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Sonos - Error Message: Someone Else Listening

sreedy71
Underground

I did see the post Sonos - Error Message: Someone Else Listening but it was for multiple stations. I understand that issue. But I'm getting this with 1 email address playing 1 station on a group of 3. 

  • Are you playing Pandora using the Sonos app or the Pandora app? 
    • SONOS
  • If you're using the Sonos App, are you using the S1 or S2 app?
    • S2
  • Which Sonos app version are you on? (Open the Sonos app > From the Settings tab, tap System > Tap About My System > Under Sonos App Info > Version)
    • 13.1.2 (Windows desktop) 13.1.3 (Android app)

I may start the station from either my android phone app or desktop app. Usually it's fine, but once in a blue moon it starts giving me that error. I've forced stopped all other apps except for the desktop app and it still does it. I come to Pandora in Chrome and play. It asks me who should be listening so I say here. Then stop it and close the browser window. Clear cache. Launch in desktop app. Then it may or may not do the same thing.

Why is this happening if it's only the one email address and the one station? 

Thanks in advance

Stephanie

Moderator Edit: Changing title for clarity

Labels (2)
27 Replies

TannerPandora
Moderator
Moderator

Hi @sreedy71! Welcome to community and thanks for posting. 👋🏻

I checked your account and it looks like that simultaneous streams warning was tripped on accident, which may happen from time to time when switching from one device to another. You can go ahead and disregard that message.

If you believe that this is an unauthorized user, I can take steps to secure your account. This would involve removing all device associations on my end and resetting your password.

This has happened to me too when switching from web to mobile and vice versa. While you can sign into any supported device you won't be able to listen to that same Pandora account on multiple devices at the same time.


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sreedy71
Underground

It's hard to ignore if it stops the music playing. I only use Sonos app to play Pandora using 1 email address. I do have another email address (which you may have seen on my account) that I use for the car to keep my music genre profiles separate, but it's never used in the house. 

Only time I use the web is to try and get it to stop the message and stoppage of the music (doesn't always work). It's always playing to the same group (throughout the house). Only time I have to adjust the group is when I've watched something on the tv as the surround sound group is removed. I have to add it back in to the main group afterwards.

So let me make sure I understand. Even though I'm always using the sonos app, if I switch devices it will cause the same issue? Is it only if I stop and start on different devices or also if I change stations? I guess I'm having a hard time understanding this, since it's always the same email address.

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TannerPandora
Moderator
Moderator

Hi @sreedy71 are you receiving the message when you switch stations or switch devices? For example, you are listening on your Sonos, change to a different station and then the music stops letting you know someone else is listening on your account?


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JBSD
Opening Act

I have had this exact issue on & off the last few weeks; today I finally removed pandora from Sonos, quit the Sonos app, changed my pandora password, and then re-added the service to Sonos.  Got about 30-40 minutes in before getting the error prompt.

Paid for a family account to have home service, wife's phone, and my phone.  Extremely frustrating.  I'd rather be able to stream 3-4 simultaneously so I don't have to re-train stations.  Grr!

Moderator Edit: Format

sreedy71
Underground

I thought I replied last night but I'm not seeing it. 

It's not that immediate, so I don't remember what was done prior. I am always in the Sonos app with the same email address. Most of the time I'm changing stations by way of Sonos favorites. Occasionally the message will play and stop the music, but if I hit play it will play another song. Upon the song after that it will play the error message again. 

I always play 1 station throughout my house. The only time the group gets separated is when I watch TV and the surround sound grouping is removed from the house group. I have to reattach it to the group later. And no that doesn't seem to play into this issue. I usually get the message during the day before I've watched any TV and most nights I haven't watched TV the night before.

I get the others frustration with having multiple stations playing throughout their house with different email addresses. But to have one email address playing solely through Sonos throughout the house getting this message is really ridiculous in my opinion.

TannerPandora
Moderator
Moderator

@sreedy71 I further investigated and see an additional device attempting to listen on your account at the same time the Sonos is playing. It looks like they may be trying to Google Cast to a device. 

For example, on 6/28/21 Sonos was playing at 4:57pm and at the same time a Google casting attempted to play. This would have caused the sim stream error to appear. 

If this wasn't you, then I recommend securing your account by removing all device associations and changing your password. I can help with this from my end, just let me know. 


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JBSD
Opening Act

I tend to think it's a Sonos issue; I rarely get the problem from Pandora on phone when traveling.  After doing the remove / password reset / re-add to Sonos, I still got the error for a day, now it's been cleared up the last few.

Pandora & Sonos tech teams IMO need to look together.  Support from either one individually hasn't been great.

To compare, Netflix premium supports 4 streams on the same account.  Which I'd really prefer, so my wife and I could curate the SAME stations / playlists.

sreedy71
Underground

It's possible. I've uninstalled all Pandora apps to see if that helps. How can we remove devices? Or check to see who has accessed it? 

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TannerPandora
Moderator
Moderator

Hi @JBSD - Happy to look into this a bit more. 

I've enabled a trace on your account, the next time you receive the message, let me know the date and time and I'll have a closer look. 

We do have a feature request for allowing multiple streams on the same device, you can check it out and vote here: Listening to More than One Device at the Same Time


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TannerPandora
Moderator
Moderator

@sreedy71 I've removed all the devices associated with your Pandora account. This will automatically sign you out everywhere including any devices you currently have, so you will need to sign back in once this change takes effect. This may not happen instantaneously.

I would highly recommend changing the password to your Pandora account to something new and hard to guess. 

Click here to request a password reset and make sure to enter the email address associated with the Pandora account you'd like to access.

  • Next check the Inbox associated with that email address in order to continue through the password reset process.
  • If you don't see the message in your Inbox, please check your Spam or Junk folder.

 

 


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sreedy71
Underground

Thank you. So far so good.

TannerPandora
Moderator
Moderator

Glad to hear it, @sreedy71! Let me know if you receive the message again. 

Happy Monday! 


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TabithaBB
Local Performer

I have the same issue. We have two separate sonos account at the same business. The one sonos account with its own email and own pandora account is in our bar. It has 0 issues.

We just received our first error message, saying someone else is listening on a device. The other sonos, with its own pandora account said this. Why are we receiving an error message?

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TannerPandora
Moderator
Moderator

Hi @TabithaBB! Thanks for posting to community. 

If you are receiving the message, "Your Pandora Account is currently playing on another device," or "Someone else is listening," then more than one device is streaming from your account at the same time. 

While your Pandora account can be logged into as many devices as you like, they can't be playing at the same time. Regardless of your subscription level, the revenue from one Pandora account only covers the cost of one stream from one device.

Additionally, while you can group your Sonos speakers to allow for a single Pandora account to be heard in multiple locations, only one stream (a single station, playlist, etc.) can play across the grouped speakers at the same time.

I checked the Pandora account associated with your community profile and I do see that 2 devices are attempting to play from this account at the same time. One from the Sonos and one from the Pandora desktop app. Looks like one device is playing 'Spa Chill Radio' while the other is playing 'Radiohead Radio'. If you were switching devices, be sure to press pause on one before pushing play on the other. From time to time the message can be tripped on accident when switching devices, and you can disregard the message.  

If you believe this is an unauthorized user, then we can take some steps to help protect your account. This will require resetting your password and signing you out of all devices. It's more effective than simply changing your password.

Let me know. 


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JBSD
Opening Act

> If you are receiving the message, "Your Pandora Account is currently playing on another device," or "Someone else is listening," then more than one device is streaming from your account at the same time. 

This kind of support response _really_ rubs me the wrong way.  Let's rephrase it a bit to consider that the customer may not be wrong.

"You should only receive the message when....  However, in some cases you may get the message in error.  Please check...  If these steps don't work, please submit a ticket or call at..."

I'd really like Pandora to implement subscriptions that allowed 2/3/4+ streams so that playlists / collections could be shared.  Hey let's toss 2FA as an option to eliminate unauthorized users while we're at it.

JBSD
Opening Act

Got the error message just now.  I *guarantee* no one else has these credentials or is trying to stream.

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JBSD
Opening Act

Happening every few minutes now.   Grr.

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TannerPandora
Moderator
Moderator

Hi @JBSD 

I took a closer look at the playback for the Pandora account associated with your community profile last night (7/14/21) around the time you posted (10:00pm) and I do see 2 streams attempting to play at the same time. One from a web player, and one from an iOS device. 

It sounds like that simultaneous streams warning was tripped on accident, which may happen from time to time when switching from one device to another. I've had this happen to me in on my own experience when switching from web to mobile. 

If you continue to have trouble with this message, it may help to create a separate account for your mobile device. I see that you have open spots available with your Premium Family subscription. Let me know if you need help or further instructions with how to do that.


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JBSD
Opening Act

My wife told me later she had gotten the message earlier (8p) while I was out. Of course I logged in to the web with each family account to "Let me listen" since I can't "Override" via Sonos.

Guess what? I already have three family slots, one for the house, one for my wife's phone, and one for my phone.

I don't need more slots. I need erroneous warnings to halt. Or a way to override via Sonos.

Double grr!

Moderator Edit: Format

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