diff --git a/mopidy/backends/base.py b/mopidy/backends/base.py
index 899c3923..495aa07d 100644
--- a/mopidy/backends/base.py
+++ b/mopidy/backends/base.py
@@ -78,3 +78,7 @@ class BaseBackend(object):
 # Stored playlist methods
     def playlists_list(self):
         return None
+
+# Music database methods
+    def search(self, type, what):
+        return None
diff --git a/mopidy/backends/spotify.py b/mopidy/backends/spotify.py
index 00083f75..b339b5d4 100644
--- a/mopidy/backends/spotify.py
+++ b/mopidy/backends/spotify.py
@@ -195,3 +195,8 @@ class SpotifyBackend(BaseBackend):
 
     def url_handlers(self):
         return [u'spotify:', u'http://open.spotify.com/']
+
+# Music database methods
+    def search(self, type, what):
+        result = self.spotify.search(encode(u'%s:%s' % (type, what)))
+        return self._format_playlist(result.playlist.tracks)
diff --git a/mopidy/handler.py b/mopidy/handler.py
index 3b625e64..cf07e44e 100644
--- a/mopidy/handler.py
+++ b/mopidy/handler.py
@@ -323,7 +323,7 @@ class MpdHandler(object):
 
     @register(r'^search "(?P<type>(album|artist|filename|title))" "(?P<what>.+)"$')
     def _search(self, type, what):
-        pass # TODO
+        return self.backend.search(type, what)
 
     @register(r'^seek (?P<songpos>.+) (?P<seconds>\d+)$')
     def _seek(self, songpos, seconds):