Rails 4 - Displaying a Users Search Results to a View - ruby-on-rails

Question

I'm using the Spotify API and am trying display search results for an artist on the same view page that the search form is on. I think I'm close but just need a little bit of help. Rails noob obviously..
How do I set the url http://localhost:3000/search?query=what_do_i_set_this_to??? to the user input I'm trying to collect via this line in my search form <%= text_field_tag(:query, "", class: 'form-control', autofocus: true, placeholder: "Enter artist name") %>
Much thanks in advance! I've been stuck on this for about a week now.
UPDATE (what my code currently looks like now)
Controller
artists_controller.rb
class ArtistsController < ApplicationController
def index
request = search_params[:query]
unless request.nil?
response = HTTParty.get("https://api.spotify.com/v1/search?q="+request+"&type=artist")
#hash_version = JSON.parse(response.body)
end
end
private
def search_params
params.permit(:query, :utf8, :commit)
end
end
View
artists/index.html.erb
<h1>Artist Search</h1>
<i>(search for artists you would like to follow)</i>
<br>
<br>
<%= form_tag(artists_path, method: :get) do %>
<div class="form-group">
<%= label_tag(:query, "Search artist by name:") %>
<%= text_field_tag(:query, params[:query], class: 'form-control', autofocus: true, placeholder: "Enter artist name") %>
</div>
<div class="form-group">
<%= submit_tag("Search", class: 'btn btn-success') %>
</div>
<% end %>
<% #hash_version["artists"]["items"].each_with_index do |band, index| %>
<% if index == #hash_version["artists"]["items"].size - 1 %>
<li class="artist_li">
<%= image_tag(band["images"].first["url"], class: 'img-responsive artist_img') rescue image_tag("microphone.png", class: 'img-responsive artist_img mic_bg') %>
<br>
<h1 class="artist_name"><%= band["name"] %></h1>
<br>
<% if band["genres"].empty? %>
<h5>no genres</h5>
<% else %>
<h5><%= band["genres"] %></h5>
<% end %>
<br>
<h5><%= band["followers"]["total"] %> followers</h5>
<br>
<h4>(Follow)</h4>
<!-- no hr with last li -->
</li>
<% else %>
<li class="artist_li">
<%= image_tag(band["images"].first["url"], class: 'img-responsive artist_img') rescue image_tag("microphone.png", class: 'img-responsive artist_img mic_bg') %>
<br>
<h1 class="artist_name"><%= band["name"] %></h1>
<br>
<% if band["genres"].empty? %>
<h5>no genres</h5>
<% else %>
<h5><%= band["genres"] %></h5>
<% end %>
<br>
<h5><%= band["followers"]["total"] %> followers</h5>
<br>
<h4>(Follow)</h4>
<hr class="artists_hr">
</li>
<% end %>
<% end %>

Answer 1

You should us the name option and passing it in the value option as params[:query] as follow :
<h1>Artist Search</h1>
<i>(search for artists you would like to follow)</i>
<br>
<br>
<%= form_tag(artists_path, method: :get) do %>
<div class="form-group">
<%= label_tag(:query, "Search artist by name:") %>
<%= text_field_tag(:query, params[:query], class: 'form-control', autofocus: true, placeholder: "Enter artist name") %>
</div>
<div class="form-group">
<%= submit_tag("Search", class: 'btn btn-success') %>
</div>
<% end %>
<% unless #hash_version.nil? %>
<% #hash_version["artists"]["items"].each_with_index do |band, index| %>
<% if index == #hash_version["artists"]["items"].size - 1 %>
<li class="artist_li">
<%= image_tag(band["images"].first["url"], class: 'img-responsive artist_img') rescue image_tag("microphone.png", class: 'img-responsive artist_img mic_bg') %>
<br>
<h1 class="artist_name"><%= band["name"] %></h1>
<br>
<% if band["genres"].empty? %>
<h5>no genres</h5>
<% else %>
<h5><%= band["genres"] %></h5>
<% end %>
<br>
<h5><%= band["followers"]["total"] %> followers</h5>
<br>
<h4>(Follow)</h4>
<!-- no hr with last li -->
</li>
<% else %>
<li class="artist_li">
<%= image_tag(band["images"].first["url"], class: 'img-responsive artist_img') rescue image_tag("microphone.png", class: 'img-responsive artist_img mic_bg') %>
<br>
<h1 class="artist_name"><%= band["name"] %></h1>
<br>
<% if band["genres"].empty? %>
<h5>no genres</h5>
<% else %>
<h5><%= band["genres"] %></h5>
<% end %>
<br>
<h5><%= band["followers"]["total"] %> followers</h5>
<br>
<h4>(Follow)</h4>
<hr class="artists_hr">
</li>
<% end %>
<% end %>
<% end %>
then in your controller just look for params[:query] and verify that it has some data before sending the request as follow :
class ArtistsController < ApplicationController
def index
request = search_params[:query]
unless request.nil?
response = HTTParty.get("https://api.spotify.com/v1/search?q="+request+"&type=artist")
#hash_version = JSON.parse(response.body)
end
end
private
def search_params
params.permit(:query, :utf8, :commit)
end
end
and you should be good :)