diff --git a/plugins/spotify.py b/plugins/spotify.py
index 7da7d4f..8b35586 100644
--- a/plugins/spotify.py
+++ b/plugins/spotify.py
@@ -2,18 +2,23 @@ import re
 
 from util import hook, http
 
-gateway =  'http://open.spotify.com/{}/{}'  # http spotify gw address
-spuri   =  'spotify:{}:{}'
+gateway = 'http://open.spotify.com/{}/{}'  # http spotify gw address
+spuri = 'spotify:{}:{}'
 
 spotify_re = (r'(spotify:(track|album|artist|user):([a-zA-Z0-9]+))', re.I)
 http_re = (r'(open\.spotify\.com\/(track|album|artist|user)\/'
-              '([a-zA-Z0-9]+))', re.I)
+           '([a-zA-Z0-9]+))', re.I)
+
 
 @hook.command('sptrack')
 @hook.command
 def spotify(inp):
     "spotify <song> -- Search Spotify for <song>"
-    data = http.get_json("http://ws.spotify.com/search/1/track.json", q=inp.strip())
+    try:
+        data = http.get_json("http://ws.spotify.com/search/1/track.json", q=inp.strip())
+    except Exception as e:
+        return "Could not get track information: {}".format(e)
+
     try:
         type, id = data["tracks"][0]["href"].split(":")[1:]
     except IndexError:
@@ -21,10 +26,15 @@ def spotify(inp):
     url = gateway.format(type, id)
     return u"{} by {} - {}".format(data["tracks"][0]["name"], data["tracks"][0]["artists"][0]["name"], url)
 
+
 @hook.command
 def spalbum(inp):
     "spalbum <album> -- Search Spotify for <album>"
-    data = http.get_json("http://ws.spotify.com/search/1/album.json", q=inp.strip())
+    try:
+        data = http.get_json("http://ws.spotify.com/search/1/album.json", q=inp.strip())
+    except Exception as e:
+        return "Could not get album information: {}".format(e)
+
     try:
         type, id = data["albums"][0]["href"].split(":")[1:]
     except IndexError:
@@ -32,10 +42,15 @@ def spalbum(inp):
     url = gateway.format(type, id)
     return u"{} by {} - {}".format(data["albums"][0]["name"], data["albums"][0]["artists"][0]["name"], url)
 
+
 @hook.command
 def spartist(inp):
     "spartist <artist> -- Search Spotify for <artist>"
-    data = http.get_json("http://ws.spotify.com/search/1/artist.json", q=inp.strip())
+    try:
+        data = http.get_json("http://ws.spotify.com/search/1/artist.json", q=inp.strip())
+    except Exception as e:
+        return "Could not get artist information: {}".format(e)
+
     try:
         type, id = data["artists"][0]["href"].split(":")[1:]
     except IndexError:
@@ -43,12 +58,14 @@ def spartist(inp):
     url = gateway.format(type, id)
     return u"{} - {}".format(data["artists"][0]["name"], url)
 
+
 @hook.regex(*http_re)
 @hook.regex(*spotify_re)
 def spotify_url(match):
     type = match.group(2)
     spotify_id = match.group(3)
     url = spuri.format(type, spotify_id)
+    # no error catching here, if the API is down fail silently
     data = http.get_json("http://ws.spotify.com/lookup/1/.json", uri=url)
     if type == "track":
         name = data["track"]["name"]