Lidarr Extended is a specialized Docker container project that enhances the standard Lidarr music manager by integrating automated downloading and post-processing scripts. It is developed and maintained by RandomNinjaAtk and is designed for users who want to automate music acquisition from sources beyond standard Usenet and BitTorrent indexers. Core Functionality & Features
The container is based on the LinuxServer.io Lidarr develop branch but adds several powerful tools:
Automated Downloading: It automatically monitors Lidarr’s "Missing" and "Cutoff Unmet" album lists and downloads them using third-party clients for services like Tidal.
Media Quality & Conversion: Supports FLAC (lossless), MP3 (320/128), and AAC (320/96) formats. It can automatically convert FLAC files to your preferred bitrate before importing them into your library.
Advanced Tagging: Uses Beets to pre-match and tag files with high-quality metadata and cover art. It can also add ReplayGain tags and embedded lyrics to tracks.
Artist Discovery: Features an automated script that can add top artists from online services or similar artists based on your current library.
Music Videos: Includes functionality to download music videos for the artists in your collection. Technical Setup Base Image: LinuxServer.io Lidarr (develop branch).
Configuration: Settings are managed via an extended.conf file, which controls script intervals (e.g., checking for new audio every 15 minutes) and file paths.
Architecture: It does not modify Lidarr’s core code; instead, it interacts with Lidarr via its public API to push updates and notify it of new imports. Status & Alternatives
Support: It is a community-driven project and is not officially supported by the Lidarr team. Troubleshooting typically happens on the RandomNinjaAtk GitHub Discussions or community forums like Unraid.
Migration: The developer has recently transitioned from the "extended" Docker containers toward a more modular arr-scripts format, which offers similar functionality as standalone scripts.
Comparison: Similar "modded" containers include Lidarr-on-Steroids (LoS), which focuses on Deemix integration for downloads. lidarr-extended
Lidarr-extended is a specialized Docker image that integrates the standard music management application with a powerful set of "Extended Scripts"
to fully automate the music discovery and downloading process.
While standard Lidarr typically relies on torrents and Usenet, the "Extended" version—largely developed by RandomNinjaAtk on GitHub
—uses these scripts to fetch music directly from online streaming sources like Core Features Fully Automated Downloads
: It automates the process of finding and downloading missing tracks or albums from your Lidarr "Wanted" list using online sources. Source Integration : Specifically designed to work with tools like (for Deezer) to grab high-quality FLAC or MP3 files. Playlist Syncing
: Allows users to import and sync playlists from services like directly into their local library. Music Organization
: Like standard Lidarr, it automatically sorts, renames, and moves your music into media servers like Key Technical Aspects Base Image : Built on the stable LinuxServer.io Lidarr image, ensuring compatibility and regular updates. Setup Requirements : Users typically need to provide an ARL (Authentication Token)
from a service like Deezer to allow the scripts to access and download content. Configuration : Managed via Docker parameters such as (to target specific Lidarr lists) and Concurrency (to set the number of simultaneous downloads). Common Use Cases The "Spotify Experience"
: Many users use it to recreate a streaming-like experience on their own server by combining Lidarr-extended with a player like or Navidrome. Filling Gaps
: It is highly effective for finding niche or rare albums that are often unavailable or unseeded on traditional trackers. Docker Compose snippet to see how to deploy Lidarr-extended on your server? RandomNinjaAtk/docker-lidarr-extended - GitHub 12 Jul 2023 —
Lidarr-Extended is a collection of scripts and a modified Docker container (maintained by RandomNinjaAtk) that enhances the base music management tool by adding high-quality metadata and automated downloading from sources like Tidal, Deezer, and Spotify. 1. Key Features Lidarr Extended is a specialized Docker container project
Unlike the standard Lidarr, the extended version focuses on automation and high-fidelity sourcing:
Downloader Integration: Automatically triggers downloads from streaming services (Deezer, Tidal, etc.) to fill gaps in your library.
Spotify/Tidal Sync: Syncs your "Liked" tracks or specific playlists directly into Lidarr so they are automatically tracked and downloaded.
Advanced Metadata: Fetches lyrics, high-resolution covers, and artist biographies that the standard version often misses.
Automatic Organizing: Re-tags and moves files based on your specific quality profiles and folder structures. 2. Setup Requirements
To use Lidarr-Extended effectively, you typically need the following: Docker: It is most commonly run as a Docker container.
Arl / Cookies: For downloading from Deezer or Tidal, you often need a "User Token" (Arl) or valid session cookies from those platforms.
Streaming Accounts: A free or premium account (depending on the source) is required to pull track data and audio streams. 3. Installation Steps
The most "solid" way to install it today is via the LinuxServer.io container mod, as it integrates directly with the popular Lidarr Docker image.
Deploy Lidarr: Start with a standard LinuxServer Lidarr container.
Add the Mod: Set the environment variable DOCKER_MODS=ghcr.io/randomninjaatk/lidarr-extended:latest. Volume Mapping Notes:
Configure Scripts: Once the container restarts, a new directory (usually /config/extended) will appear. You will need to edit the extended.conf file to add your API keys or session tokens for Spotify/Tidal/Deezer.
Set Quality Profiles: In the Lidarr UI, ensure your quality profiles match the downloads you expect (e.g., FLAC vs. 320kbps). 4. Recommended Workflows
Self-Hosted "Spotify": Many users pair Lidarr-Extended with Plexamp or Navidrome to create a personal streaming service that feels like Spotify but uses their own high-quality files.
Library Cleanup: Use it to replace lower-quality MP3s with FLAC versions automatically as they become available on streaming platforms.
The easiest way to run Lidarr-Extended is via Docker. The image is typically hosted on GitHub Container Registry (ghcr.io) or Docker Hub, usually maintained by community developers (like hotio or randomblock1).
Here is a sample docker-compose.yml:
version: "3.8"
services:
lidarr-extended:
image: randomblock1/lidarr-extended:latest
container_name: lidarr-extended
environment:
- PUID=1000
- PGID=1000
- TZ=America/New_York
volumes:
- /path/to/config:/config
- /path/to/music:/music
- /path/to/downloads:/downloads
ports:
- 8686:8686
restart: unless-stopped
Volume Mapping Notes:
/config: Stores database and configuration files./music: Your destination music library (hardlinks recommended)./downloads: Where your download client places completed files.The extended fork allows for community plugins that are not allowed in the official branch. The most famous is the Deemix-Connector, which allows Lidarr-Extended to directly download missing tracks from high-quality streaming sources (where legally permissible) if torrent/usenet fails.
Lidarr-Extended relies heavily on metadata processing. Go to Settings > Profiles.
The primary difference in this version is how it handles downloads and metadata.