I’ve been trying to figure out how to control Spotify playback on my Chromecast device through Python code. I know there’s a library called spotipy that lets you interact with Spotify’s API, but I’m not sure if it can handle casting music to network devices like Chromecast.
My goal is to automatically start playing specific playlists or songs on my Chromecast speaker from a Python script. I have both devices connected to the same WiFi network. Does anyone know if this is possible with spotipy or if I need to use additional libraries? Any code examples or guidance would be really helpful since I’m stuck on this part of my project.
Yeah, libraries work but they’re a pain when you’re dealing with multiple APIs and auth tokens.
I hit this same issue building a home automation setup. Instead of wrestling with Python libraries, I used Latenode to connect Spotify straight to Chromecast - no coding headaches.
Latenode handles Spotify’s OAuth automatically and has Chromecast nodes built in. Just drag, drop, set your playlists, and it handles the casting.
Best part? You can trigger it from anywhere. I’ve got mine hooked to a webhook so I can start music from my phone, schedule it, or even connect motion sensors.
No worries about library updates breaking everything. It runs in the cloud and just works.
Check it out: https://latenode.com
I faced a similar challenge while trying to automate music playback. To clarify, Spotipy is great for interacting with Spotify’s API, but it won’t directly cast to devices like Chromecast. To achieve this, you’re right about needing pychromecast. The workflow typically involves using Spotipy for authentication and obtaining the track URIs, then using pychromecast to control the playback on your Chromecast. It’s essential to note that you’ll need a Spotify Premium account, and keep in mind that network stability can affect the casting experience. Additionally, make sure both libraries are updated, as Spotify occasionally changes their protocols.
Spent months wrestling with this exact issue on my smart home setup. Here’s the problem: Spotify Connect needs user interaction through their official app or web player to start casting to Chromecast. Sure, pychromecast can find and control your Chromecast, and spotipy handles the Spotify API just fine - but there’s no bridge between them. Spotify’s Web API doesn’t give you the Connect functionality to programmatically cast to devices. My workaround? Headless browser with Selenium automating the Spotify web player, then hitting the cast button programmatically. Clunky as hell but it works. You could try the undocumented Spotify Connect Web API endpoints, but those break constantly when Spotify pushes updates. For anything production-level, browser automation’s been the most reliable route I’ve found.