Spotify Controller Skill

Control Spotify playback from your AI agent using the official Spotify Web API.

This works across setups (local machine, Docker, VPS, and hybrid environments). It is especially useful for fixing Spotify control pain in headless VPS deployments. The server does not need a browser or a local Spotify client.

What this skill provides

• A CLI workflow around spotify.py
• Playback control (play, pause, next, prev)
• Track lookup (search) and quick play (playsearch)
• Direct URI playback (playtrack spotify:track:...)
• Device management (devices, setdevice)
• Volume control (volume 0-100, where supported)

Requirements

• Python 3 available in runtime/container
• requests package installed
• Spotify Premium account
• Spotify Developer app credentials
• Environment variables:
  • SPOTIFY_CLIENT_ID
  • SPOTIFY_CLIENT_SECRET
  • SPOTIFY_REFRESH_TOKEN

Install dependency:

uv pip install requests --system

(Alternative: pip install requests)

If you build OpenClaw in Docker, add this to your Dockerfile when requests is not already present:

RUN uv pip install requests --system

Setup (Step-by-step)

1) Create a Spotify Developer App

1. Go to: https://developer.spotify.com/dashboard
2. Click Create App
3. Enter any app name/description
4. Add Redirect URI:
   • http://127.0.0.1:8888/callback
5. Enable Web API access
6. Save and copy:
   • Client ID
   • Client Secret

2) Get a refresh token (one-time, on local machine)

Open this URL in your browser (replace YOUR_CLIENT_ID):

https://accounts.spotify.com/authorize?client_id=YOUR_CLIENT_ID&response_type=code&redirect_uri=http://127.0.0.1:8888/callback&scope=user-modify-playback-state%20user-read-playback-state%20user-read-currently-playing

Approve access, then copy the code value from the redirected URL.

Exchange code for tokens:

curl -s -X POST "https://accounts.spotify.com/api/token" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/x-www-form-urlencoded" \
  -d "grant_type=authorization_code&code=YOUR_CODE&redirect_uri=http://127.0.0.1:8888/callback&client_id=YOUR_CLIENT_ID&client_secret=YOUR_CLIENT_SECRET"

From response JSON, copy refresh_token.

refresh_token is typically long-lived, but can be invalidated if app access is revoked, app settings change, or credentials rotate.

3) Add credentials to .env

SPOTIFY_CLIENT_ID=your_client_id
SPOTIFY_CLIENT_SECRET=your_client_secret
SPOTIFY_REFRESH_TOKEN=your_refresh_token

4) Pass env vars to Docker compose service

In docker-compose.yml service environment: section:

- SPOTIFY_CLIENT_ID=${SPOTIFY_CLIENT_ID}
- SPOTIFY_CLIENT_SECRET=${SPOTIFY_CLIENT_SECRET}
- SPOTIFY_REFRESH_TOKEN=${SPOTIFY_REFRESH_TOKEN}

5) Restart service/container

docker compose down
docker compose up -d openclaw-gateway

chown <runtime_user>:<runtime_group> /path/to/workspace/spotify.py
chmod 664 /path/to/workspace/spotify.py

Usage

Run commands from workspace:

python3 spotify.py <command>

VPS / Headless behavior notes

• Headless server control works because playback is executed on Spotify Connect devices (phone/desktop/web), not the server audio output.
• You still need at least one active Spotify device session.

If you see NO_ACTIVE_DEVICE:

1. Open Spotify on target device
2. Start any track manually once
3. Run python3 spotify.py devices
4. Retry command

Known Spotify API limitations (expected)

• Some devices/content contexts may return 403 Restriction violated for play, prev, or other controls.
• Some devices may reject remote volume changes (VOLUME_CONTROL_DISALLOW).
• Device handoff can lag; immediate status after transfer may briefly show stale state.

These are Spotify-side constraints, not necessarily script bugs.

Operational guidance for automations

• Treat non-zero exit codes as command failures.
• Validate environment vars at startup.
• Log command + status code for troubleshooting.
• Retry once for transient network errors.
• Don’t hardcode real credentials in files.

Security notes

• Never commit .env with live secrets.
• Rotate app credentials if leaked.
• Use least-access scopes required for your workflow.
• The script only communicates with accounts.spotify.com and api.spotify.com

Quick troubleshooting checklist

1. python3 spotify.py devices shows your target device?
2. Device is active in Spotify app?
3. Env vars loaded inside container/runtime?
4. Premium account confirmed?
5. Refresh token still valid?
6. Any Spotify 403 restriction reason in response?

Claim accuracy

• Uses official Spotify Web API ✅
• Works on headless VPS ✅
• Practical for personal usage ✅
• Subject to normal Spotify API behavior/limits ✅