Spotify on the Raspberry Pi: 3 Ways to Enjoy Music

Raspberry Pi, Spotify and not stop the music

For many users, being able to listen to music whenever they feel like it is not a luxury but a necessity. There are those who need to have something playing, even in the background, in order to be productive during their work day. And it goes without saying when you want extra motivation to do physical exercise or simply entertain a meal with family or friends.

Today there are many options when it comes to enjoying your favorite music. There are smart speakers, classic players, computers and the mobile phone that is undoubtedly the current king among them all.

However, there is a small device that we usually talk about a lot for its versatility and that can also be a very interesting music player. Because you can make use of Spotify. And of course, that makes it interesting for certain situations or, simply, to use it if for some reason you are not taking advantage of it in another project.

We refer to the Raspberry Pi. Currently there are different options to enjoy the popular streaming music service. Some are even complemented by another of the star uses of this board: that of a multimedia player.

Therefore, let’s talk a little about what these proposals are that allow you use Spotify on a Raspberry Pi.

Kodi

Kodi is next to Plex one of the most popular solutions when it comes to media players. Also, with the use of some extra plugins, the possibilities skyrocket much more. So much so that you can even watch Netflix through it.

In the case that interests us, Spotify can be installed with relative ease through SSH commands that allow sending the necessary files from the repository that installs the application on the Raspberry Pi.

Of course, previously you have to install Kodi. To do this, you only have to install OSMC, an operating system that you download for free and you will have to copy to the SD card. Once done, you can follow this guide, to install Spotify you will have to follow the following steps:

1. Within My OSMC> Settings enable SSH
2. From a computer, through a Filezilla-type client, access the Raspberry Pi through its IP address
3. Log in with the default data if you have not applied any changes: osmc / osmc
4. Now, download the compressed file from the Spotify repository
5. Once copied in the folder you have decided, go back to OSMC and click Add a new Plugin
6. Once installed, you will only have to go through the configuration process and that’s it.

It is not complicated, although the SSH issue may sound the opposite.

MusicBox

A second way to enjoy not only Spotify but also other streaming music services such as Google Music, SoundCloud and even Apple Podcasts among others is MusicBox.

This set of applications or tools are built on Raspbian, the Raspberry Pi default operating system or the one developed by The Raspberry Pi Foundation.

To install MusicBox again the process is as simple as installing any other operating system on a Raspberry Pi. Even more than with the previous Kodi option because practically everything is installed with the first step.

So all you have to do is download MusicBox and install on an SD card. Then start your Raspberry Pi and follow the steps that appear on the screen.

To configure without the need for a screen you will have to access via SSH. For this you will need to know the IP assigned to the device and the default passwords (root / musicbox). And one last detail, MusicBox is only compatible with Premium Spotify accounts.

Volume

Volumio is another application dedicated to playing music on the Raspberry Pi. That means that it is designed to offer from a better interface to certain additional options such as control from a mobile device.

To install Volumio on a Raspberry Pi the steps are as follows:

1. To get started, download the necessary files from the official Volumio website
2. Create an SD with these files through applications like Wind32DiskImager or ApplePi Backer
3. Once finished, insert the SD into the Raspberry Pi and boot the device
4. If your Raspberry Pi incorporates a WiFi connection, you will not have to do anything, if not, you will have to connect a USB WiFi adapter to it
5. Once this is done, from your device connect to the WiFi network created by the board. The password is volumio2
6. Once connected, it will load a home page with its corresponding configuration wizard
7. Once the configuration is finished, access the Settings and in the Plugins section install Spotify
8. Ready, enter the data they ask you and enjoy the music

Why use Spotify on a Raspberry Pi

You are probably wondering why you should use a Raspberry Pi to enjoy Spotify instead of one of the many compatible devices that you probably have at home. Well, the answer is the same as for many other projects made with this board: why not.

At the end of the day, although it is true that it adds a layer of greater difficulty to rejecting an old smartphone or computer, or getting an Amazon Echo Dot and connecting it to external speakers, here it is rather the satisfaction of doing it.

In addition, if you are a little handyman you can also get some other additional module and create a portable player. Because if there is something the Raspberry Pi offers, it is versatility, so you could use it together with other devices or in more complex places to locate than any other similar product. Or spice up some analog gear you have and it still sounds great.