Google assistant plays alternative versions of songs such as remixes

[voidhawker]

When I try and play songs on Android using Google Assistant i get non studio versions. For example, if I ask for Diamonds by Rhianna I instead get a incredibly explicit song with Kayne West rapping for about a minute (it's a remix) instead of the expected studio version. The only solution I've found is to "hide" the songs that keep coming up instead of what I want.

[goog64]

"Hey Google, play Lighthouse by The Waifs" - plays the live version EVERY time. I don't want to hear ANY live versions of anything. Where is the slider to toggle live versions off??!!

[joepadmiraal]

I have the same problem.

'Barbie girl' in the Spotify app goes to the normal version.

'Barbie girl' in Google Assistant on a Sonos speaker goes to some dirty rotten remix.

[NickWitter]

For whom the Bell tolls by Metallica 

Thriller by Michael Jackson 

**bleep** on fire by Kings on Leon

There's a three examples that we've encountered in the last 2 days

[SerenaLM]

This is a constant problem and is especially problematic when driving. Needs to be fixed! 

[arenddr]

I'm having the same issue as everyone else.  When I ask google to play a specific song, it usually plays an instrumental version or a remix.  I've been using Google assistant and Spotify for years without issue.  Why is the service getting worse now?

[Paul281]

I also have this problem of some secondary or obscure version playing instead of the obvious primary version. It's particularly annoying as it only became a problem in recent weeks. My children could request their own songs to listen to independently. Now they can't. Here are some examples to help the Spotify team debug and fix the problem (as it is a terrible UX now)

Here are two examples. 

They request "Let it go". Unexpectedly, a multi language medley plays

https://open.spotify.com/track/5SEFk7Qt1kbXxUVkJ44wJ2?si=_spGUIlUQ16FHiocZSFdpg&context=spotify%3Aal...

The primary version that used to play with the same request is from the frozen soundtrack:

https://open.spotify.com/track/0qcr5FMsEO85NAQjrlDRKo?si=YEn7SPZNSmqaAAKJL2Ro3g

Example 2. Bad blood by Taylor Swift. Incorrect version that plays when "bad blood" or even "bad blood Taylor's version by taylor Swift" is requested:

https://open.spotify.com/track/6xsEAm6w9oMQYYg3jkEkMT?si=fFn4bJClSt-F2jMkATNfag

Expected result (and that worked until several weeks ago):

https://open.spotify.com/track/64FzgoLZ3oXu2SriZblHic?si=6nVxgCUfTXGfobEbVpLiWg

Paul 

[sptfySrchDsntWrk]

Yordan - Please give some more information about the investigation. This is so annoying and makes requesting songs useless. 

I have one question I'd like you to answer.. When I ask assistant to play Bohemian Rhapsody, please details the events from search to play. Does Google search it's own archive or does it trigger a search on Spotify. Google must be controlling the search because if I search Bohemian Rhapsody on Spotify the Muppets version never comes up. It seems like Google is driving the search possibly to make some $$$ 

[benmedlock]

I also experience this problem all the time. Yesterday searched for "Cruel Summer by Taylor Swift" and it gave me a song by Taylor Shawarma. Crazy. 

[Yourlocalcryptid1312]

Plan

Premium

Country

United States

Device

IPhone 14

Operating System

Ios18

My Question or Issue

Ever since the new Spotify update a couple days ago, my automation to wake me up with a specific Spotify playlist no longer plays that playlist. I’ve seen this is a common issue so I did the normal fixes suggested. 
i unlinked my spotify

i rebooted my google home

i re linked my spotify

I changed playlist titles 

none of these things worked. Even making my playlist hyper specific names made Spotify instead play songs with names written one of the Asian languages?????? This is the only way I’ve found I can wake myself up easily bc of how deeply I sleep due to health issues so I need to figure this out quick plz 

[leftygroove]

Haha I thought I was the only one experiencing this!  I'll ask for a very popular song such as Janice Ian's 17, and Google Assistant via Spotify will pump out some rando live version.  I'm in Canada on Premium. 

Maybe Spotify will fix the issue when they release HiFi /s

[parksbryson]

This issue is just laughable at this point. The problem is getting worse. I'd say over half, maybe 60+ percent of searches using Google Assistant pull up remixes or obscure versions of songs. 

Being specific doesn't help. I can say "Play 'Some Might Say' by Oasis from the album 'What's the Story Morning Glory'" and it will still play some random live version of the song. 

The kids songs are the most frustrating ones to get weird dance remixes to on request since I rarely have a free hand at those times to search for a song. 

Spotify, between you and Google you need to figure this out. I've been a premium/family plan subscriber for years at this point and I'm ready to cancel. I have YouTube music and I'm ready to switch completely since I don't have the same issues on that app. 

[Skodalitious]

It's pretty frustrating to not be able to use my car button to get the music I've been listening to and is still available on Spotify. Why does it now randomly play shitty versions and even if you say play original version it restarts the shitty song again! Definitely reassessing our family plan for another platform. 

[Daffamaheswara]

I have spotify premium. I was using google voice assistant to play a song but it kept playing the wrong version of the song. I tried to specified the album but it doesn't fixes the problem. I tried to hide the song that I do not want to be played and it still played the song even if it is hidden. And I'm not playing it on a speaker or anything, just on my phone.

I have tried it on other songs that gave me the wrong version too. I did the same thing, I tried to specified the album, I tried to hide the song, but nothing works. 

[joepadmiraal]

So, more than a month has passed.

Surely the team has worked hard on the fix.
Can you provide some insights on how it is going?

[Mmmmmmmmmike]

Yeah this is never getting fixed, apparently. Having to search manually in android auto is a dangerous workaround. Gonna be the cause of distracted driving tickets and probably a few crashes.

[jpr5]

I've done some investigating, and I believe the problem is with Google search.

When you ask Google assistant to play a song, it's the equivalent of typing your voice command into Google and hitting the Spotify icon that appears at the top of the results.

Sometimes, the exact words you say matter. For example," Play Shallow by Lady Gaga on Spotify" plays cover, while" Shallow Lady Gaga Spotify" plays the original. (That doesn't work for all songs.)

I've tested out a few songs from previous posts and for a few, I get the correct version. I think this because Google search results change over time, so sometimes the problem fixes itself. I also wonder if, since Google search results are personalised, some songs are only a problem for some people. I'd have to borrow a friend's phone to test this out.

[Jrlohara]

Any update here? Still an issue for us over 2 months later.

[Jrlohara]

Any updates on this issue? We're on 2+ months of this.

[phwoartd]

Regularly having this issue, and it seems to be getting worse.  Considering giving other music streaming options a try, as this is obviously poor product behaviour, little urgency to fix it, and I'm not getting what I'm paying for.

[phwoartd]

Hi Yordan, it's nearly two months later.  Two months of paid subscription impacted by this.  Can we have an update?