Embodiments described herein involve facilitating synchronous playback in a media playback system that includes a first media device and a second media device. An example implementation involves receiving an instruction to form a zone group that includes the first media device and the second media device. The implementation further involves comparing first network performance metrics corresponding to a network interface of the first media device to second network performance metrics corresponding to a network interface of the second media device. The implementation also involves identifying the first media device as a group coordinator of the zone group based on the comparison. Based on identifying the first media device as the group coordinator, the first media device is configured to provide data indicating audio content and audio content playback timing information to the second media device to facilitate synchronous playback of the audio content as the zone group.