Replace libspotify / Streaming does not work - "Spotify login error: <ErrorType.USER_NEEDS_PREMIUM: 15>"

[handle2001]

According to the Spotify Developer website, libspotify is no longer available for download, so the mopidy-spotify plugin cannot be installed anymore. Is there an alternate source for this library?

[ZenithDK]

This is new to me (from https://developer.spotify.com/technologies/libspotify/#libspotify-and-cocoalibspotify-downloads):

Please note that we have removed the LibSpotify binaries from our website in an effort to phase out the usage of this deprecated library. LibSpotify has been considered deprecated since 2015 and will be shut down in 2017, so we want to ensure that all developers’ efforts and attention are focused on newer and better APIs that we actively support and maintain. These APIs include the Web API, iOS and Android SDKs, and upcoming embedded libraries for Windows, Mac OS X and Linux. More information regarding upcoming libraries will be provided in the coming months.

That sort of necessitates that we either distribute libspotify or rework mopidy to use the Web API's.

[kingosticks]

Oh dear. How did they forget to email us about this through their developer list AGAIN?!

There is no way to play music with the Web APIs (unless this has also changed without announcement). So distributing libspotify is probably the only option.

[allquixotic]

I think it will be necessary to rewrite mopidy-spotify using one of their new APIs or that "embedded" thing they mentioned. Libspotify will be forcibly prevented from accessing Spotify by some time in 2017, per Spotify themselves, so we can't count on its continued functioning (unless some enterprising hacker hacks the binaries somehow to trick Spotify's servers into letting us continue to use it, but don't count on it).

I am hopeful that it doesn't require some kind of protected audio path. It can't really, if it's on Linux, right? So hopefully there will be a way to get at the PCM data from the tracks. That's all we really need to be able to move forward.

...

If the web API doesn't work and the embedded clients aren't accessible to us, can we run an Android emulator on the user's system and run the Android Spotify API through that? :P just a thought...

[yannik-b]

"LibSpotify and CocoaLibSpotify are no longer under active development on any platform and are considered deprecated. If you are building applications for iOS or Android, please use the iOS SDK or Android SDK, and we will be providing a new library for other platforms later this year" from the original spotify developer Website.

So I think we have to wait now. But its clear that mopidy-spotify has to be overwritten.

[kingosticks]

@yannik-b, that particular note has been on their website for literally years, including the promise of a new library.

mopidy-spotify uses libspotify through pyspotify which might protect us from some of the changes. Lord knows what Spotify will actually end up doing and when they will actually do it. They have a history of this and unfortunately it's as unclear as it's always been.

[yannik-b]

@kingosticks Oh okay, I never looked for it.

Actually mopidy-spotify is working.

[handle2001]

Is it possible to distribute libspotify in tar.gz format alongside mopidy without violating any licenses?

[chises]

i think the problem is that the library will not work anymore if spotify stops the development.
are there any alternatives announces by spotify? i am really interested in this Extension and Keeping it up.

[forslund]

I'm also keeping this alive. I guess we're in the hands of spotify at the moment, waiting for them to release a replacement library? Or is there work on the "embedded" track going on?

[axelsimon]

I imagine you are already aware of the it, but just in case, librespot is an effort to fix the libspotify deprecation issue, from what I understand:
https://github.com/plietar/librespot

[adamcik]

Yes we know about it, but it won't help much if Spotify decides to turn down those endpoints. I looked at it bit when they started out trying to get Spotify Connect working, but I've not payed much attention since it didn't look like we could easily integrate it at the time.