Spotify 0.9.17 for GNU/Linux (and the upcoming 1.x beta!)

[nikreiman]

On 24 March 2015, we rolled out an update to the desktop client for GNU/Linux. For installation instructions, see:

https://www.spotify.com/download/previews/

The version of the client is 0.9.17, and it will be the final 0.9.x client released for this platform. It has been a long time since the previous release (with the prior version being 0.9.11), and for those interested in the release notes, they will be identical to those for other desktop platforms for the versions 0.9.12-17, with the addition of the following platform-specific fixes:

- The machine's hostname is shown to other devices from Spotify Connect

- A 512px icon is used for the taskbar and menubar (unity integration)

We have decided to make a final release of 0.9.x desktop so that our users can pin this package if desired. Also we will make a separate package for the 0.9.17 release so that it is easier to find in the apt repository in case users need to revert to the prior version.

*EDIT*: The 0.9.17 package is now available, it is called spotify-client-0.9.17. If you don't want to receive the 1.x version, you can install this package instead (note that it both provides and conflicts with the spotify-client package).

Going forward, the official Linux beta will be released very soon! There are already some unofficial beta links floating around the forum, but so far we have not published a deb package to our official apt servers yet. We have been very busy getting 1.x out the door and sadly have not had as much time to devote to the GNU/Linux releases as we would like. Also, it has been unfortunate that we have not been better at keeping up with releases for this platform in general, but we have taken some steps to improve this for future releases.

Specifically, this means:

- We will be releasing a regular tarball file alongside our debian package for the benefit of non-debian users

- Spotify client releases will be made available for GNU/Linux users at the same time as users on other platforms

- We will also make a public `testing` apt repository to house unstable beta builds for testing

- However, we do not have a 32-bit version of the client available now. This is difficult for us to do for a number of reasons, but we will consider doing this if there is enough demand from the userbase.

[momaku]

Thanks.

[pgrytdal]

I am unable to install the Linux client on Ubuntu 15.04. Is this because I have a 32-bit machiene? If you haven't yet, I would very much like a 32-bit version of the Linux client. 🙂

[lienmeat]

Not sure if ram ussage issues have been reported yet for this version.  Yesterday I ran spotify for ~8 hours.  Ram usage slowly went up and was up to just over 800mb, and wanted more, and was hitting swap slowing my laptop to a crawl.  Had to go kill it from tty1.

Today I did a bit more snooping.  Generally, ram usage is pretty flat, but it seems that when I go to view a followed persons profile, or load up a new radio station, it results in ~3-5mb more ram usage that doesn't seem to get garbage collected.  After a full work day, that adds up.

I'll help out with more info however I can.

System info:
Ubuntu 15.04 64bit,
Dell inspiron 1521r laptop (8gb ram)

[falkevinz]

HI Nikreiman,

howlong will 1.x stay in the testing repo , before it reaches the stable one ?

we have an annoying issue with the stable version 0.9.7 (64 bits) on Debian jessie. the stable version allways claims a old libgcrypt11 whereas jessie provides libgcrypt20 as a result the say "stable" version 🙂 won't run until you install libgcrypr11 from elsewhere;

Therefore, We are impatient that version 1.x comes up.

[novembernebel]

I don't have any update for my 32bit version too.

Is it planned for some time?

[mike2]

Im sorry, the image is in spanish, but it basicly states that the spotify-client package couldn't be found, I use the linux mint 17.1 kde version, so if anyone could help me would be great, thanks in advance.

[nikreiman]

---

@lienmeat wrote:

Not sure if ram ussage issues have been reported yet for this version.  Yesterday I ran spotify for ~8 hours.  Ram usage slowly went up and was up to just over 800mb, and wanted more, and was hitting swap slowing my laptop to a crawl.  Had to go kill it from tty1.

Today I did a bit more snooping.  Generally, ram usage is pretty flat, but it seems that when I go to view a followed persons profile, or load up a new radio station, it results in ~3-5mb more ram usage that doesn't seem to get garbage collected.  After a full work day, that adds up.

I'll help out with more info however I can.

System info:
Ubuntu 15.04 64bit,
Dell inspiron 1521r laptop (8gb ram)

---

Hmm, this doesn't sound very linux-specific (ie, it sounds like a JS thing that probably exists on other platforms as well). I'll benchmark myself and file a bug report if necessary.

[nikreiman]

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@novembernebel wrote:

I don't have any update for my 32bit version too.

Is it planned for some time?

---

We will hopefully have 32-bit releases out very soon, probably within a matter of weeks.

[nikreiman]

---

@falkevinz wrote:

HI Nikreiman,

howlong will 1.x stay in the testing repo , before it reaches the stable one ?

we have an annoying issue with the stable version 0.9.7 (64 bits) on Debian jessie. the stable version allways claims a old libgcrypt11 whereas jessie provides libgcrypt20 as a result the say "stable" version 🙂 won't run until you install libgcrypr11 from elsewhere;

Therefore, We are impatient that version 1.x comes up.

---

Yes, there's lots of annoyances when it comes to maintaining the 0.9.x client on modern Linuxes. 🙂 That said, we still feel that 1.x is not ready for stable release status yet. Namely, we are missing an application menu, proper dbus support (mpris, that is), and 32-bit builds. We consider these features necessary for the bare minimum of replacing 0.9.17.

[falkevinz]

ok, maybe you should put this needeed libgcrypt11 in your own stable repo, to do it easier for the "non advanced" linux user getting this pseudo stable 0.9.17 unctionning, it would be also easier for many distro to make an usable package of spotify for their users

[sleeksorrow]

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@nikreiman wrote:

Hmm, this doesn't sound very linux-specific (ie, it sounds like a JS thing that probably exists on other platforms as well). I'll benchmark myself and file a bug report if necessary.

---

If that helps, I noticed this only when spotify window is shown. When I minimize it, it runs with stable RAM usage. Probably some bug in CEF, some refreshes or reloads or something that is not happening when minimized

[Kuraj]

Will I be able to run this on a Raspberry Pi?

[nikreiman]

---

@Kuraj wrote:

Will I be able to run this on a Raspberry Pi?

---

No, the 32-bit builds will be for x86 architectures only. For this to happen, we'd need CEF to be built for ARM Linux (which is apparently somewhat possible but very unsupported and untested). Keep an eye on the state of Chromium for ARM Linux -- when that is stable and more supported, we'll consider supporting that architecture.

https://code.google.com/p/chromium/wiki/LinuxChromiumArm

[arch0njw]

THANK YOU for keeping the Linux client going.  I really enjoy spotify and particularly enjoy being able to use it via a real client while on my Linux system.

Thank you, Thank you, Thank you, Thank you, Thank you, Thank you, Thank you, Thank you.

[novembernebel]

... and still no news of the 32bit version...

[krikelin]

For linux I would like to see an effort together with the linux community to create an open source Spotify client, instead of giving them the mess with the bloated official client.
I have started several projects regarding an open source Spotify desktop client

[jynxy]

Link to these projects?

[Nico751]

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@novembernebel wrote:

... and still no news of the 32bit version...

---

Version 0.9.4.183 came back a few weeks ago, you should be able to install it. If not, here is the link.

[novembernebel]

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@Nico751 wrote:

---

@novembernebel wrote:

... and still no news of the 32bit version...

---

Version 0.9.4.183 came back a few weeks ago, you should be able to install it. If not, here is the link.

---

Thank you, I spoke about the 1.x update 🙂

[Nico751]

Sorry, your post wasn't clear enough...

Version 1.0 is available but still in beta which means it's not on a par with the stable version.

See the release notes and download info here.

The release notes for the current version are here.

Enjoy!