Linux Spotify client 1.x now in stable

[jooon]

In June 2015 we released version 1.x of the client for Linux in the testing repository.

https://community.spotify.com/t5/Spotify-Community-Blog/Spotify-Client-1-x-beta-for-Linux-has-been-r...

The intention was to fix a few of the bigger issues and then quickly move this to stable. That never happened, since after September, we have had no developers working on the linux client. There are still lots of problem with this version of the client for linux, but we are now seeing much more problems with the old client.

Known linux specific issues in 1.0.23

• Improper MPRIS support (there is support since 1.0.13, but limited functionality). [Linux] Spotify DBus MPRIS2 support not fully working
• Sometimes crashes when streaming and playing local files (these very likely have more than one root cause) Linux Client crashing (segfault) on certain songs -- Segfaults when playing local files
• Improper package dependencies for installation outside Ubuntu LTS The return of the libssl trouble on Linux
• Missing application menu
• Missing tray icon
• Minimize (to tray)

Most of these we want to fix, but others (like missing tray icon) we probably won't. Link to threads with more issues you have and I will try to add them here. If you can't find your issue already reported, create a new thread and follow this troubleshooting guide for linux.

From now on, the idea is to first release a client to the testing repository as soon as possible, when it is ready internally, then after a week or so if we haven't discovered any serious new crash bug that affects lots of users, it will move to stable. Most of the time, a new linux release will have no linux specific changes, only the changes it shares with the mac and win clients.

Stable repository

To install a client from the stable repository follow the instructions on https://www.spotify.com/download/linux/

sudo apt-key adv --keyserver hkp://keyserver.ubuntu.com:80 --recv-keys BBEBDCB318AD50EC6865090613B00F1FD2C19886
echo deb http://repository.spotify.com stable non-free | sudo tee /etc/apt/sources.list.d/spotify.list
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install spotify-client

Testing repository

To install a client from the testing repository, follow the same instructions, but replace the word stable with testing.

sudo apt-key adv --keyserver hkp://keyserver.ubuntu.com:80 --recv-keys BBEBDCB318AD50EC6865090613B00F1FD2C19886
echo deb http://repository.spotify.com testing non-free | sudo tee /etc/apt/sources.list.d/spotify.list
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install spotify-client

[AhmedKamal20]

BTW , Lyrics Works fine for me in the new version

[bitelaum]

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@osornios wrote:
You can downgrade to a version that still support apps, and add the musixmatch app to get lyrics. 🙂

---

I've tried that, but in the previous version the musixmatch really messed with the UI, causing lots of "blinking" of lyrics with the playlist behind it.

[brookpatten]

Is there any chance of getting Arm builds?

[hbayindir]

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@tsv_dimitrov wrote:

I am also a disapointed Linux user with preimum support, but I won't rant here.

As far as I understand the Linux version is an 'unofficial' effort of few developers at Spotify. Great work, guys! And BIG THANKS!

About the latest Linux version (1.0.24.104.g92a22684) - in my opinion it's far better than the previous. However the DBUS support is a must. At this state there is no easy way to play/pause which makes the app pointless. 

Good luck and keep up the good work!

---

Honestly, I don't know whether the Linux effort is semi-official or completely voluntary. If it's voluntary, of course I can understand that however, in both cases I want to do what I can to improve it.

Ranting without constructiveness will not take us anywhere on this thread.

[benwaffle]

+1 for spotify to work on the linux client

[mexicano]

+1 for spotify to work on the linux client

[oresot]

+1 ! 

I have tried to move to the web player, but I miss using my keyboard/sound menu player controls, also, I get random music hangs on the web player.

[Balage]

while we wait for a good, offical linux client, I think, the Nuvola Player is a good alternative solution (this uses the web-player of Spotify)

[netpalantir]

Premium member here. Your answer (Spotify) is so disappointing. I use Linux exclusively (Kubuntu) and this regression is incredibly frustrating. I downgraded, and system tray and KDE integration is back, but how long will it work? Also, why should your paying users be forced to miss on new features, just because you broke things and don't have time to fix them??!

[zakhrmi]

In all fairness, we pay - I am just like you a Premium and a Kubuntu user - for the music stream. And just like you, I downgraded to 0.9

Clients, for every device, are free.

So, they are a plus given to the community.

What is a bit frustrating, is seeing an admittedly bugged software released, knowing there is no chance for it to be fixed in reasonable times, since no developer is available.

I've read some of the replies in this thread: why not realeasing an encrypted / offuscated library that performs the authentication, the streaming and all the core functions of Spotify, and separately an open source GUI, then rely on the community for help? I would, if I had the skills for desktop apps.

[netpalantir]

I disagree that clients are "free". If we were given the possibility to use any client, then it could be true. But we have no choice of client, therefore the client is an integral part of the service for which we pay.

[netpalantir]

I disagree that clients are "free". If we were given the possibility to use any client, then it could be true. But we have no choice of client, therefore the client is an integral part of the service for which we pay.

[zakhrmi]

Clients are available to free accounts as well. Thus they are free.

You pay to avoid advertising in between your music and for a higher quality stream.

[OkropNick]

Free as freedom of choice, not free as free of charge. We have no choice of Spotify client.

[Larrik]

The point isn't "we paid for a Linux client".

The point is "we are paying Linux customers, and if Linux supports disappears or is poor, then you will lose actual revenue".

The goal isn't to demand redress, it's to give something for the people in Spotify to point to and say "there's a business case for a Linux client".

[fchevitarese]

This last upgrade of the linux client is really a shame on Spotify! 

Nothing seems to work. 

I was using the previous version, decided to get the premium account, but after this upgrade, i cannot see tray icon as i did before. 

If i minimize the program, it desapears 😞 

Im using linux mint, it worked great before... Now is a crap.

Im downgrading, and if does not work anymore, i will have to cancel my premium. 

[netpalantir]

So, I contacted support directly.

They answered this: " Thank you for reaching out to us. We understand you found both old and new concerns regarding the client version released on June, 2015. While we don’t officially support Linux, some of our developers are passionate about and spend some of their spare time working on it. ..."

This was not clear to me when downloading the client. One thing is an "unsupported version", which is fine to me. But having a client which is based on the free time of developers is quite a different thing.

"Unsupported" should not mean "unmaintained" (which is basically what we are getting).

[fchevitarese]

Yeah!

Im really, really disapointed.

When i first saw the linux client i thougth!!

"Wooow! A nice client! Looks like Spotify is a nice company that think in
all their customers"
Sadly, i discovered that this is not the truth.

A company that let their software depending on the free time of some
developers just want us to know how disposable we are.

Im regreting very much to have signed the Premium, and i will cancel it
asap.

I have nothing against the developers! The older version was amazing!
This new have some bugs, but i cant complain. The guys are doing it on
their free time.

Im a web developer and i know that we need to do our things to, have bills
to pay and so on.

It's a shame that Spotify can't hire 1 or 2 guys to handle this.

😞

[Teekivi]

Now would be a good time for other streaming services to create a first-class Linux application. I believe that many paying customers would move over. 🙂

[osornios]

Spotify already had a first class Linux app: lean, fast and did everything it was needed for (listen to music). Too bad they killed it in favor of the current one.