The official Spotify app on Linux can be slow, unstable, resource-hungry, and limited to a dark theme. After trying several alternatives, I found Spotifast a more appealing option—though it works best as a controller for Spotify rather than as a standalone music player.
Riff is a native Linux client built with Rust, GTK4, and libadwaita. It has a polished interface and the features you’d expect, but playback may fail because of Spotify’s proprietary PlayPlay DRM. Riff requires a Premium account, yet some accounts are already using the new DRM, which prevents the app from playing tracks. Riff’s developers say they won’t try to bypass it, and Spotify is gradually rolling PlayPlay out to more accounts.
Spotifast stood out for its cleaner interface, light or system theme, responsiveness, and low resource use. You can install it as an AppImage, Flatpak, or DEB package. However, getting started requires creating an app in the Spotify Developer Dashboard, enabling the Web API, and setting the redirect URI to http://127.0.0.1:8989/login.
Spotify’s DRM also limits what Spotifast can do: it generally controls playback rather than playing music itself. In my setup, I run the official Spotify app on a MacBook and use Spotifast on Linux to control it.
That workaround is less convenient than a standard music player, but Spotifast offers a better-looking, lighter interface for managing Spotify playback. Unofficial clients can also break when Spotify changes its API, so they may need ongoing fixes. For Linux users who dislike the official app, Spotifast’s trade-offs may still be worthwhile.
ChicagoVPS is your gateway to unparalleled hosting solutions. Our state-of-the-art datacenters and powerful network ensures lightning-fast speeds and uninterrupted connectivity for your websites and applications. Whether you’re a startup looking for scalable resources or an enterprise in need of enterprise-grade hosting, our range of plans and customizable solutions guarantee a perfect fit. Trust in ChicagoVPS to deliver excellence, combining unmatched reliability and top-tier support.
For Inquiries or to receive a personalized quote, please reach out to us through our contact form here or email us at sales@chicagovps.net.
