A system comprising: one or more hardware processor devices; storage storing computer-executable instructions, which, when executed by the one or more hardware processor devices, cause the one or more hardware processor devices to run a media BOT wherein running the media BOT comprises: receiving a message from a particular user via a message interface component with which the particular user interacts; and characterized in that, running the media BOT further comprises: determining whether the message includes a selection control command specifying a target media item to be played by media playback equipment, or a non-selection control command; in a first instance where the message is determined to contain the selection control command: sending the message as an input query to a search system, receiving a query response to the input query from the search system, the query response identifying a top-ranked media item, and outputting selection control information that describes the top-ranked media item to a local system wherein the local system controls the media playback equipment, based on the selection control information, to play the top-ranked media item on the media playback equipment; and in a second instance where the message is determined to contain the non-selection control command, generating non-selection control information associated with the non-selection control command without interacting with the search system wherein the local system controls the media playback equipment based on the non-selection control information. one or more hardware processor devices; storage storing computer-executable instructions, which, when executed by the one or more hardware processor devices, cause the one or more hardware processor devices to run a media BOT wherein running the media BOT comprises: receiving a message from a particular user via a message interface component with which the particular user interacts; and characterized in that, running the media BOT further comprises: determining whether the message includes a selection control command specifying a target media item to be played by media playback equipment, or a non-selection control command; in a first instance where the message is determined to contain the selection control command: sending the message as an input query to a search system, receiving a query response to the input query from the search system, the query response identifying a top-ranked media item, and outputting selection control information that describes the top-ranked media item to a local system wherein the local system controls the media playback equipment, based on the selection control information, to play the top-ranked media item on the media playback equipment; and in a second instance where the message is determined to contain the non-selection control command, generating non-selection control information associated with the non-selection control command without interacting with the search system wherein the local system controls the media playback equipment based on the non-selection control information. determining whether the message includes a selection control command specifying a target media item to be played by media playback equipment, or a non-selection control command; in a first instance where the message is determined to contain the selection control command: sending the message as an input query to a search system, receiving a query response to the input query from the search system, the query response identifying a top-ranked media item, and outputting selection control information that describes the top-ranked media item to a local system wherein the local system controls the media playback equipment, based on the selection control information, to play the top-ranked media item on the media playback equipment; and sending the message as an input query to a search system, receiving a query response to the input query from the search system, the query response identifying a top-ranked media item, and outputting selection control information that describes the top-ranked media item to a local system wherein the local system controls the media playback equipment, based on the selection control information, to play the top-ranked media item on the media playback equipment; and in a second instance where the message is determined to contain the non-selection control command, generating non-selection control information associated with the non-selection control command without interacting with the search system wherein the local system controls the media playback equipment based on the non-selection control information.