http = require "socket.http"
require "json"

local page, _, _ = http.request("http://localhost:8880/api/query?player=true&trcolumns=%25artist%25%2C%25album%25%2C%25title%25")
local pagetable = json.decode(page)

local artist, album, track = unpack(pagetable.player.activeItem.columns)
local playback_state = pagetable.player.playbackState

print(artist, album, track, playback_state)

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="iso-8859-1"?>
<!DOCTYPE muclient>

<muclient>
<plugin
   name="Foobar2000_track_playing"
   author="Nick Gammon"
   id="cd346c228c0e8479480c933d"
   language="Lua"
   purpose="Shows which track you are listening to"
   date_written="2020-11-17 20:58:28"
   requires="5.00"
   version="1.0"
   >
</plugin>

<!--  Timers  -->

<timers>
  <timer name="ShowTrack" 
         script="ShowTrack" 
         enabled="y" 
         second="5.00" >
  </timer>
</timers>

<!--  Script  -->

<script>
<![CDATA[
http = require "socket.http"
require "json"

-- With thanks to Fiendish for suggesting the code below

oldTrack = nil
oldState = nil
playing = nil

function ShowTrack (name)
  local page, _, _ = http.request("http://localhost:8880/api/query?player=true&trcolumns=%25artist%25%2C%25album%25%2C%25title%25")
  
  -- check Foobar2k is running
  if not page and (playing or playing == nil) then
    ColourNote ("orange", "", "Foobar2000 is not running")
    playing = false
  end -- if 

  -- no information? Can't decode it
  if not page then
    return
  end -- if 
  
  -- decode the track information
  local pagetable = json.decode(page)

  local artist, album, track = unpack(pagetable.player.activeItem.columns)
  local playback_state = pagetable.player.playbackState
  
  if playback_state ~= oldState and playback_state == "stopped" then
    ColourNote ("orange", "", "Playback stopped")
    oldState = playback_state
  end -- if
  
  if track and artist then
    playing = true
    if track ~= oldTrack or playback_state ~= oldState then
      ColourNote ("orange", "", string.format ("Now %s %s by %s from %s", playback_state, track, artist, album))
      oldTrack = track
      oldState = playback_state
    end -- if track changed
  else
    playing = false
  end -- if

end -- ShowTrack


]]>
</script>

</muclient>

Send (string.format ("chat Hey everyone! Currently %s %s by %s from %s", playback_state, track, artist, album))