Facilitating Streaming Media Access Via A Media-Item Database

Abstract

Examples described herein relate to facilitating media item access via a media item database. For instance, a playlist may include audio tracks of a first streaming service (e.g., as uniform resource identifiers linking to streamable audio tracks). When a subscription to the first streaming service is not active, the playlist may be unplayable by a media playback system including a playback device. To play the playlist, a computing system may convert the playlist to audio tracks of a second streaming service and then send the converted playlist back to the media playback system for playback.

1 . A cloud-based computing system comprising:
 a network interface;   at least one processor;   at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the cloud-based computing system is configured to:
 receive, via the network interface, metadata for a plurality of audio tracks comprising a first media item and a second media item, the metadata comprising first metadata of the first media item and second metadata of the second media item, wherein the metadata excludes (i) data indicating at least one source of the first media item and (ii) data indicating at least one source of the second media item; 
 perform a first query of at least one database for a source of the first media item at a first streaming audio service; 
 receive, as a result of the first query, a first uniform resource identifier indicating a particular location of a first audio track corresponding to the first media item at one or more servers of the first streaming audio service; 
 add the first uniform resource identifier to a playback queue, wherein at least one playback device of a media playback system is configured to play back audio tracks from the playback queue via streaming the audio tracks from respective sources indicated by uniform resource identifiers in the playback queue; 
 perform a second query of the at least one database for a source of the second media item at the first streaming audio service; 
 determine, as a result of the second query, that the second media item is unavailable from the first streaming audio service; 
 perform a third query of the at least one database for a source of the second media item at a second streaming audio service; 
 receive, as a result of the third query, a second uniform resource identifier indicating a particular location of a second audio track corresponding to the second media item at one or more servers of the second streaming audio service; 
 add the second uniform resource identifier to the playback queue; and 
 cause, via the network interface, the at least one playback device to play back at least a portion of the playback queue. 
   
     
     
         2 . The cloud-based computing system of  claim 1 , wherein a particular account of the first streaming audio service is configured with the media playback system, and wherein the program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the cloud-based computing system is configured to determine, as the result of the second query, that the second media item is unavailable from the first streaming audio service comprise program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the cloud-based computing system is configured to:
 determine, as a result of the second query, that one or more audio tracks corresponding the second media item are unavailable to the particular account of the first streaming audio service.   
     
     
         3 . The cloud-based computing system of  claim 1 , wherein the program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the cloud-based computing system is configured to determine, as the result of the second query, that the second audio track is unavailable from the first streaming audio service comprise program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the cloud-based computing system is configured to:
 determine, as a result of the second query, that a music library of the first streaming audio service excludes audio tracks corresponding to the second media item.   
     
     
         4 . The cloud-based computing system of  claim 1 , wherein the program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the cloud-based computing system is configured to perform the third query of the at least one database for the source of the second media item at the second streaming audio service comprise program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the cloud-based computing system is configured to:
 determine that the second metadata matches a particular audio track corresponding to the second audio track that is not available within a library of the second streaming audio service;   determine, via the at least one database, that metadata of the second audio track matches at least a portion of the second metadata; and   return, to the third query, the second uniform resource identifier indicating the particular location of a second audio track.   
     
     
         5 . The cloud-based computing system of  claim 1 , wherein the first streaming audio service provides an on-demand library of streamable audio tracks, wherein the second streaming audio service provides Internet radio stations such that individual audio tracks are not streamable on-demand, and wherein the program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the cloud-based computing system is configured to receive, as the result of the third query, the second uniform resource identifier indicating the particular location of the second audio track comprise program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the cloud-based computing system is configured to:
 receive, as a result of the third query, a particular second uniform resource identifier indicating a particular location of an Internet radio station seeded based on the second audio track.   
     
     
         6 . The cloud-based computing system of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one database comprises a database on a remote server, and wherein the program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the cloud-based computing system is configured to perform the first query of at least one database for the source of the first media item at the first streaming audio service comprise program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the cloud-based computing system is configured to:
 send, via the network interface to the remote server, data representing the first query of the at least one database for the source of the first media item at the first streaming audio service.   
     
     
         7 . The cloud-based computing system of  claim 1 , wherein the program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the cloud-based computing system is configured to receive the metadata for the plurality of audio tracks comprise program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the cloud-based computing system is configured to:
 receive, via the network interface, a playlist of media items comprising the first media item and the second media item.   
     
     
         8 . The cloud-based computing system of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one playback device comprises multiple playback devices configured in a synchrony group, and wherein the program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the cloud-based computing system is configured to cause the at least one playback device to play back at least the portion of the playback queue comprise program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the cloud-based computing system is configured to:
 cause the multiple playback devices of the synchrony group to play back at least the portion of the playback queue in synchrony.   
     
     
         9 . At least one tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising program instructions that are executable by at least one processor such that a cloud-based computing system is configured to:
 receive, via a network interface, metadata for a plurality of audio tracks comprising a first media item and a second media item, the metadata comprising first metadata of the first media item and second metadata of the second media item, wherein the metadata excludes (i) data indicating at least one source of the first media item and (ii) data indicating at least one source of the second media item;   perform a first query of at least one database for a source of the first media item at a first streaming audio service;   receive, as a result of the first query, a first uniform resource identifier indicating a particular location of a first audio track corresponding to the first media item at one or more servers of the first streaming audio service;   add the first uniform resource identifier to a playback queue, wherein at least one playback device of a media playback system is configured to play back audio tracks from the playback queue via streaming the audio tracks from respective sources indicated by uniform resource identifiers in the playback queue;   perform a second query of the at least one database for a source of the second media item at the first streaming audio service;   determine, as a result of the second query, that the second media item is unavailable from the first streaming audio service;   perform a third query of the at least one database for a source of the second media item at a second streaming audio service;   receive, as a result of the third query, a second uniform resource identifier indicating a particular location of a second audio track corresponding to the second media item at one or more servers of the second streaming audio service;   add the second uniform resource identifier to the playback queue; and   cause, via the network interface, the at least one playback device to play back at least a portion of the playback queue.   
     
     
         10 . The at least one tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 9 , wherein a particular account of the first streaming audio service is configured with the media playback system, and wherein the program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the cloud-based computing system is configured to determine, as the result of the second query, that the second media item is unavailable from the first streaming audio service comprise program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the cloud-based computing system is configured to:
 determine, as a result of the second query, that one or more audio tracks corresponding the second media item are unavailable to the particular account of the first streaming audio service.   
     
     
         11 . The at least one tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 9 , wherein the program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the cloud-based computing system is configured to determine, as the result of the second query, that the second audio track is unavailable from the first streaming audio service comprise program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the cloud-based computing system is configured to:
 determine, as a result of the second query, that a music library of the first streaming audio service excludes audio tracks corresponding to the second media item.   
     
     
         12 . The at least one tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 9 , wherein the program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the cloud-based computing system is configured to perform the third query of the at least one database for the source of the second media item at the second streaming audio service comprise program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the cloud-based computing system is configured to:
 determine that the second metadata matches a particular audio track corresponding to the second audio track that is not available within a library of the second streaming audio service;   determine, via the at least one database, that metadata of the second audio track matches at least a portion of the second metadata; and   return, to the third query, the second uniform resource identifier indicating the particular location of a second audio track.   
     
     
         13 . The at least one tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 9 , wherein the first streaming audio service provides an on-demand library of streamable audio tracks, wherein the second streaming audio service provides Internet radio stations such that individual audio tracks are not streamable on-demand, and wherein the program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the cloud-based computing system is configured to receive, as the result of the third query, the second uniform resource identifier indicating the particular location of the second audio track comprise program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the cloud-based computing system is configured to:
 receive, as a result of the third query, a particular second uniform resource identifier indicating a particular location of an Internet radio station seeded based on the second audio track.   
     
     
         14 . The at least one tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 9 , wherein the at least one database comprises a database on a remote server, and wherein the program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the cloud-based computing system is configured to perform the first query of at least one database for the source of the first media item at the first streaming audio service comprise program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the cloud-based computing system is configured to:
 send, via the network interface to the remote server, data representing the first query of the at least one database for the source of the first media item at the first streaming audio service.   
     
     
         15 . The at least one tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 9 , wherein the program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the cloud-based computing system is configured to receive the metadata for the plurality of audio tracks comprise program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the cloud-based computing system is configured to:
 receive, via the network interface, a playlist of media items comprising the first media item and the second media item.   
     
     
         16 . The at least one tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 9 , wherein the at least one playback device comprises multiple playback devices configured in a synchrony group, and wherein the program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the cloud-based computing system is configured to cause the at least on playback device to play back at least the portion of the playback queue comprise program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the cloud-based computing system is configured to:
 cause the multiple playback devices of the synchrony group to play back at least the portion of the playback queue in synchrony.   
     
     
         17 . A method to be performed by a cloud-based computing system, the method comprising:
 receiving, via a network interface, metadata for a plurality of audio tracks comprising a first media item and a second media item, the metadata comprising first metadata of the first media item and second metadata of the second media item, wherein the metadata excludes (i) data indicating at least one source of the first media item and (ii) data indicating at least one source of the second media item;   performing a first query of at least one database for a source of the first media item at a first streaming audio service;   receiving, as a result of the first query, a first uniform resource identifier indicating a particular location of a first audio track corresponding to the first media item at one or more servers of the first streaming audio service;   adding the first uniform resource identifier to a playback queue, wherein at least one playback device of a media playback system is configured to play back audio tracks from the playback queue via streaming the audio tracks from respective sources indicated by uniform resource identifiers in the playback queue;   performing a second query of the at least one database for a source of the second media item at the first streaming audio service;   determining, as a result of the second query, that the second media item is unavailable from the first streaming audio service;   performing a third query of the at least one database for a source of the second media item at a second streaming audio service;   receiving, as a result of the third query, a second uniform resource identifier indicating a particular location of a second audio track corresponding to the second media item at one or more servers of the second streaming audio service;   adding the second uniform resource identifier to the playback queue; and   causing, via the network interface, the at least one playback device to play back at least a portion of the playback queue.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein a particular account of the first streaming audio service is configured with the media playback system, and wherein determining, as the result of the second query, that the second media item is unavailable from the first streaming audio service comprises:
 determining, as a result of the second query, that one or more audio tracks corresponding the second media item are unavailable to the particular account of the first streaming audio service.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein determining, as the result of the second query, that the second audio track is unavailable from the first streaming audio service comprises:
 determining, as a result of the second query, that a music library of the first streaming audio service excludes audio tracks corresponding to the second media item.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein performing the third query of the at least one database for the source of the second media item at the second streaming audio service comprises:
 determining that the second metadata matches a particular audio track corresponding to the second audio track that is not available within a library of the second streaming audio service;   determining, via the at least one database, that metadata of the second audio track matches at least a portion of the second metadata; and   returning, to the third query, the second uniform resource identifier indicating the particular location of a second audio track.