Spotify looking into issue with songs going silent on Google Pixel and other Android devices

Spotify users on Google Pixel and other Android devices are facing a pesky issue where songs sometimes go silent mid-playback despite the progress bar continuing to move. This happens when playback is happening through Bluetooth speakers, including Google’s own Pixel Buds Pro.

Early reports surfaced from Google Pixel 6 and Pixel 6a users, with several other Pixel owners also confirming the same problem. However, the bug quickly garnered broader attention, with a significant number of Sony Xperia users and scattered reports from Samsung Galaxy users joining the chorus of concern. What’s particularly concerning is that this issue transcends different versions of the Spotify app and spans across various iterations of the Android operating system, including the latest stable release, Android 14. Despite its widespread impact, there has been no official fix from Spotify.

I’ve dealt with this issue on my Android phone for quite some time. It also happens when streaming Spotify on my Google Nest speaker group but only when playback was initiated from my Android phone. My speaker group has three Nest Mini speakers and a Chromecast with Google TV. However, the playback glitch doesn’t happen when playing straight from the Chromecast or even my iPhone. This suggests that like desktop, iOS and Mac, Android TV users are likely unaffected, something some users can also confirm (1,2). This indicates the problem may be tied to compatibility between the Spotify app and certain Android smartphones.

Despite the lack of a fix, Spotify has acknowledged the issue and has even begun investigating its cause. However, the company has not yet provided a timeline for a solution, leaving users in a state of sonic suspense.

We’ve received reports from Android users that the progress bar of a song keeps moving but there’s no sound coming out. When the app is restarted, the progress bar goes back to the point where the song went silent.

Support also wants you to comment on the thread with the following info (if you haven’t already):

• Your device’s OS version
• The version of Spotify you’re running
• Whether this occurs when playing from the mobile device directly or when connected to another device (Bluetooth, headphones, etc.)
• The troubleshooting steps you’ve tried so far

For now, Spotify users encountering this audio anomaly are left with limited options. Restarting the app resets the progress bar to the point of silence, and while skipping forward or backward temporarily restores sound, it sacrifices the interrupted song.

Hopefully, Spotify’s investigation will lead to a swift resolution, allowing users to resume their music journeys without unwelcome pauses and unexpected silence.

Featured image: Spotify