How to Install Spotify on Fedora Linux

Spotify is a popular music streaming service that offers users a wide range of features to enhance their listening experience. With its extensive music, podcasts, and other audio content libraries, Spotify has become the go-to platform for millions of users worldwide. Some key aspects of Spotify include:

• Vast Library: Access millions of tracks and podcasts from various genres, languages, and regions, catering to diverse tastes.
• Personalized Playlists: Benefit from automatically generated playlists based on your listening habits, like Discover Weekly and Release Radar.
• Cross-Platform Compatibility: Enjoy Spotify on various devices, including smartphones, tablets, computers, and smart speakers, seamlessly syncing across platforms.
• Social Integration: Share your music taste with friends by connecting your Spotify account to social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram.
• Offline Listening: With Spotify Premium, download your favorite tracks and podcasts for offline listening, eliminating the need for an internet connection.
• High-Quality Audio: Premium subscribers can experience high-quality audio streaming up to 320 kbps, providing a richer listening experience.

This guide will demonstrate how to install Spotify on Fedora Linux using two popular methods: RPM Fusion and Flatpak with the Flathub repository.

Step 1: Update Fedora

To ensure that your Fedora operating system is running smoothly and securely, keeping all existing packages up to date with the following command is important.

sudo dnf upgrade --refresh

Step 2: Install Spotify on Fedora

Method 1: Install Spotify with RPM Fusion

Different options exist for Fedora users who want to install Spotify, including using the RPM fusion third-party repository. This method is recommended and involves using the DNF package manager. While it may seem like a long process, it’s a reliable and efficient way to install Spotify on your system. However, other install options like Flatpak may be more desirable for some users. The choice ultimately depends on your preferences and requirements.

You can execute the following commands in your terminal to utilize the RPM fusion third-party repository and install Spotify. These commands will import the free and non-free repositories, enabling you to install and manage Spotify on your system using the DNF package manager.

sudo dnf install \
  https://download1.rpmfusion.org/free/fedora/rpmfusion-free-release-$(rpm -E %fedora).noarch.rpm -y

sudo dnf install \
  https://download1.rpmfusion.org/nonfree/fedora/rpmfusion-nonfree-release-$(rpm -E %fedora).noarch.rpm -y

After importing the RPM fusion third-party repository and setting up your system to install and manage Spotify, you can use the DNF package manager to install the Spotify-client installer called “lpf-spotify-client.” To do so, execute the following command:

sudo dnf install lpf-spotify-client

To add your Spotify username to the pkg-build group and enable the lpf tool to run, use the following command:

sudo usermod -a -G pkg-build <username>

For instance, if your Spotify username is “joshua,” you would enter the following command:

sudo usermod -a -G pkg-build joshua

If you forget to add your username to the pkg-build group when installing the lpf-spotify-client package, don’t worry. The package will prompt you to add your username when launched.

After installing the lpf-spotify-client package and adding your username to the pkg-build group, you must reboot your PC to ensure the changes take effect.

reboot

After rebooting your PC, you can run the lpf-spotify-client package by navigating to the following path:

Activities > Show Applications > lpf spotify-client.

Example:

After launching the lpf-spotify-client package, the first pop-up screen will prompt you to accept the End User License Agreement (EULA) agreements before proceeding. Once you have reviewed and accepted the agreements, click the “OK” button to proceed.

Example:

After accepting the EULA agreement, a pop-up will appear to show the progress of installing build dependencies, downloading sources, building, and installing the Spotify client.

Example:

During installation, you will be prompted to select the Spotify RPMs to install. If you are performing a fresh installation, there should only be one selection available. Simply select the appropriate RPM and click “OK.” Note that you may be prompted to re-enter your password during this step.

Example:

After completing the installation process, you will see a window confirming that Spotify has been successfully installed. You should now be able to locate the Spotify icon in your Show Applications menu.

Example:

At this point, I recommend rebooting your system to ensure that Spotify functions appropriately. Sometimes, it may close immediately after launching Spotify, and rebooting can fix this issue in most cases.

reboot

If you encounter issues launching Spotify using the desktop shortcut after rebooting and receive the error “GPU process is not usable,” you can run the following command to fix it.

spotify --no-zygote

Method 2: Install Spotify with Flatpak and Flathub

Another option for installing Spotify on Fedora is to use the Flatpak package manager. Flatpak is a popular and versatile package management system installed by default on Fedora systems. It provides a streamlined and secure way to install applications on your system and is well-regarded as an alternative to the DNF package manager.

Flatpak enables users to install applications from different sources, including Flathub, a popular repository that hosts a vast collection of flatpacks. Flathub provides an extensive range of applications, including Spotify, which can be easily installed with just a few clicks.

To install Spotify using Flatpak, you must first enable the Flathub repository on your system. To do this, run the following command in your terminal:

sudo flatpak remote-add --if-not-exists flathub https://flathub.org/repo/flathub.flatpakrepo

Now install Spotify using the following flatpak command.

flatpak install flathub com.spotify.Client

Spotify Flatpak Troubleshoot

The error message below is a common issue that may occur when installing a Flatpak from Flathub on Fedora.

"error: Unable to load summary from remote flathub: Can't fetch summary from disabled remote 'flathub,"

Resolving this issue is straightforward. To activate Flathub, run the following command:

sudo flatpak remote-modify --enable flathub

Step 3: How to Launch Spotify

After successfully installing the Spotify client, there are two ways to launch it on your system. You can launch it from the terminal by typing:

spotify

For users who installed Spotify using Flatpak, launching it will require running the following command from a terminal instance:

flatpak run com.spotify.Client

While launching Spotify from the terminal is viable, it may not be the most practical way for most users. To launch Spotify using the desktop shortcut, navigate to the following path and open the application with the path:

Activities > Show Applications > Spotify.

Example:

After opening Spotify, you will be directed to the default landing screen. From here, you can sign in to your existing account or create a new one.

Example:

Congratulations, you have successfully installed and launched Spotify.

Step 4: Getting Started with Spotify on Fedora

Once you have installed Spotify on your Fedora system, you can explore its features and customize your listening experience. Here are some tips and suggestions to help you get the most out of Spotify:

1. Organizing Your Library

• Create Playlists: Group your favorite songs together by creating playlists for different moods, activities, or genres.
• Save Albums and Podcasts: Save entire albums or podcasts to your library for easy access later.
• Follow Artists and Podcasts: Keep up with your favorite artists and podcast creators by following their profiles, ensuring you receive updates on their latest releases.

2. Discovering New Music

• Browse: Explore Spotify’s “Browse” section for handpicked playlists, new releases, and popular charts.
• Radio Stations: Create custom radio stations based on your favorite artists or genres to discover new tracks.
• Daily Mix: Enjoy personalized playlists generated by Spotify based on your listening habits.

3. Customizing Spotify Settings

• Audio Quality: Adjust streaming quality settings in Spotify based on your preferences and internet connection speed.
• Playback Settings: Configure options like crossfade, gapless playback, or normalized volume for a seamless listening experience.
• Private Listening: Enable a private session to prevent your listening activity from being visible to others and affecting your recommendations.

4. Enhancing Your Experience with Add-ons

• Spotify Connect: Control playback on other devices, like smart speakers or gaming consoles, directly from your Fedora system.
• Last.fm Integration: Connect your Spotify account to Last.fm to track your listening habits and get personalized music recommendations.
• Lyrics Extensions: Integrate third-party lyrics extensions to view song lyrics in real-time while listening to music.

Following these tips and customizations, you can tailor your Spotify experience to your preferences and make the most of this popular music streaming service on Fedora Linux.

Conclusion

Installing Spotify on Fedora Linux using either the RPM Fusion repository or Flatpak with Flathub allows users to enjoy their favorite music and podcasts on their system seamlessly. Fedora users can access Spotify’s extensive content library and personalize their listening experience by following the installation steps for either method.

Additional Resources and Links

For more information on Spotify and its installation on Fedora, consider these official resources:

• Spotify Official Website: Visit Spotify’s official website to learn more about the streaming service, features, and subscription plans.
• RPM Fusion: Access the RPM Fusion website for detailed information on this third-party repository and how to enable it on your Fedora system.
• Flatpak: Visit Flatpak’s official website to learn more about this universal package management system and its benefits.
• Flathub: Browse Flathub’s vast collection of Flatpak applications, including Spotify, and find installation instructions.
• Spotify for Developers: Explore Spotify’s developer resources, including APIs, SDKs, and other tools to create your own Spotify-integrated applications.