# Lookup by URL

Source: https://recoupable.dev/docs/api-reference/research/lookup

Resolve a Spotify artist URL or ID through Recoup Research. Supply `spotifyId` (22 alphanumeric characters) or a Spotify artist `url`; a nonempty `spotifyId` takes precedence. Apple Music URLs and Recoup account UUIDs are not accepted. Available artist metadata is returned; an `id` is included when the artist identifier can be resolved.

## GET /api/research/lookup

Full OpenAPI specification: https://recoupable.dev/docs/spec/research.json

## Authentication

The supplied specification does not declare an OpenAPI security object for this operation. Its declared headers and parameters still apply. Consult the authentication guide and the full specification before calling it.

[Authentication guide](https://recoupable.dev/docs/authentication)

## Operation and referenced schemas

```json
{
  "openapi": "3.1.0",
  "info": {
    "title": "Recoup API - Research",
    "description": "API documentation for the Recoup platform - an AI agent platform for the music industry",
    "license": {
      "name": "MIT"
    },
    "version": "1.0.0"
  },
  "servers": [
    {
      "url": "https://api.recoupable.dev"
    }
  ],
  "paths": {
    "/api/research/lookup": {
      "get": {
        "description": "Resolve a Spotify artist URL or ID through Recoup Research. Supply `spotifyId` (22 alphanumeric characters) or a Spotify artist `url`; a nonempty `spotifyId` takes precedence. Apple Music URLs and Recoup account UUIDs are not accepted. Available artist metadata is returned; an `id` is included when the artist identifier can be resolved.\n\nUse your Recoup API key (`x-api-key`) or supported bearer credential. Successful artist and track research reads cost $0.05 (50,000 micro-dollar credits). Recoup manages the data connections. Coverage and rate limits vary; see [Research availability](/docs/research-availability).",
        "parameters": [
          {
            "name": "url",
            "in": "query",
            "required": false,
            "description": "Spotify artist URL. Required unless `spotifyId` is provided.",
            "schema": {
              "type": "string"
            }
          },
          {
            "name": "spotifyId",
            "in": "query",
            "required": false,
            "description": "Spotify artist ID. Required unless `url` is provided.",
            "schema": {
              "type": "string",
              "example": "3TVXtAsR1Inumwj472S9r4",
              "pattern": "^[A-Za-z0-9]{22}$"
            }
          }
        ],
        "responses": {
          "200": {
            "description": "Artist profile matching the platform URL",
            "content": {
              "application/json": {
                "schema": {
                  "$ref": "#/components/schemas/ResearchLookupResponse"
                }
              }
            }
          },
          "400": {
            "description": "Validation error",
            "content": {
              "application/json": {
                "schema": {
                  "$ref": "#/components/schemas/ResearchErrorResponse"
                }
              }
            }
          },
          "401": {
            "description": "Authentication failed — invalid or missing API key",
            "content": {
              "application/json": {
                "schema": {
                  "$ref": "#/components/schemas/ResearchErrorResponse"
                }
              }
            }
          },
          "402": {
            "description": "Insufficient research credits. The response includes a static billingUrl; no checkout session is created.",
            "content": {
              "application/json": {
                "schema": {
                  "$ref": "#/components/schemas/ResearchInsufficientCreditsResponse"
                }
              }
            }
          },
          "403": {
            "description": "Credential, account or provider permission denied.",
            "content": {
              "application/json": {
                "schema": {
                  "$ref": "#/components/schemas/ResearchErrorResponse"
                }
              }
            }
          },
          "404": {
            "description": "Artist/track resolution or requested provider data was not found. A failed name search may be reported as 404; retry with an exact provider ID when known.",
            "content": {
              "application/json": {
                "schema": {
                  "$ref": "#/components/schemas/ResearchErrorResponse"
                }
              }
            }
          },
          "429": {
            "description": "Provider rate or quota limit. The adapter returns an error status but does not forward provider Retry-After headers. Avoid an unbounded retry loop.",
            "content": {
              "application/json": {
                "schema": {
                  "$ref": "#/components/schemas/ResearchErrorResponse"
                }
              }
            }
          },
          "500": {
            "description": "Missing provider configuration, transport failure or internal error.",
            "content": {
              "application/json": {
                "schema": {
                  "$ref": "#/components/schemas/ResearchErrorResponse"
                }
              }
            }
          },
          "501": {
            "$ref": "#/components/responses/ResearchDataSourceUnsupported"
          },
          "502": {
            "description": "Upstream provider failed.",
            "content": {
              "application/json": {
                "schema": {
                  "$ref": "#/components/schemas/ResearchErrorResponse"
                }
              }
            }
          },
          "504": {
            "description": "the configured research data connection request timed out.",
            "content": {
              "application/json": {
                "schema": {
                  "$ref": "#/components/schemas/ResearchErrorResponse"
                }
              }
            }
          }
        }
      }
    }
  },
  "components": {
    "schemas": {
      "ResearchLookupResponse": {
        "type": "object",
        "description": "Artist resolved from a Spotify URL or ID.",
        "properties": {
          "status": {
            "type": "string",
            "example": "success"
          },
          "result": {
            "type": "string",
            "example": "success"
          },
          "message": {
            "type": "string",
            "example": "Data Retrieved."
          },
          "artist_info": {
            "$ref": "#/components/schemas/ResearchArtistInfo"
          },
          "id": {
            "type": "string",
            "description": "Opaque Recoup research artist ID when resolved. Reuse it in artist research requests; it is separate from the Recoup artist account UUID and Spotify ID."
          }
        },
        "additionalProperties": true
      },
      "ResearchErrorResponse": {
        "type": "object",
        "required": [
          "status",
          "error"
        ],
        "description": "Error response returned by all research endpoints for validation failures (400) and authentication errors (401).",
        "properties": {
          "status": {
            "type": "string",
            "enum": [
              "error"
            ],
            "example": "error"
          },
          "error": {
            "type": "string",
            "description": "Human-readable error message describing what went wrong.",
            "example": "Missing required parameter: artist"
          }
        }
      },
      "ResearchInsufficientCreditsResponse": {
        "type": "object",
        "description": "Returned (402) when the account lacks research credits. Nothing is charged and no Stripe object is created. Credits must be bought explicitly via [`POST /api/credits/sessions`](/docs/api-reference/credits/sessions-create).",
        "properties": {
          "error": {
            "type": "string",
            "enum": [
              "insufficient_credits"
            ]
          },
          "remaining_credits": {
            "type": "integer",
            "example": 0
          },
          "required_credits": {
            "type": "integer",
            "example": 50000
          },
          "billingUrl": {
            "type": "string",
            "description": "Static link to the Recoup app, where a human can save a card and buy credits. It is a constant, not a freshly minted Stripe Checkout Session, so a credit-gated endpoint that keeps returning 402 creates nothing. To buy credits programmatically, call [`POST /api/credits/sessions`](/docs/api-reference/credits/sessions-create).",
            "example": "https://app.recoupable.dev"
          }
        },
        "required": [
          "error",
          "remaining_credits",
          "required_credits",
          "billingUrl"
        ]
      },
      "ResearchArtistInfo": {
        "type": "object",
        "description": "Full artist record — identity, bio, genres, platform links, and related artists.",
        "properties": {
          "name": {
            "type": "string"
          },
          "avatar": {
            "type": "string"
          },
          "site_url": {
            "type": "string"
          },
          "country": {
            "type": "string",
            "description": "ISO country code.",
            "nullable": true
          },
          "bio": {
            "type": "string",
            "nullable": true
          },
          "genres": {
            "type": "array",
            "items": {
              "type": "string"
            }
          },
          "links": {
            "type": "array",
            "items": {
              "$ref": "#/components/schemas/ResearchLink"
            }
          },
          "related_artists": {
            "type": "array",
            "items": {
              "$ref": "#/components/schemas/ResearchArtistRef"
            }
          }
        },
        "additionalProperties": true
      },
      "ResearchLink": {
        "type": "object",
        "description": "External platform link.",
        "properties": {
          "source": {
            "type": "string",
            "description": "Platform name, e.g. `spotify`, `apple_music`."
          },
          "external_id": {
            "type": "string",
            "description": "Platform-specific ID."
          },
          "url": {
            "type": "string"
          },
          "isrc": {
            "type": "string",
            "description": "ISRC (tracks only)."
          }
        },
        "additionalProperties": true
      },
      "ResearchArtistRef": {
        "type": "object",
        "description": "Provider-neutral artist reference.",
        "properties": {
          "id": {
            "type": "string",
            "description": "Provider-neutral artist ID.",
            "example": "wjcgfd9i"
          },
          "name": {
            "type": "string",
            "example": "Drake"
          },
          "avatar": {
            "type": "string",
            "description": "Artist image URL.",
            "nullable": true
          },
          "site_url": {
            "type": "string",
            "description": "Artist page URL.",
            "nullable": true
          }
        },
        "additionalProperties": true
      }
    },
    "responses": {
      "ResearchDataSourceUnsupported": {
        "description": "The configured research data source does not support this endpoint or data shape.",
        "content": {
          "application/json": {
            "schema": {
              "$ref": "#/components/schemas/ResearchErrorResponse"
            },
            "example": {
              "status": "error",
              "error": "Request failed with status 501"
            }
          }
        }
      }
    }
  }
}
```