The subject matter of the present disclosure can be implemented by, among other things, a network service server system configured to receive a request from a remote control application to authorize the application to be associated with a user account, determine that the user account includes permissions for media player devices, and transmit a unique group identifier associated with multiple of the media player devices to the application. The network service server system is further configured to receive a media playback command from the application that includes the unique group identifier and control information useable by a media player device to control media playback. In response, the network service server system controls a concurrent media playback on the multiple media player devices by transmitting the control information to the multiple media player devices.