An example implementation may involve a computing system receiving, from a media playback system over the network interface, a request to initiate playback of the particular cloud queue at a first media item. The computing system assigns a playhead pointer to a position within the particular cloud queue that corresponds to the first media item and transmits, to the media playback system over the network interface, an instruction that causes one or more playback devices of the media playback system to initiate playback of the particular cloud queue at the first media item. While the one or more playback devices play back the particular cloud queue, the computing system updates the assigned position of the playhead pointer to indicate the currently playing media item of the particular cloud queue.