How to Automate Spotify Song Recommendations using the API

1import os
2import base64
3import time
4import requests
5from collections import Counter
6
7CLIENT_ID = os.environ['SPOTIFY_CLIENT_ID']
8CLIENT_SECRET = os.environ['SPOTIFY_CLIENT_SECRET']
9REFRESH_TOKEN = os.environ['SPOTIFY_REFRESH_TOKEN']
10PLAYLIST_NAME = os.environ.get('DISCOVER_PLAYLIST_NAME', 'Discover (Manual)')
11
12def get_token():
13    creds = base64.b64encode(f"{CLIENT_ID}:{CLIENT_SECRET}".encode()).decode()
14    r = requests.post('https://accounts.spotify.com/api/token',
15        headers={'Authorization': f'Basic {creds}'},
16        data={'grant_type': 'refresh_token', 'refresh_token': REFRESH_TOKEN})
17    r.raise_for_status()
18    return r.json()['access_token']
19
20def api_get(token, path, params=None):
21    r = requests.get(f'https://api.spotify.com/v1{path}',
22        headers={'Authorization': f'Bearer {token}'}, params=params)
23    if r.status_code == 429:
24        time.sleep(int(r.headers.get('Retry-After', 5)))
25        return api_get(token, path, params)
26    r.raise_for_status()
27    return r.json()
28
29def api_post(token, path, payload):
30    r = requests.post(f'https://api.spotify.com/v1{path}',
31        headers={'Authorization': f'Bearer {token}', 'Content-Type': 'application/json'},
32        json=payload)
33    r.raise_for_status()
34    return r.json()
35
36def main():
37    token = get_token()
38
39    # Get seed data from listening history
40    top_artists = api_get(token, '/me/top/artists', {'time_range': 'short_term', 'limit': 20})['items']
41    top_tracks = api_get(token, '/me/top/tracks', {'time_range': 'medium_term', 'limit': 50})['items']
42    already_heard = {t['id'] for t in top_tracks}
43
44    # Extract genres (weighted by rank)
45    genre_scores = Counter()
46    for i, a in enumerate(top_artists):
47        for g in a['genres']:
48            genre_scores[g] += (20 - i)
49    top_genres = [g for g, _ in genre_scores.most_common(5)]
50    top_artist_names = [a['name'] for a in top_artists[:3]]
51    print(f'Seeds: genres={top_genres[:3]}, artists={top_artist_names}')
52
53    # Build search queries
54    queries = [f'genre:{g} year:2020-2026' for g in top_genres]
55    queries += [f'artist:"{n}"' for n in top_artist_names]
56
57    # Run searches with rate limiting
58    candidates = {}
59    for q in queries:
60        results = api_get(token, '/search', {'q': q, 'type': 'track', 'limit': 20, 'market': 'US'})
61        for track in results['tracks']['items']:
62            if track['id'] not in already_heard:
63                candidates[track['id']] = track
64        time.sleep(0.333)
65
66    # Select top 30 by popularity
67    recommended = sorted(candidates.values(), key=lambda t: t['popularity'], reverse=True)[:30]
68    print(f'Selected {len(recommended)} tracks')
69
70    # Create or update playlist
71    user_id = api_get(token, '/me')['id']
72    playlists = api_get(token, '/me/playlists', {'limit': 50})['items']
73    existing = next((p for p in playlists if p['name'] == PLAYLIST_NAME), None)
74    uris = [t['uri'] for t in recommended]
75
76    if existing:
77        requests.put(f'https://api.spotify.com/v1/playlists/{existing["id"]}/tracks',
78            headers={'Authorization': f'Bearer {token}', 'Content-Type': 'application/json'},
79            json={'uris': uris}).raise_for_status()
80        print(f'Updated: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/{existing["id"]}')
81    else:
82        p = api_post(token, f'/users/{user_id}/playlists', {
83            'name': PLAYLIST_NAME, 'public': False, 'description': 'Search-based discovery from your taste'})
84        api_post(token, f'/playlists/{p["id"]}/tracks', {'uris': uris})
85        print(f'Created: {p["external_urls"]["spotify"]}')
86
87if __name__ == '__main__':
88    main()