.  It also recalibrated the playback of the speaker.
Title: Re: Alexa won't play music from any source but is connected to the internet
Post by: Ocean Azul on September 12, 2020, 12:43:51 pm
I feel so dumb. I had the same problem, except my Echo Plus just refused to play music from SiriusXM. It would play from Spotify if I asked in just the right way, but nothing from Sirius. I even tried it on my other Dot, but it worked fine. I can't believe I didn't think to unplug it. That's usually my first solution. This saved me a ton of frustration.