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THIS SPOTIFY LED SPINNER LOOKS WAY TOO GOOD FOR A DIY BUILD

Spotify album art turned into a spinning vinyl record on a 64×64 LED matrix, driven by a Raspberry Pi Zero and Adafruit's Matrix Bonnet.

by Tru Narla (mewtru)

FULL CAD BOM FIRMWARE DOCS

DisplaysHome

Built withRaspberry Pi

difficulty
●●●○○
time
a weekend
license
license not specified
repo
repo ACTIVE188 stars

WHAT YOU’LL NEED

Videos
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COMPAREE VERDICT

A small, satisfying build: the album art of whatever you are playing on Spotify becomes a spinning record on a 64×64 RGB LED matrix. The spin is done in software, so there is no motor, slip ring or moving part, just a Raspberry Pi Zero, an Adafruit RGB Matrix Bonnet and the panel. The code is a single Python script on GitHub with a clear README: it covers the Spotify developer setup, the OAuth login with stored refresh token, the exact run command for the Adafruit Bonnet, and a mock mode for testing without hardware. The main snag the creator mentions is that installing the matrix libraries sometimes crashed her Pi Zero. The repository has no licence file, so it is fine for building your own, but reuse rights are not granted by default.

GOOD TO KNOW

  • —Code: one Python script (spotify_matrix.py) with requirements.txt and .env.example in tnarla/spotify-matrix.
  • —Docs: the README covers Raspberry Pi setup, Spotify setup, the run command for the Adafruit HAT mapping and a mock/preview mode.
  • —Parts named by the creator and Adafruit: 64×64 RGB LED matrix, Adafruit RGB Matrix Bonnet, Raspberry Pi Zero. There is no separate parts list.
  • —No case or 3D files are in the repository.
  • —No licence file in the repository.

Parts to buy

4 items

From our check of the build. Exact quantities and part numbers are in the creator’s BOM.

  • 64×64 RGB LED matrixFind
  • Adafruit RGB Matrix Bonnet for Raspberry PiFind
  • Raspberry Pi ZeroFind
  • 5V power supply for the panelFind

Can I build this?

PrintNothing required.
Buy64×64 RGB LED matrix, Adafruit RGB Matrix Bonnet for Raspberry Pi, Raspberry Pi Zero, 5V power supply for the panel.
ToolsSoldering iron if your Bonnet needs headers, a computer to SSH into the Pi, a Spotify account and a Spotify developer app.
SkillsBeginner to intermediate: Raspberry Pi setup, Python virtual environments and following a README.
TimeA weekend: Bonnet and panel setup, Spotify developer app, then the matrix library install.
Cost$$ — mostly the 64×64 panel and the Bonnet.
SafetyLow-voltage build; use a properly rated 5V supply for the panel and secure connections.

Build at your own risk. Projects involve tools, electronics and sometimes mains voltage — follow the creator’s safety notes.

Videos

How to make a Spotify music display using a raspberry pi!2:03

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Gallery

Adafruit Blog / mewtru

Start here

Navigation into the creator’s own docs — we don’t rewrite the guide, we route you to the source.

  1. 1.Open the GitHub repo (Everything is in the README and one Python script.)
  2. 2.Wire the Adafruit RGB Matrix Bonnet to the Pi Zero and the 64×64 panel (Follow Adafruit's Bonnet guide, including the panel power supply.)
  3. 3.Create a Spotify developer app (Allowlist the redirect URI http://127.0.0.1:8888/callback and put your credentials in .env (template in .env.example).)
  4. 4.Install and run (Install the hzeller rpi-rgb-led-matrix bindings, then pip install -r requirements.txt, and start the script with --hardware-mapping adafruit-hat as shown in the README.)

Resources

Documentation, files and community threads for this build — we link straight to the original sources and never rehost the creator’s files.

KNOWN ISSUES

  • Installing the RGB matrix bindings sometimes crashed the creator's Pi Zero; a Pi with more memory may be easier.
  • The rgbmatrix bindings come from the hzeller/rpi-rgb-led-matrix project and are not in requirements.txt, so install them separately for your HAT and wiring.
  • The Spotify redirect URI must be allowlisted exactly as http://127.0.0.1:8888/callback; on a headless Pi you forward port 8888 over SSH to log in.
  • A 64×64 panel needs its own 5V supply sized for the panel; follow Adafruit's Bonnet guide rather than powering it from the Pi.
  • The repository has no licence file, so reuse or redistribution of the code is not granted by default.

Does the display physically spin?

No. Nothing moves. The script crops the album art into a disk and rotates it on the LED matrix like a record while Spotify reports playback; when you pause, it stops at its current angle.

Do I need to handle Spotify login myself?

No. On first run the script opens Spotify's OAuth login and then stores a refresh token in .cache/spotify_token.json, so it keeps refreshing access on its own. You do need to create an app in the Spotify developer dashboard and allowlist the redirect URI http://127.0.0.1:8888/callback.

Can I try it without the LED hardware?

Yes. The README shows a --mock-output option that writes a PNG frame instead of driving the matrix, and --preview-frames to render preview frames.

Is the Raspberry Pi Zero enough?

It works, but the creator notes the install sometimes crashed her Pi Zero and needed workarounds; she suggests a Pi with more memory might be easier.

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Discussion1

FROM THE COMPAREE TEAM

The album art spins like a record while the song plays and stops when you pause. What else would you put on a 64×64 LED matrix?

CompareeTEAM1d ago

Nicely documented for a one-script project: the README walks through Spotify setup, the OAuth login and the exact run command for the Adafruit Bonnet. The spin is a software animation, so the hardware is just the Pi Zero, the Bonnet and the panel. Expect some fiddling with the matrix library install on a Pi Zero, which the creator mentions herself.

Tru Narla (mewtru)

Tru Narla posts maker builds as mewtru on YouTube, TikTok and Instagram. She built this Spotify record display with an Adafruit RGB Matrix Bonnet, published the code on GitHub, and the Adafruit Blog featured it.

GitHub Web

Star the project on GitHub

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  • Information is provided without warranty and may become outdated as projects evolve. Prices are indicative bands only — always check the creator’s parts list for current costs.
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