Philips Hue and Spotify provide music with a light show

Philips has been building its Hue lineup smart lightbulbs for a while now. These bulbs are LED, and users can change the color of the light to suit their mood. In addition, Philips has announced that it has teamed up with Spotify for what it calls the first deep integration of music and lighting for the home.

Attendees at concerts know that light brings greater depth to musical performance, and this integration allows users to get similar effects home. The Hue system has a new algorithm able to analyze each song's metadata in real-time to synchronize flashes of light and the ability to dim, brighten, and change color along with the beat of the music. Lighting can also be synchronized depending on the mood, genre, and tempo of any music featured on Spotify.

The new experience is enabled via the Hue app, and the new feature is rolling out to Philips Hue App 4 users today. The app now has a new Sync tab inside that allows users to personalize the light show. Within the app, users can start synchronization, change the brightness and intensity of the light, and choose a pallet to change the light color.

The integration is free via the Hue App but requires the Hue Bridge and color-capable Hue lights. Supported lights include White and color ambiance smart bulbs, Hue Go, and the ambiance gradient light strip. The tech needed to synchronize the line with music is integrated directly into the app and doesn't need a microphone.

Integration works with any compatible audio source, including computers, smartphones, and speakers. However, users do have to integrate their Philips Hue and Spotify accounts via the Hue app. Once the synchronization is done, users can play music through any device attached to their Spotify account and enjoy the light show. When the feature is available for individual users, it will appear on the What's New update with the Spotify card. The feature will be a permanent part of the Hue 4 starting in October.