Why Won’t My Alexa Play Music? How to Fix It

Alexa is one of the best voice assistants out there. Alexa is paired with the Amazon Echo devices as well as some smart gadgets and a handful of smartphones. One good thing about Alexa is that you can play music with just a simple voice command. However, this doesn’t seem to work for some users at times.

If you are one of the users with the same issue where Alexa won’t play music, you are in the right place. Here, we will look at some common reasons why this issue happens in the first place and then move on to some troubleshooting solutions to help you fix the issue. Keep reading!

Reasons Why Your Alexa Is Not Playing Music

It can be both irritating and disheartening if Alexa stops playing music unexpectedly. There could be a number of factors at play here that prevent Alexa from playing music when you ask it to.

If you can figure out why Alexa is having trouble playing music, you can fix the issue and have music play normally again. Here are some possible reasons why Alexa is not playing music:

1. Internet Issue: If you have a slow or unreliable internet connection, then Alexa might have issues playing music.
2. Software Glitches on Echo: Problems with music playback can occur if the Echo device is having trouble getting power or has minor software glitches.
3. Incorrect Account: Echo devices can only have access to their respective features when linked to a valid, authenticated Amazon account.
4. Subscription Required: You need an active membership in either Amazon Prime or Amazon Unlimited to play the music you are asking Alexa.
5. Song Unavailable: It’s possible that the library doesn’t have the song you requested.
6. Provider of Default Music: Alexa may be confused if you have more than one music service configured.
7. Explicit Filter: The explicit lyrics filter in your system’s configuration may be blocking some music.
8. Incorrect Country or Region: Your Amazon account’s country setting does not match the place where you are utilizing the Echo device.
9. Incorrect Echo Configuration: It’s possible that your music won’t play if you have the wrong settings on your device, such as location, time zone, or language.
10. Other Devices are Playing Music: Prime Music only supports one device at a time for streaming. It’s possible that music streaming on another device will interfere with your Echo device.
11. Technical Issue: Technical problems with the Echo device itself can cause it to malfunction and stop playing music.

Fix Alexa Not Playing Music Issue

Now that you know the reasons why your Alexa isn’t playing music, we can proceed further with the solutions. Let’s first try the basic solutions and then move on to the advanced ones. Make sure you try all the solutions below if you can’t figure out what the issue is.

Fix 1: Check your Internet Connection

If Alexa is unable to stream music, it is often the result of a poor or unstable internet connection. Music playback may be sporadic or fail altogether because Alexa relies on the internet to access music from numerous streaming providers. Follow the steps below to check your internet connection:

Make sure the Wi-Fi connectivity of your Alexa-enabled device (Echo, for instance) is sufficient to ensure that it can communicate with other devices online. Improve the stability of the wireless network.

Check if other devices on the same Wi-Fi network have internet access or not. Your internet service provider may be at fault if no other devices can connect to the internet.

If your router is experiencing an issue, you can usually fix it by restarting it. If the power goes out, try disconnecting the cord and then plugging it back in. Make sure to be patient while the router completes its reboot and secure connection setup.

If you’re having trouble with your wireless connection, try moving closer to your router. Use a computer or mobile device to check your internet connection’s download and upload speeds. Make sure your internet connection can handle music streaming.

If you’re still experiencing problems getting online, it’s best to get in touch with your ISP so they can help you figure out what’s wrong and get you back online as soon as possible. If the problem with Alexa playing music still persists, move on to the next solution.

Fix 2: Restart Echo

Restarting your Echo device is a simple and basic troubleshooting step you can take if Alexa is not playing music. Restarting your Echo can often fix small problems and connectivity issues. Follow these steps to restart your Echo device:

1. Disconnect the power cord from your Echo device.
2. Allow 20–30 seconds for the Echo to power down completely.
3. Once your Echo has turned off completely, reconnect the power cord.
4. Watch for the Echo to fully power up and connect to the web.
5. When the Echo is back online, give Alexa a try by telling her to play some music.
6. If this solution doesn’t work, move on to the next one.

Fix 3: Check Linked Accounts

If Alexa is still not playing music for you, double-check the linked accounts to make sure they are appropriately configured. Make sure that the correct Amazon account linked with your Prime membership is being used. Here’s what you need to do:

1. Make sure you have an active Amazon Prime subscription and that your Echo device is signed in to that account.
2. If more than one Amazon account is associated with your Echo device, the Prime benefits will only apply if you are logged into the account that really holds the Prime membership.
3. Simply say “Alexa, switch user” or “Alexa, switch profile” to toggle between accounts.
4. If this doesn’t work, move on to the next solution.

Fix 4: Check Subscription

One of the reasons Alexa could not play your music is a problem with your Prime membership. Here’s what you should do:

1. Verify that you are currently a member of Amazon Prime or Amazon Music Unlimited: You’ll need a paid Amazon Prime or Amazon Music Unlimited membership. Alexa won’t be able to play your favourite tunes unless you have a paid membership.
2. Check Out Active Subscription Details: Launch the Amazon site on your browser and sign in. To access your memberships and subscriptions, click on your name at the top of the page and then “Your Prime Membership” (or “Memberships & subscriptions”). You can view the current status of each of your subscriptions here. Verify that your Amazon Music account is active.

Fix 5: Check the Availability of Song

If you want Alexa to play a specific song but she doesn’t, make sure the song is available on Amazon’s Prime Music subscription or the music app that you are using. When a song isn’t available in the Prime Music catalogue, Alexa can’t play it. Follow these steps to check the song’s availability:

1. Simply request the song through Alexa and listen. The voice command “Alexa, play [song name]” can be used to ask Alexa to play a certain song.
2. Keep an ear out for Alexa’s reaction; if she gives you an error message or plays a different song, it’s possible the one you asked for isn’t available on Prime Music or the music app you are using.
3. If the track is not available via Prime Music, you may either look for it on other music streaming services or subscribe to Amazon Music Unlimited to gain access to tens of millions of tracks.

Fix 6: Set Prime as the Default Music Provider

In the Alexa app, you can try setting Amazon Prime as the default music provider so that Alexa always plays music from that service. This will simplify the music-playing process by removing the requirement to mention the service every time a song is requested. To make Prime your go-to music service, follow these steps:

1. Launch the Alexa app on your iOS or Android device.
2. Tap on the three-bar menu icon in the upper left corner of the app to open the menu.
3. Now, tap on Settings.
4. Tap on Music from the Settings menu.
5. Find and tap on the “Default Services” option.
6. Among the available music services, select “Amazon Music” to make it your default.
7. The service will now default to Amazon Prime Music anytime you ask it to play music.

Fix 7: Turn Off the Explicit Filter

If the explicit filter is active on your Alexa device, it may prevent you from playing music containing explicit lyrics. To fix this and enable Alexa to play explicit content, follow the steps below:

Note: If you have enabled voice deactivation, you can simply say, “Alexa, turn off the explicit filter.”

1. Launch the Alexa app on your iOS or Android device.
2. Tap on the three-bar menu icon in the upper left corner of the app to open the menu.
3. Now, tap on Settings.
4. Tap on Music from the Settings menu.
5. Under the “ACCOUNT SETTINGS” section, tap on Explicit Filter.
6. Now, turn off the toggle next to Explicit Filter.
7. Try playing the song and see if it works now.

In order to hear songs containing explicit content, you must turn off Alexa’s explicit filter. If the song doesn’t contain explicit lyrics or if it still doesn’t play, move on to the next solution.

Fix 8: Check your Amazon Country

If Alexa is still having trouble playing music, check to see whether the country associated with your Amazon account matches the place you’re actually in. If the set country and your actual location don’t match, there can be compatibility issues, and Alexa won’t be able to play music. Follow these steps to change your Amazon location or country:

1. Visit Amazon.com and sign in using your Amazon credentials.
2. Click on the drop-down next to your account and click on “Manage Your Content and Devices.”
3. Now, click on “Settings” or “Go to the Manage Your Content and Devices page.”
4. Now, go to the “Preferences” tab and select “Country/Region Settings.”
5. If you want the country to reflect where you actually are, click the “Change” button. Type in your current location or pick it from the list.
6. A link to learn more about other Amazon sites may appear when you confirm your current location.
7. Click “Learn about” or “Learn” after opening the link to confirm your new location under “Update your default Kindle Store to Amazon.”
8. Ask Alexa to play some music and see if the issue has been resolved.

Fix 9: Check Echo Settings

You need to make sure that specific settings in the Alexa app that pertain to your Echo device are configured correctly. You need to check and change your device’s language, time zone, and location settings, if necessary. This ensures that Alexa provides the optimal music-playing experience for your location and language preferences. Follow the steps below:

1. Launch the Alexa app on your iOS or Android device.
2. Now, go to the Devices tab at the bottom right.
3. Under Devices, tap on Echo & Alexa.
4. Select your Echo device that you are facing the issue on.
5. After choosing your Echo device, you will see the “Device Settings” menu, where you can double-check the configurations.
6. Make sure that the “Location,” “Time Zone,” and “Language” options are set up appropriately to reflect your present location and the language you like to use.
7. If you find that any of the settings are inaccurate or need to be updated, simply tap on the relevant setting and make the desired changes.

Fix 10: Transfer Music to a Different Country

If you are still having issues with playing music on your Alexa device, you can try transferring the music to a different country. This will make sure that there are no compatibility issues with your Amazon Music account. Follow the steps below:

1. On your PC or Mac, head over to music.amazon.com.
2. Use your Amazon credentials to log in. Make sure you log in using the account that is linked to your Alexa device.
3. Hover over your name in the left pane to reveal the configuration menu.
4. Click on “Your Amazon Music Settings” from the menu. This will open up the Amazon Music settings page.
5. At the bottom of the Settings page, you should see the country of your Amazon Music account. If that’s incorrect, click on “Move your Music account” and select the correct country or region.
6. Once you have selected the correct region, try playing some music using Alexa. If the issue persists, move on to the next solution.

Fix 11: Check Currently Streaming Devices

Check if other devices are using the same Amazon account for streaming. Prime Music allows streaming on only one device at a time. You need to pause the music on one device to be able to play it on another. If the account is signed into on two devices, only one can be used to play the music at once. You cannot play music on both devices simultaneously.

Fix 12: De-register and Re-register Echo

Finally, if all the above steps fail to resolve the issue on your Amazon Echo or Alexa device, you can de-register and then re-register the device to fix any issues with the pairing. You can deregister the Echo from both the Amazon Alexa app and alexa.amazon.com. Here’s how to de-register Echo using the Alexa app:

1. Launch the Alexa app on your iOS or Android device.
2. Now, go to the Devices tab at the bottom right.
3. Under Devices, tap on Echo & Alexa.
4. Select your Echo device that you are facing the issue on.
5. In the “Device Settings” menu, click on “De-register.”
6. Once you have de-registered the Echo, simply set it up as if it was new.
7. Once the setup is complete, ask Alexa to play some music and see if the issue still persists.
8. If the issue still persists, contact Amazon support for further assistance. They should be able to help you out.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is Alexa not playing music when I ask?

There can be several reasons why Alexa isn’t playing music when you ask. Problems with your internet connection, improper account settings, or a lack of active membership in Amazon Prime or Amazon Music are all possible reasons.

How can I check if my internet connection is causing Alexa’s music playback issues?

Try using the same internet connection on a different device. If the issue persists on that device as well, your internet connection has a problem. However, there is a different problem otherwise.

Is it necessary to have an active Amazon Prime or Amazon Music Unlimited subscription to play music with Alexa?

Yes, if the song is exclusive to Prime, you need to have an active Amazon Prime or Amazon Music Unlimited subscription to play music with Alexa.

What can I do if the song I requested is unavailable on Prime Music?

You can try to search for the song on other streaming platforms such as YouTube Music and Spotify.

Why is Alexa unable to play music when other devices are already streaming using the same Amazon account?

This is because Prime only allows you to stream music from one device at a time. To play music on Alexa, you must stop streaming on that other device first.

Summing Up

Alexa can stop playing music for a number of reasons. Problems with your internet connection, improper account settings, or a lack of active membership in Amazon Prime or Amazon Music Unlimited could all be to blame. Problems with music playback can also be caused by software issues on the Echo device, a lack of compatible songs, or the wrong device settings.

However, from simple to advanced, there are many solutions to try. You can try many solutions, including restarting your Echo device, checking linked accounts, confirming subscriptions, and choosing Prime as the default music source. You can also try other music streaming platforms, such as YouTube Music and Spotify, as an alternative. Contact Amazon support for further assistance with the issue. If you have any further questions, let us know in the comments section below. Thanks for reading!