[GH-ISSUE #268] Search doesn't appear to support field filters #146

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opened 2026-02-27 23:21:04 +03:00 by kerem · 2 comments

kerem commented

2026-02-27 23:21:04 +03:00

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Originally created by @InconsolableCellist on GitHub (Mar 28, 2018).
Original GitHub issue: https://github.com/spotipy-dev/spotipy/issues/268

The Spotify query API permits for field filters, which allow you to key a search down to return more specific results:

Field filters: By default, results are returned when a match is found in any field of the target object type. Searches can be made more specific by specifying an album, artist or track field filter. For example: The query q=album:gold%20artist:abba&type=album returns only albums with the text “gold” in the album name and the text “abba” in the artist name.

https://beta.developer.spotify.com/documentation/web-api/reference/search/search/

If you try to construct a query to the generic search() function and pass in a filter as part of your q parameter, the call to request() will URI encode it rather than treat it as additional parameters, mangling the query.

Originally created by @InconsolableCellist on GitHub (Mar 28, 2018). Original GitHub issue: https://github.com/spotipy-dev/spotipy/issues/268 The Spotify query API permits for field filters, which allow you to key a search down to return more specific results: >Field filters: By default, results are returned when a match is found in any field of the target object type. Searches can be made more specific by specifying an album, artist or track field filter. For example: The query q=album:gold%20artist:abba&type=album returns only albums with the text “gold” in the album name and the text “abba” in the artist name. https://beta.developer.spotify.com/documentation/web-api/reference/search/search/ If you try to construct a query to the generic search() function and pass in a filter as part of your q parameter, the call to request() will URI encode it rather than treat it as additional parameters, mangling the query.

kerem

2026-02-27 23:21:04 +03:00

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kerem commented

2026-02-27 23:21:05 +03:00

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@InconsolableCellist commented on GitHub (Mar 29, 2018):

I found a workaround that I didn't think previously worked, due to a typo. You can use the q parameter in the generic search() function to compose the filter yourself. For example:

q set to "steambreather artist:mastodon" will work.

I previously ruled this out by trying to compose it like "steambreather&artist:mastdon"

Functions could be added to support this so that the end user doesn't have to compose the filter himself, however, as currently this workaround makes the consumer responsible for making some Spotify-API-specific code himself.

@InconsolableCellist commented on GitHub (Mar 29, 2018): I found a workaround that I didn't think previously worked, due to a typo. You can use the q parameter in the generic search() function to compose the filter yourself. For example: q set to "steambreather artist:mastodon" will work. I previously ruled this out by trying to compose it like "steambreather&artist:mastdon" Functions could be added to support this so that the end user doesn't have to compose the filter himself, however, as currently this workaround makes the consumer responsible for making some Spotify-API-specific code himself.

kerem commented

2026-02-27 23:21:05 +03:00

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@stephanebruckert commented on GitHub (Jan 11, 2020):

Yes everyone is free to build custom queries. A first step could be to document how to write a query in the spotipy doc.

@stephanebruckert commented on GitHub (Jan 11, 2020): Yes everyone is free to build custom queries. A first step could be to document how to write a query in the spotipy doc.