Now that Rhythmbox is once again the default music player in Ubuntu, AskUbuntu moderator fossfreedom has created a PPA for various Rhythmbox plugins that many Ubuntu users might find useful. Among the plugins included are: Equalizer, Jump-to-Playing, Tray Icon, Microblogger, Tablature plugin, JumpToWindow and more.
Currently, there more than 25 plugins available in this PPA. Note that depending on your Ubuntu version (and thus, Rhythmbox version) some plugins below may not be available for you.
To add the PPA in Ubuntu / Linux Mint and derivatives (elementary OS, etc.), use the following commands:
sudo add-apt-repository ppa:fossfreedom/rhythmbox-plugins
sudo apt-get update
Then, to install all the plugins available for your Ubuntu version, use the command below:
sudo apt-get install rhythmbox-plugin-complete
You can also install the plugins individually:
- Equalizer: add a 10-band equalizer to Rhythmbox.
Installation:
sudo apt-get install rhythmbox-plugin-equalizer
- Microblogger: sends a notice about the currently playing track to identi.ca or Twitter.
Installation:
sudo apt-get install rhythmbox-plugin-microblogger
- CoverArt Search Providers: Drop in Rhythmbox replacement for the default CoverArt Search plugin to provide new and updated coverart search providers both local and by internet image hosts.
Installation:
sudo apt-get install rhythmbox-plugin-coverartsearch
- Remember-the-Rhythm: a plugin to remember the last playing song, source (radio station, playlist), browser values (genre, album, artist).
Installation:
sudo apt-get install rhythmbox-plugin-remembertherhythm
- Tray Icon: control Rhythmbox via a notification icon (like in previous Rhythmbox versions), useful for desktop environments that don't have a media player menu / Ubuntu indicator support. If you want to use this in Unity, you'll have to whitelist the systray.
Installation:
sudo apt-get install rhythmbox-plugin-tray-icon
- JumpToWindow: a Rhythmbox plugin that adds a feature similar to Winamp's "Jump to file", which includes the ability to enqueue a song.
Installation:
sudo apt-get install rhythmbox-plugin-jumptowindow
The plugin interface doesn't come with a GUI to configure the keyboard shortcut used to trigger JumpToWindow, so to set a keyboard shortcut, go to System > Preferences > Keyboard Shortcuts and add the following command under "Custom Shortcuts" (and there, also set the shortcut, like CTRL + J for instance):
/usr/lib/rhythmbox/plugins/JumpToWindow/src/activate.py
In the JumpToWindow, you can use the space bar to start playing a song, ALT + Enter to enqueue, Enter to play and hide the window and escape to hide the window.
- lLyrics: an alternative lyrics plugin, useful if the default lyrics plugin doesn't work for you.
Installation:
sudo apt-get install rhythmbox-plugin-llyrics
- Countdown Playlist: a plugin to create playlists based on some keywords you set, for the duration you define:
Installation:
sudo apt-get install rhythmbox-plugin-countdown-playlist
- Random Album Player: a simple plugin to play random albums.
Installation:
sudo apt-get install rhythmbox-plugin-randomalbumplayer
- CoverArt Browser is a Rhythmbox plugin that lets you browse and play your music via an album art view similar to the one available in Banshee:
Installation:
sudo apt-get install rhythmbox-plugin-coverart-browser
- LastFM-Queue automatically enqueues tracks from your library based on last.fm suggestions for the currently playing track. This plugin only works on 64bit!
Installation:
sudo apt-get install rhythmbox-plugin-lastfm-queue
- Open Containing Folder adds an option to open the folder containing the selected track(s) to the right click context menu. Installation:
sudo apt-get install rhythmbox-plugin-opencontainingfolder
- Radio-Browser Rhythmbox plugin lets you find, play and rip tracks from internet radio stations.
Installation (Ubuntu 12.04-13.10 only):
Installation (Ubuntu 12.04-13.10 only):
sudo apt-get install rhythmbox-plugin-radio-browser
- Repeat One Song - just like its name says, it lets you repeat one song. Installation:
sudo apt-get install rhythmbox-plugin-repeat-one-song
- Send-First Rhythmbox plugin lets you enqueue tracks at the beginning of the queue playlist instead of the default behaviour which is at the end.
Installation (Ubuntu 12.04-13.10 only):
Installation (Ubuntu 12.04-13.10 only):
sudo apt-get install rhythmbox-plugin-send-first
- Small-Window shrinks the Rhythmbox user interface to a small window which only has the basic controls: play/pause, previous/next track. Installation:
sudo apt-get install rhythmbox-plugin-smallwindow
- Stop After Current Track: stops playback after the current track.
Installation (Ubuntu 12.04-12.10 only):
sudo apt-get install rhythmbox-plugin-stopafter
- Suspend PC lets you suspend the computer when the playlist of the queue finishes. Installation:
sudo apt-get install rhythmbox-plugin-suspend
- Web Menu can be used to quickly search the playing/selected song on YouTube, search for its album on Wikipedia, AllMusic, RateYourMusic, AllAboutJazz, DiscoGS, Last.fm, Grooveshark, Facebook, Amazon. Search its artist on Wikipedia, AllMusic, RateYourMusic, DiscoGS, Last.fm, Facebook, Myspace, Torrentz. It even lets you open the artist official website.
Installation (Ubuntu 12.04-12.10 only):
sudo apt-get install rhythmbox-plugin-webmenu
- Fullscreen: a plugin that gives you a nice full-screen window you can use at parties which includes album art, a pulsating hover effect, play pause and skip controls, animated progress bar, queued tracks managed. The window can be either full screen or maximized - this can be changed from the plugin preferences.
Installation:
sudo apt-get install rhythmbox-plugin-fullscreen
- Rating filters: The plugin adds rating filters to the library browser, allowing you to filter favourite or unrated tracks. You can set the favourites threshold in the plugin preferences.
Installation:
sudo apt-get install rhythmbox-plugin-rating-filter
- Art Display: This plugin can be used to display art covers as per Rhythmbox v2.96.
Installation:
sudo apt-get install rhythmbox-plugin-artdisplay
- Close on Hide: A Rhythmbox plugin for Ubuntu to really close the application when the close button (x) is clicked.
Installation:
sudo apt-get install rhythmbox-plugin-close-on-hide
- Desktop Art: a plugin to display the coverart and control Rhythmbox from your desktop.
Installation:
sudo apt-get install rhythmbox-plugin-desktopart
- File Organizer: When the plugin is enabled, you will notice an option in the right-click menu of music items (like songs) that will read 'Organize selection'. Clicking this will organize the selected files following a defined structure for both folders and filenames. For more info, see the plugin GitHub page.
Installation:
sudo apt-get install rhythmbox-plugin-fileorganizer
- Hide: enables Rhythmbox to start hidden or minimized.
Installation:
sudo apt-get install rhythmbox-plugin-hide
- Looper: Loop part of the song in Rhythmbox.
Installation:
sudo apt-get install rhythmbox-plugin-looper
- ParametricEQ: A parametric equalizer plug-in for rhythmbox with up to 64 free configurable bands.
Installation:
sudo apt-get install rhythmbox-plugin-parametriceq
- Playlists import/export: A Rhythmbox plugin to export all of your playlists with one click or to import them back again in one click. This allows for synchronizing across computers (with any sync program), and backing up.
Installation:
sudo apt-get install rhythmbox-plugin-playlist-import-export
- Rhythm Web: Control Rhythmbox from virtually any Internet-browser enabled device - from IPod, Android, MS Windows etc.
Installation:
sudo apt-get install rhythmbox-plugin-rhythmweb
- Screensaver: Pause Rhythmbox when the GNOME screensaver is activated.
Installation:
sudo apt-get install rhythmbox-plugin-screensaver
After installing any of the above Rhythmbox plugins, enable them from the menu: Edit > Plugins.
More info about the plugins available in this PPA can be found at AskUbuntu.
Thanks to fossfreedom for the tip!