Audio content playback management

A computing device comprising:

• one or more processors;
• and
• at least one tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising program instructions that are executable by the one or more processors such that the computing device is configured to:
• while a playback device is playing a first audio track from a playback queue comprising a plurality of audio tracks and a streaming audio program, where the streaming audio program has a defined start time and a defined stop time, determine whether the playback device should play one of the streaming audio program or a second audio track next after completing playback of the first audio track based at least in part on (i) the defined start time of the streaming audio program and (ii) an available buffer time;
• when the playback device can complete playback of the second audio track before the defined start time of the streaming audio program, play the second audio track after completing playback of the first audio track;
• when the playback device cannot complete playback of the second audio track before the defined start time of the streaming audio program, and when the playback device can buffer the streaming audio program for less than the available buffer time while completing playback of the second audio track, (i) play the second audio track after completing playback of the first audio track, (ii) buffer the streaming audio program starting at the defined start time for the streaming audio program, (iii) play the streaming audio program after completing playback of the second audio track, and (iv) extend playback of the streaming audio program past the defined stop time to complete playback of the streaming audio program;
• and
• when the playback device cannot complete playback of the second audio track before the defined start time of the streaming audio program, and when the playback device would need to buffer the streaming audio program for more than the available buffer time while completing playback of the second audio track, (i) play content other than the second audio track after completing playback of the first audio track until the defined the start time of the streaming audio program, and (ii) play the streaming audio program at the defined start time of the streaming audio program.

Tangible, non-transitory computer-readable media comprising instructions stored therein, wherein the instructions, when executed, cause a playback system to perform functions comprising:

• while a playback system is playing a first audio track from a playback queue comprising a plurality of audio tracks and a streaming audio program, where the streaming audio program has a defined start time and a defined stop time, determining whether the playback system should play one of the streaming audio program or a second audio track next after completing playback of the first audio track based at least in part on (i) the defined start time of the streaming audio program and (ii) an available buffer time;
• when the playback system can complete playback of the second audio track before the defined start time of the streaming audio program, playing the second audio track after completing playback of the first audio track;
• when the playback system cannot complete playback of the second audio track before the defined start time of the streaming audio program, and when the playback system can buffer the streaming audio program for less than the available buffer time while completing playback of the second audio track, (i) playing the second audio track after completing playback of the first audio track, (ii) buffering the streaming audio program starting at the defined start time for the streaming audio program, (iii) playing the streaming audio program after completing playback of the second audio track, and (iv) extending playback of the streaming audio program past the defined stop time to complete playback of the streaming audio program;
• and
• when the playback system cannot complete playback of the second audio track before the defined start time of the streaming audio program, and when the playback system would need to buffer the streaming audio program for more than the available buffer time while completing playback of the second audio track, (i) playing content other than the second audio track after completing playback of the first audio track until the defined the start time of the streaming audio program, and (ii) playing the streaming audio program at the defined start time of the streaming audio program.