diff --git a/android/app/src/main/kotlin/com/edde746/plezy/MainActivity.kt b/android/app/src/main/kotlin/com/edde746/plezy/MainActivity.kt
index 8584da05..39aa4898 100644
--- a/android/app/src/main/kotlin/com/edde746/plezy/MainActivity.kt
+++ b/android/app/src/main/kotlin/com/edde746/plezy/MainActivity.kt
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@ import android.view.inputmethod.InputMethodManager
 import android.widget.FrameLayout
 import androidx.core.content.FileProvider
 import com.edde746.plezy.exoplayer.ExoPlayerPlugin
+import com.edde746.plezy.mpv.MpvAudioPlayerPlugin
 import com.edde746.plezy.mpv.MpvPlayerPlugin
 import com.edde746.plezy.shared.DeviceQuirks
 import com.edde746.plezy.shared.ThemeHelper
@@ -490,6 +491,7 @@ class MainActivity : FlutterActivity() {
     super.configureFlutterEngine(flutterEngine)
     flutterEngine.plugins.add(MpvPlayerPlugin())
     flutterEngine.plugins.add(ExoPlayerPlugin())
+    flutterEngine.plugins.add(MpvAudioPlayerPlugin())
 
     MethodChannel(flutterEngine.dartExecutor.binaryMessenger, DEVICE_CHANNEL).setMethodCallHandler { call, result ->
       when (call.method) {
diff --git a/android/app/src/main/kotlin/com/edde746/plezy/mpv/MpvPlayerCore.kt b/android/app/src/main/kotlin/com/edde746/plezy/mpv/MpvPlayerCore.kt
index 28c81d8c..29b0f615 100644
--- a/android/app/src/main/kotlin/com/edde746/plezy/mpv/MpvPlayerCore.kt
+++ b/android/app/src/main/kotlin/com/edde746/plezy/mpv/MpvPlayerCore.kt
@@ -1,8 +1,10 @@
 package com.edde746.plezy.mpv
 
 import android.app.Activity
+import android.content.Context
 import android.graphics.Color
 import android.graphics.PixelFormat
+import android.media.AudioAttributes
 import android.media.ImageReader
 import android.os.Handler
 import android.os.Looper
@@ -22,12 +24,31 @@ import kotlinx.coroutines.*
 import kotlinx.coroutines.sync.Mutex
 import kotlinx.coroutines.sync.withLock
 
-class MpvPlayerCore(private val activity: Activity) : SurfaceHolder.Callback {
+/**
+ * mpv playback core. Two modes:
+ * - Video (default): [context] is the host Activity, which is needed for the
+ *   SurfaceView/window hierarchy, display refresh-rate reads and frame-rate
+ *   matching.
+ * - Audio-only ([audioOnly]): the music core. Built on the application
+ *   context (no Activity dependency, so it survives activity teardown);
+ *   never creates a surface, view, or frame-rate manager, and mpv is
+ *   configured before init to never open a video output (`vid=no`,
+ *   `force-window=no`, `audio-display=no`, plus `gapless-audio=weak`).
+ */
+class MpvPlayerCore(
+  private val context: Context,
+  private val audioOnly: Boolean = false
+) : SurfaceHolder.Callback {
 
   companion object {
     private const val TAG = "MpvPlayerCore"
   }
 
+  /** Video-only paths. The plugin always constructs video cores with the
+   * host Activity, and audio-only mode never touches these paths. */
+  private val activity: Activity
+    get() = context as Activity
+
   private var surfaceView: SurfaceView? = null
   private var surfaceContainer: android.widget.FrameLayout? = null
   private var overlayLayoutListener: ViewTreeObserver.OnGlobalLayoutListener? = null
@@ -63,6 +84,16 @@ class MpvPlayerCore(private val activity: Activity) : SurfaceHolder.Callback {
   private var frameRateManager: FrameRateManager? = null
   private val handler = Handler(Looper.getMainLooper())
 
+  // Result-callback marshaling. Separate from [handler], whose queued
+  // messages dispose() clears — pending method-channel results must still
+  // complete after dispose.
+  private val mainHandler = Handler(Looper.getMainLooper())
+
+  /** Same semantics as Activity.runOnUiThread, without needing an Activity. */
+  private fun runOnMain(block: () -> Unit) {
+    if (Looper.myLooper() == Looper.getMainLooper()) block() else mainHandler.post(block)
+  }
+
   // Audio focus
   private var audioFocusManager: AudioFocusManager? = null
 
@@ -88,7 +119,7 @@ class MpvPlayerCore(private val activity: Activity) : SurfaceHolder.Callback {
   private var flutterOverlayApplied = false
 
   private fun ensureFlutterOverlayOnTop() {
-    if (disposing || flutterOverlayApplied) return
+    if (audioOnly || disposing || flutterOverlayApplied) return
     val contentView = activity.findViewById<ViewGroup>(android.R.id.content)
     contentView.post {
       if (disposing || !isInitialized) return@post
@@ -112,6 +143,7 @@ class MpvPlayerCore(private val activity: Activity) : SurfaceHolder.Callback {
   }
 
   private fun currentDisplayFpsOverride(): String? {
+    if (audioOnly) return null
     val refreshRate = activity.display?.mode?.refreshRate ?: return null
     if (refreshRate <= 0f) return null
     return refreshRate.toString()
@@ -167,12 +199,15 @@ class MpvPlayerCore(private val activity: Activity) : SurfaceHolder.Callback {
       lastAppliedSurfaceSize = null
       lastKnownSurfaceWidth = 0
       lastKnownSurfaceHeight = 0
-      ensurePlaceholderSurface()
+      if (!audioOnly) ensurePlaceholderSurface()
 
-      // Initialize audio focus handling
+      // Initialize audio focus handling. mpv has none built in, so both modes
+      // use the shared manager: pause on (transient) loss, auto-resume on
+      // regain when the loss interrupted active playback.
       audioFocusManager = AudioFocusManager(
-        context = activity,
+        context = context,
         handler = handler,
+        contentType = if (audioOnly) AudioAttributes.CONTENT_TYPE_MUSIC else AudioAttributes.CONTENT_TYPE_MOVIE,
         onPause = {
           scope.launch {
             try {
@@ -187,57 +222,59 @@ class MpvPlayerCore(private val activity: Activity) : SurfaceHolder.Callback {
         },
         isPaused = { cachedPaused }
       )
-      frameRateManager = FrameRateManager(
-        activity = activity,
-        handler = handler,
-        log = { emitLog("info", "framerate", it) }
-      )
-
-      // Create FrameLayout container for video
-      surfaceContainer = android.widget.FrameLayout(activity).apply {
-        layoutParams = ViewGroup.LayoutParams(
-          ViewGroup.LayoutParams.MATCH_PARENT,
-          ViewGroup.LayoutParams.MATCH_PARENT
+      if (!audioOnly) {
+        frameRateManager = FrameRateManager(
+          activity = activity,
+          handler = handler,
+          log = { emitLog("info", "framerate", it) }
         )
-        setBackgroundColor(Color.BLACK)
-      }
 
-      // Create SurfaceView for video rendering
-      surfaceView = SurfaceView(activity).apply {
-        layoutParams = android.widget.FrameLayout.LayoutParams(
-          android.widget.FrameLayout.LayoutParams.MATCH_PARENT,
-          android.widget.FrameLayout.LayoutParams.MATCH_PARENT
-        )
-        holder.addCallback(this@MpvPlayerCore)
-        setZOrderOnTop(false)
-        setZOrderMediaOverlay(false)
-        FlutterOverlayHelper.applyCompositionOrder(this, -2)
-      }
+        // Create FrameLayout container for video
+        surfaceContainer = android.widget.FrameLayout(activity).apply {
+          layoutParams = ViewGroup.LayoutParams(
+            ViewGroup.LayoutParams.MATCH_PARENT,
+            ViewGroup.LayoutParams.MATCH_PARENT
+          )
+          setBackgroundColor(Color.BLACK)
+        }
 
-      // Add SurfaceView to container
-      surfaceContainer!!.addView(surfaceView)
+        // Create SurfaceView for video rendering
+        surfaceView = SurfaceView(activity).apply {
+          layoutParams = android.widget.FrameLayout.LayoutParams(
+            android.widget.FrameLayout.LayoutParams.MATCH_PARENT,
+            android.widget.FrameLayout.LayoutParams.MATCH_PARENT
+          )
+          holder.addCallback(this@MpvPlayerCore)
+          setZOrderOnTop(false)
+          setZOrderMediaOverlay(false)
+          FlutterOverlayHelper.applyCompositionOrder(this, -2)
+        }
 
-      // Insert container at bottom of view hierarchy (behind Flutter)
-      val contentView = activity.findViewById<ViewGroup>(android.R.id.content)
-      contentView.addView(surfaceContainer, 0)
+        // Add SurfaceView to container
+        surfaceContainer!!.addView(surfaceView)
 
-      // Find FlutterView and set it on top of our video surface.
-      // compositionOrder maps directly to SurfaceView mSubLayer on API 36+:
-      // negative is hole-punched behind the parent canvas, non-negative is above.
-      // Stack (back → front): video (-2, hole-punched) → parent canvas → Flutter UI (+1).
-      FlutterOverlayHelper.findFlutterContainer(contentView, surfaceContainer)?.let { container ->
-        FlutterOverlayHelper.configureFlutterZOrder(contentView, container, compositionOrder = 1)
-        flutterOverlayApplied = true
-      }
-      ensureFlutterOverlayOnTop()
-      overlayLayoutListener = ViewTreeObserver.OnGlobalLayoutListener {
+        // Insert container at bottom of view hierarchy (behind Flutter)
+        val contentView = activity.findViewById<ViewGroup>(android.R.id.content)
+        contentView.addView(surfaceContainer, 0)
+
+        // Find FlutterView and set it on top of our video surface.
+        // compositionOrder maps directly to SurfaceView mSubLayer on API 36+:
+        // negative is hole-punched behind the parent canvas, non-negative is above.
+        // Stack (back → front): video (-2, hole-punched) → parent canvas → Flutter UI (+1).
+        FlutterOverlayHelper.findFlutterContainer(contentView, surfaceContainer)?.let { container ->
+          FlutterOverlayHelper.configureFlutterZOrder(contentView, container, compositionOrder = 1)
+          flutterOverlayApplied = true
+        }
         ensureFlutterOverlayOnTop()
-        val sv = surfaceView
-        if (sv != null) applySurfaceSize(sv.width, sv.height)
-      }
-      contentView.viewTreeObserver.addOnGlobalLayoutListener(overlayLayoutListener)
+        overlayLayoutListener = ViewTreeObserver.OnGlobalLayoutListener {
+          ensureFlutterOverlayOnTop()
+          val sv = surfaceView
+          if (sv != null) applySurfaceSize(sv.width, sv.height)
+        }
+        contentView.viewTreeObserver.addOnGlobalLayoutListener(overlayLayoutListener)
 
-      Log.d(TAG, "SurfaceView added to content view")
+        Log.d(TAG, "SurfaceView added to content view")
+      }
 
       // Create MpvPlayer on background thread via coroutine
       scope.launch {
@@ -247,18 +284,31 @@ class MpvPlayerCore(private val activity: Activity) : SurfaceHolder.Callback {
             return@launch
           }
           val displayFpsOverride = currentDisplayFpsOverride()
-          val p = MpvPlayer.create(activity.applicationContext) {
-            setOption("vo", "gpu")
-            setOption("gpu-context", "android")
-            setOption("opengl-es", "yes")
-            setOption("vd-lavc-film-grain", "cpu")
+          val p = MpvPlayer.create(context.applicationContext) {
+            if (audioOnly) {
+              // Pure audio core (all set before mpv_initialize, mirroring the
+              // Windows/Linux audio instances): vid=no keeps embedded cover
+              // art from ever becoming a video track, force-window and
+              // audio-display make sure mpv never opens a video output for
+              // it, and gapless-audio splices the pre-armed next playlist
+              // entry into the running audio stream.
+              setOption("vid", "no")
+              setOption("force-window", "no")
+              setOption("audio-display", "no")
+              setOption("gapless-audio", "weak")
+            } else {
+              setOption("vo", "gpu")
+              setOption("gpu-context", "android")
+              setOption("opengl-es", "yes")
+              setOption("vd-lavc-film-grain", "cpu")
+              if (displayFpsOverride != null) {
+                setOption("display-fps-override", displayFpsOverride)
+              }
+            }
             setOption("ao", "audiotrack,opensles")
             // Pause on the last frame at EOF instead of unloading the file, so a
             // seek after the video ends still works (matches Linux/Windows).
             setOption("keep-open", "yes")
-            if (displayFpsOverride != null) {
-              setOption("display-fps-override", displayFpsOverride)
-            }
           }
           if (displayFpsOverride != null) {
             Log.d(TAG, "Initial display-fps-override=$displayFpsOverride")
@@ -273,7 +323,7 @@ class MpvPlayerCore(private val activity: Activity) : SurfaceHolder.Callback {
           player = p
           isInitialized = true
 
-          refreshVideoOutput("initialize")
+          if (!audioOnly) refreshVideoOutput("initialize")
 
           // Start collecting events/properties/logs
           collectEvents(p)
@@ -408,7 +458,9 @@ class MpvPlayerCore(private val activity: Activity) : SurfaceHolder.Callback {
 
   private fun hasAttachedRealSurface(): Boolean = hasAttachedSurface && !attachedToPlaceholder && (attachedSurface?.isValid == true)
 
-  private fun hasReadyVideoOutput(): Boolean = hasAttachedRealSurface() && !videoOutputRestoring
+  // Audio-only mode has no video output to wait for — playback and resume
+  // paths gated on output readiness must always proceed there.
+  private fun hasReadyVideoOutput(): Boolean = audioOnly || (hasAttachedRealSurface() && !videoOutputRestoring)
 
   private fun isCurrentVideoOutputEpoch(epoch: Long): Boolean = !disposing && epoch == videoOutputEpoch
 
@@ -419,7 +471,7 @@ class MpvPlayerCore(private val activity: Activity) : SurfaceHolder.Callback {
   }
 
   private fun refreshVideoOutput(reason: String) {
-    if (disposing) return
+    if (audioOnly || disposing) return
 
     rememberCurrentSurfaceSize()
     val p = player
@@ -730,7 +782,7 @@ class MpvPlayerCore(private val activity: Activity) : SurfaceHolder.Callback {
 
     Thread {
       val value = getPropertyBlocking(name)
-      activity.runOnUiThread {
+      runOnMain {
         onResult(if (!disposing && isInitialized) value else null)
       }
     }.start()
@@ -824,9 +876,10 @@ class MpvPlayerCore(private val activity: Activity) : SurfaceHolder.Callback {
   }
 
   fun setVisible(visible: Boolean) {
-    if (disposing) return
-    activity.runOnUiThread {
-      if (disposing) return@runOnUiThread
+    // Audio-only: no render layer to show or hide — tolerated no-op.
+    if (audioOnly || disposing) return
+    runOnMain {
+      if (disposing) return@runOnMain
       surfaceContainer?.visibility = if (visible) View.VISIBLE else View.INVISIBLE
       if (visible) {
         flutterOverlayApplied = false
@@ -852,16 +905,17 @@ class MpvPlayerCore(private val activity: Activity) : SurfaceHolder.Callback {
   }
 
   fun updateFrame() {
-    if (disposing) return
-    activity.runOnUiThread {
-      if (disposing) return@runOnUiThread
+    // Audio-only: no surface to refresh — tolerated no-op.
+    if (audioOnly || disposing) return
+    runOnMain {
+      if (disposing) return@runOnMain
       flutterOverlayApplied = false
       ensureFlutterOverlayOnTop()
       rememberCurrentSurfaceSize()
       val p = player
       if (p == null) {
         Log.d(TAG, "updateFrame(): skipping Android MPV surface refresh because player is not ready")
-        return@runOnUiThread
+        return@runOnMain
       }
       if (!hasReadyVideoOutput()) {
         val surface = currentCandidateSurface()
@@ -871,7 +925,7 @@ class MpvPlayerCore(private val activity: Activity) : SurfaceHolder.Callback {
         } else {
           Log.d(TAG, "updateFrame(): skipping Android MPV surface refresh because no surface is attached")
         }
-        return@runOnUiThread
+        return@runOnMain
       }
       scope.launch {
         try {
@@ -957,17 +1011,17 @@ class MpvPlayerCore(private val activity: Activity) : SurfaceHolder.Callback {
       videoOutputEpoch += 1L
     }
 
-    // Capture locals for deferred cleanup
+    // Capture locals for deferred cleanup (audio-only has no views)
     val sv = surfaceView
     val container = surfaceContainer
-    val contentView = activity.findViewById<ViewGroup>(android.R.id.content)
+    val contentView = if (audioOnly) null else activity.findViewById<ViewGroup>(android.R.id.content)
 
     surfaceContainer = null
     surfaceView = null
 
     // Remove layout listener synchronously
     overlayLayoutListener?.let { listener ->
-      contentView.viewTreeObserver.removeOnGlobalLayoutListener(listener)
+      contentView?.viewTreeObserver?.removeOnGlobalLayoutListener(listener)
     }
     overlayLayoutListener = null
 
@@ -989,15 +1043,18 @@ class MpvPlayerCore(private val activity: Activity) : SurfaceHolder.Callback {
     if (p != null) {
       Thread {
         try {
-          // Detach surface BEFORE close to prevent GPU mutex contention with view removal
-          try {
-            runBlocking {
-              p.setProperty("force-window", "no")
-              p.setProperty("vo", "null")
+          // Detach surface BEFORE close to prevent GPU mutex contention with
+          // view removal (audio-only never attached one)
+          if (!audioOnly) {
+            try {
+              runBlocking {
+                p.setProperty("force-window", "no")
+                p.setProperty("vo", "null")
+              }
+              p.detachSurface()
+            } catch (e: Exception) {
+              Log.w(TAG, "Failed to detach surface during dispose", e)
             }
-            p.detachSurface()
-          } catch (e: Exception) {
-            Log.w(TAG, "Failed to detach surface during dispose", e)
           }
           p.close()
         } catch (e: Exception) {
@@ -1008,7 +1065,7 @@ class MpvPlayerCore(private val activity: Activity) : SurfaceHolder.Callback {
         Handler(Looper.getMainLooper()).post {
           sv?.holder?.removeCallback(this)
           if (container?.parent != null) {
-            contentView.removeView(container)
+            contentView?.removeView(container)
           }
           onComplete?.invoke()
         }
@@ -1018,7 +1075,7 @@ class MpvPlayerCore(private val activity: Activity) : SurfaceHolder.Callback {
       Handler(Looper.getMainLooper()).postAtFrontOfQueue {
         sv?.holder?.removeCallback(this)
         if (container?.parent != null) {
-          contentView.removeView(container)
+          contentView?.removeView(container)
         }
       }
       onComplete?.invoke()
diff --git a/android/app/src/main/kotlin/com/edde746/plezy/mpv/MpvPlayerPlugin.kt b/android/app/src/main/kotlin/com/edde746/plezy/mpv/MpvPlayerPlugin.kt
index c32e9028..f1f49e76 100644
--- a/android/app/src/main/kotlin/com/edde746/plezy/mpv/MpvPlayerPlugin.kt
+++ b/android/app/src/main/kotlin/com/edde746/plezy/mpv/MpvPlayerPlugin.kt
@@ -1,7 +1,10 @@
 package com.edde746.plezy.mpv
 
 import android.app.Activity
+import android.content.Context
 import android.net.Uri
+import android.os.Handler
+import android.os.Looper
 import android.util.Log
 import io.flutter.embedding.engine.plugins.FlutterPlugin
 import io.flutter.embedding.engine.plugins.activity.ActivityAware
@@ -10,18 +13,27 @@ import io.flutter.plugin.common.EventChannel
 import io.flutter.plugin.common.MethodCall
 import io.flutter.plugin.common.MethodChannel
 
-class MpvPlayerPlugin :
-  FlutterPlugin,
+/**
+ * Channel plumbing for [MpvPlayerCore]. The default instance is the video
+ * player; the [audioOnly] instance (see [MpvAudioPlayerPlugin]) drives the
+ * dedicated music core on its own channel pair with two lifecycle
+ * differences:
+ * - the core is built on the application context, not the Activity, so
+ *   background music playback survives activity teardown — it is only
+ *   disposed on explicit Dart `dispose` or engine detach, never in
+ *   [onDetachedFromActivity];
+ * - all video-only surface work is skipped inside the core.
+ */
+open class MpvPlayerPlugin(
+  private val channelBase: String = "com.plezy/mpv_player",
+  private val audioOnly: Boolean = false
+) : FlutterPlugin,
   MethodChannel.MethodCallHandler,
   EventChannel.StreamHandler,
   ActivityAware,
   com.edde746.plezy.shared.PlayerDelegate {
 
-  companion object {
-    private const val TAG = "MpvPlayerPlugin"
-    private const val METHOD_CHANNEL = "com.plezy/mpv_player"
-    private const val EVENT_CHANNEL = "com.plezy/mpv_player/events"
-  }
+  private val tag = if (audioOnly) "MpvAudioPlayerPlugin" else "MpvPlayerPlugin"
 
   private lateinit var methodChannel: MethodChannel
   private lateinit var eventChannel: EventChannel
@@ -29,9 +41,17 @@ class MpvPlayerPlugin :
   private var playerCore: MpvPlayerCore? = null
   private var activity: Activity? = null
   private var activityBinding: ActivityPluginBinding? = null
+  private var applicationContext: Context? = null
   private val nameToId = mutableMapOf<String, Int>()
   private var sessionGeneration = 0
 
+  private val mainHandler = Handler(Looper.getMainLooper())
+
+  /** Same semantics as Activity.runOnUiThread, without needing an Activity. */
+  private fun runOnMain(block: () -> Unit) {
+    if (Looper.myLooper() == Looper.getMainLooper()) block() else mainHandler.post(block)
+  }
+
   // Pending `MethodChannel.Result`s for an init that is currently in flight.
   // Concurrent `invoke('initialize')` calls share the same outcome instead
   // of each tearing down the in-flight core and starting their own — which
@@ -43,19 +63,36 @@ class MpvPlayerPlugin :
   // FlutterPlugin
 
   override fun onAttachedToEngine(binding: FlutterPlugin.FlutterPluginBinding) {
-    methodChannel = MethodChannel(binding.binaryMessenger, METHOD_CHANNEL)
+    applicationContext = binding.applicationContext
+
+    methodChannel = MethodChannel(binding.binaryMessenger, channelBase)
     methodChannel.setMethodCallHandler(this)
 
-    eventChannel = EventChannel(binding.binaryMessenger, EVENT_CHANNEL)
+    eventChannel = EventChannel(binding.binaryMessenger, "$channelBase/events")
     eventChannel.setStreamHandler(this)
 
-    Log.d(TAG, "Attached to engine")
+    Log.d(tag, "Attached to engine")
   }
 
   override fun onDetachedFromEngine(binding: FlutterPlugin.FlutterPluginBinding) {
     methodChannel.setMethodCallHandler(null)
     eventChannel.setStreamHandler(null)
-    Log.d(TAG, "Detached from engine")
+    if (audioOnly) {
+      // The audio core is not activity-bound; engine detach is its terminal
+      // native lifecycle event (mirrors the video core's activity detach).
+      disposeCoreForTeardown()
+    }
+    applicationContext = null
+    Log.d(tag, "Detached from engine")
+  }
+
+  private fun disposeCoreForTeardown() {
+    ++sessionGeneration
+    playerCore?.dispose()
+    playerCore = null
+    // Any in-flight init callback would never fire (its scope is cancelled
+    // by dispose), so close out queued callers explicitly.
+    completePendingInits(success = false)
   }
 
   // ActivityAware
@@ -63,43 +100,42 @@ class MpvPlayerPlugin :
   override fun onAttachedToActivity(binding: ActivityPluginBinding) {
     activity = binding.activity
     activityBinding = binding
-    Log.d(TAG, "Attached to activity")
+    Log.d(tag, "Attached to activity")
   }
 
   override fun onDetachedFromActivity() {
-    ++sessionGeneration
-    playerCore?.dispose()
-    playerCore = null
-    // Any in-flight init callback would never fire (its scope is cancelled
-    // by dispose), so close out queued callers explicitly.
-    completePendingInits(success = false)
+    // The audio-only core deliberately outlives the activity (background
+    // music); it is torn down on engine detach / Dart dispose instead.
+    if (!audioOnly) {
+      disposeCoreForTeardown()
+    }
     activity = null
     activityBinding = null
-    Log.d(TAG, "Detached from activity")
+    Log.d(tag, "Detached from activity")
   }
 
   override fun onReattachedToActivityForConfigChanges(binding: ActivityPluginBinding) {
     activity = binding.activity
     activityBinding = binding
-    Log.d(TAG, "Reattached to activity for config changes")
+    Log.d(tag, "Reattached to activity for config changes")
   }
 
   override fun onDetachedFromActivityForConfigChanges() {
     activity = null
     activityBinding = null
-    Log.d(TAG, "Detached from activity for config changes")
+    Log.d(tag, "Detached from activity for config changes")
   }
 
   // EventChannel.StreamHandler
 
   override fun onListen(arguments: Any?, events: EventChannel.EventSink?) {
     eventSink = events
-    Log.d(TAG, "Event stream connected")
+    Log.d(tag, "Event stream connected")
   }
 
   override fun onCancel(arguments: Any?) {
     eventSink = null
-    Log.d(TAG, "Event stream disconnected")
+    Log.d(tag, "Event stream disconnected")
   }
 
   // MethodChannel.MethodCallHandler
@@ -127,14 +163,20 @@ class MpvPlayerPlugin :
   }
 
   private fun handleInitialize(result: MethodChannel.Result) {
-    val currentActivity = activity
-    if (currentActivity == null) {
-      result.error("NO_ACTIVITY", "Activity not available", null)
+    // Video cores need the Activity (surface/view hierarchy); the audio-only
+    // core is built on the application context so it can outlive it.
+    val coreContext: Context? = if (audioOnly) applicationContext else activity
+    if (coreContext == null) {
+      if (audioOnly) {
+        result.error("NO_CONTEXT", "Application context not available", null)
+      } else {
+        result.error("NO_ACTIVITY", "Activity not available", null)
+      }
       return
     }
 
     if (playerCore?.isInitialized == true) {
-      Log.d(TAG, "Already initialized")
+      Log.d(tag, "Already initialized")
       result.success(true)
       return
     }
@@ -146,13 +188,13 @@ class MpvPlayerPlugin :
     synchronized(pendingInitResults) {
       pendingInitResults += result
       if (isInitializing) {
-        Log.d(TAG, "Init already in flight, queuing caller")
+        Log.d(tag, "Init already in flight, queuing caller")
         return
       }
       isInitializing = true
     }
 
-    currentActivity.runOnUiThread {
+    runOnMain {
       val gen: Int
       val core: MpvPlayerCore
       try {
@@ -160,31 +202,32 @@ class MpvPlayerPlugin :
         // OR `playerCore?.isInitialized == true` and we early-exited
         // above. We never tear down a core that's mid-initialization.
         if (playerCore != null && playerCore?.isInitialized != true) {
-          Log.w(TAG, "Discarding stale uninitialized core before re-init")
+          Log.w(tag, "Discarding stale uninitialized core before re-init")
           playerCore?.dispose()
           playerCore = null
         }
 
         gen = ++sessionGeneration
-        core = MpvPlayerCore(currentActivity).apply {
+        core = MpvPlayerCore(coreContext, audioOnly).apply {
           delegate = this@MpvPlayerPlugin
         }
         playerCore = core
       } catch (e: Exception) {
-        Log.e(TAG, "Failed to initialize: ${e.message}", e)
+        Log.e(tag, "Failed to initialize: ${e.message}", e)
         completePendingInits(success = false, errorMessage = e.message)
-        return@runOnUiThread
+        return@runOnMain
       }
 
       core.initialize { success ->
         val stale = gen != sessionGeneration || playerCore !== core
         if (stale) {
-          Log.d(TAG, "Stale init callback (gen=$gen, current=$sessionGeneration)")
+          Log.d(tag, "Stale init callback (gen=$gen, current=$sessionGeneration)")
         } else {
           // Start hidden - now safe because setVisible operates on the container,
-          // not the SurfaceView directly (matching ExoPlayer's approach)
+          // not the SurfaceView directly (matching ExoPlayer's approach).
+          // No-op on the audio-only core, which has no render layer.
           core.setVisible(false)
-          Log.d(TAG, "Initialized: $success")
+          Log.d(tag, "Initialized: $success")
         }
         completePendingInits(success = !stale && success)
       }
@@ -208,7 +251,7 @@ class MpvPlayerPlugin :
   }
 
   private fun handleDispose(result: MethodChannel.Result) {
-    activity?.runOnUiThread {
+    runOnMain {
       val core = playerCore
       ++sessionGeneration
       playerCore = null
@@ -218,10 +261,10 @@ class MpvPlayerPlugin :
       completePendingInits(success = false)
 
       core?.dispose {
-        Log.d(TAG, "Disposed")
+        Log.d(tag, "Disposed")
         result.success(null)
       } ?: result.success(null)
-    } ?: result.success(null)
+    }
   }
 
   private fun handleSetProperty(call: MethodCall, result: MethodChannel.Result) {
@@ -269,9 +312,8 @@ class MpvPlayerPlugin :
   }
 
   private fun handleGetStats(result: MethodChannel.Result) {
-    val currentActivity = activity
     val core = playerCore
-    if (currentActivity == null || core == null) {
+    if (core == null) {
       result.success(mapOf("playerType" to "mpv"))
       return
     }
@@ -279,7 +321,7 @@ class MpvPlayerPlugin :
     val gen = sessionGeneration
     Thread {
       val stats = core.getStats()
-      currentActivity.runOnUiThread {
+      runOnMain {
         if (gen != sessionGeneration || playerCore !== core) {
           result.success(mapOf("playerType" to "mpv"))
         } else {
@@ -346,7 +388,7 @@ class MpvPlayerPlugin :
     val videoWidth = call.argument<Number>("videoWidth")?.toInt() ?: 0
     val videoHeight = call.argument<Number>("videoHeight")?.toInt() ?: 0
 
-    Log.d(TAG, "setVideoFrameRate: fps=$fps, duration=$duration, extraDelayMs=$extraDelayMs, video=${videoWidth}x$videoHeight")
+    Log.d(tag, "setVideoFrameRate: fps=$fps, duration=$duration, extraDelayMs=$extraDelayMs, video=${videoWidth}x$videoHeight")
     val core = playerCore
     if (core == null) {
       result.success(false)
@@ -358,19 +400,19 @@ class MpvPlayerPlugin :
   }
 
   private fun handleClearVideoFrameRate(result: MethodChannel.Result) {
-    Log.d(TAG, "clearVideoFrameRate")
+    Log.d(tag, "clearVideoFrameRate")
     playerCore?.clearVideoFrameRate()
     result.success(null)
   }
 
   private fun handleRequestAudioFocus(result: MethodChannel.Result) {
-    Log.d(TAG, "requestAudioFocus")
+    Log.d(tag, "requestAudioFocus")
     val granted = playerCore?.requestAudioFocus() ?: false
     result.success(granted)
   }
 
   private fun handleAbandonAudioFocus(result: MethodChannel.Result) {
-    Log.d(TAG, "abandonAudioFocus")
+    Log.d(tag, "abandonAudioFocus")
     playerCore?.abandonAudioFocus()
     result.success(null)
   }
@@ -382,9 +424,11 @@ class MpvPlayerPlugin :
       return
     }
 
-    val contentResolver = activity?.contentResolver
+    // The audio instance may run without an Activity (background music), so
+    // resolve SAF content URIs through the application context there.
+    val contentResolver = (if (audioOnly) applicationContext else activity)?.contentResolver
     if (contentResolver == null) {
-      result.error("NO_ACTIVITY", "Activity not available", null)
+      result.error(if (audioOnly) "NO_CONTEXT" else "NO_ACTIVITY", "Context not available", null)
       return
     }
 
@@ -394,18 +438,18 @@ class MpvPlayerPlugin :
         val uri = Uri.parse(uriString)
         val pfd = contentResolver.openFileDescriptor(uri, "r")
         if (pfd == null) {
-          activity?.runOnUiThread {
+          runOnMain {
             result.error("OPEN_FAILED", "Failed to open file descriptor for $uriString", null)
           }
           return@Thread
         }
 
         val fd = pfd.detachFd()
-        Log.d(TAG, "Opened content FD $fd for $uriString")
-        activity?.runOnUiThread { result.success(fd) }
+        Log.d(tag, "Opened content FD $fd for $uriString")
+        runOnMain { result.success(fd) }
       } catch (e: Exception) {
-        Log.e(TAG, "Failed to open content FD: ${e.message}", e)
-        activity?.runOnUiThread { result.error("OPEN_FAILED", e.message, null) }
+        Log.e(tag, "Failed to open content FD: ${e.message}", e)
+        runOnMain { result.error("OPEN_FAILED", e.message, null) }
       }
     }.start()
   }
@@ -426,3 +470,11 @@ class MpvPlayerPlugin :
     eventSink?.success(event)
   }
 }
+
+/**
+ * The audio-only music instance on `com.plezy/mpv_audio_player[/events]`.
+ * A distinct class (not just a configured [MpvPlayerPlugin]) because
+ * FlutterEngine's plugin registry keys plugins by class and would silently
+ * drop a second [MpvPlayerPlugin] registration.
+ */
+class MpvAudioPlayerPlugin : MpvPlayerPlugin(channelBase = "com.plezy/mpv_audio_player", audioOnly = true)
diff --git a/android/app/src/main/kotlin/com/edde746/plezy/shared/AudioFocusManager.kt b/android/app/src/main/kotlin/com/edde746/plezy/shared/AudioFocusManager.kt
index a9c387dc..b0c80275 100644
--- a/android/app/src/main/kotlin/com/edde746/plezy/shared/AudioFocusManager.kt
+++ b/android/app/src/main/kotlin/com/edde746/plezy/shared/AudioFocusManager.kt
@@ -14,7 +14,8 @@ class AudioFocusManager(
   private val onPause: () -> Unit,
   private val onResume: () -> Unit,
   private val isPaused: () -> Boolean,
-  private val log: (String) -> Unit = { Log.d(TAG, it) }
+  private val log: (String) -> Unit = { Log.d(TAG, it) },
+  private val contentType: Int = AudioAttributes.CONTENT_TYPE_MOVIE
 ) {
   companion object {
     private const val TAG = "AudioFocusManager"
@@ -62,7 +63,7 @@ class AudioFocusManager(
         .setAudioAttributes(
           AudioAttributes.Builder()
             .setUsage(AudioAttributes.USAGE_MEDIA)
-            .setContentType(AudioAttributes.CONTENT_TYPE_MOVIE)
+            .setContentType(contentType)
             .build()
         )
         .setOnAudioFocusChangeListener(audioFocusChangeListener, handler)
diff --git a/ios/Runner.xcodeproj/project.pbxproj b/ios/Runner.xcodeproj/project.pbxproj
index c96f0156..aa11be93 100644
--- a/ios/Runner.xcodeproj/project.pbxproj
+++ b/ios/Runner.xcodeproj/project.pbxproj
@@ -22,6 +22,8 @@
 		97C147011CF9000F007C117D /* LaunchScreen.storyboard in Resources */ = {isa = PBXBuildFile; fileRef = 97C146FF1CF9000F007C117D /* LaunchScreen.storyboard */; };
 		B1D51A6A2F00110000000001 /* MpvPlayerCoreBase.swift in Sources */ = {isa = PBXBuildFile; fileRef = B1D51A6A2F00110000000002 /* MpvPlayerCoreBase.swift */; };
 		B1D51A6A2F00110000000005 /* MpvPlayerPluginShared.swift in Sources */ = {isa = PBXBuildFile; fileRef = B1D51A6A2F00110000000006 /* MpvPlayerPluginShared.swift */; };
+		B1D51A6A2F0011000000000C /* MpvAudioPlayerCore.swift in Sources */ = {isa = PBXBuildFile; fileRef = B1D51A6A2F0011000000000D /* MpvAudioPlayerCore.swift */; };
+		B1D51A6A2F0011000000000E /* MpvAudioPlayerPlugin.swift in Sources */ = {isa = PBXBuildFile; fileRef = B1D51A6A2F0011000000000F /* MpvAudioPlayerPlugin.swift */; };
 		B1D51A6A2F0011000000000A /* AtmosProbePlugin.swift in Sources */ = {isa = PBXBuildFile; fileRef = B1D51A6A2F0011000000000B /* AtmosProbePlugin.swift */; };
 		B1D51A6A2F00110000000008 /* ExternalDisplayManager.swift in Sources */ = {isa = PBXBuildFile; fileRef = B1D51A6A2F00110000000007 /* ExternalDisplayManager.swift */; };
 		78A318202AECB46A00862997 /* FlutterGeneratedPluginSwiftPackage in Frameworks */ = {isa = PBXBuildFile; productRef = 78A3181F2AECB46A00862997 /* FlutterGeneratedPluginSwiftPackage */; };
@@ -76,6 +78,8 @@
 		97C147021CF9000F007C117D /* Info.plist */ = {isa = PBXFileReference; lastKnownFileType = text.plist.xml; path = Info.plist; sourceTree = "<group>"; };
 		B1D51A6A2F00110000000002 /* MpvPlayerCoreBase.swift */ = {isa = PBXFileReference; lastKnownFileType = sourcecode.swift; name = MpvPlayerCoreBase.swift; path = ../shared/apple/MpvPlayer/MpvPlayerCoreBase.swift; sourceTree = SOURCE_ROOT; };
 		B1D51A6A2F00110000000006 /* MpvPlayerPluginShared.swift */ = {isa = PBXFileReference; lastKnownFileType = sourcecode.swift; name = MpvPlayerPluginShared.swift; path = ../shared/apple/MpvPlayer/MpvPlayerPluginShared.swift; sourceTree = SOURCE_ROOT; };
+		B1D51A6A2F0011000000000D /* MpvAudioPlayerCore.swift */ = {isa = PBXFileReference; lastKnownFileType = sourcecode.swift; name = MpvAudioPlayerCore.swift; path = ../shared/apple/MpvPlayer/MpvAudioPlayerCore.swift; sourceTree = SOURCE_ROOT; };
+		B1D51A6A2F0011000000000F /* MpvAudioPlayerPlugin.swift */ = {isa = PBXFileReference; lastKnownFileType = sourcecode.swift; name = MpvAudioPlayerPlugin.swift; path = ../shared/apple/MpvPlayer/MpvAudioPlayerPlugin.swift; sourceTree = SOURCE_ROOT; };
 		B1D51A6A2F0011000000000B /* AtmosProbePlugin.swift */ = {isa = PBXFileReference; lastKnownFileType = sourcecode.swift; name = AtmosProbePlugin.swift; path = ../shared/apple/AtmosProbe/AtmosProbePlugin.swift; sourceTree = SOURCE_ROOT; };
 		B1D51A6A2F00110000000007 /* ExternalDisplayManager.swift */ = {isa = PBXFileReference; lastKnownFileType = sourcecode.swift; path = ExternalDisplayManager.swift; sourceTree = "<group>"; };
 		BB346A1D0705AB171F80B11B /* Pods_Runner.framework */ = {isa = PBXFileReference; explicitFileType = wrapper.framework; includeInIndex = 0; path = Pods_Runner.framework; sourceTree = BUILT_PRODUCTS_DIR; };
@@ -128,6 +132,8 @@
 			children = (
 				B1D51A6A2F00110000000002 /* MpvPlayerCoreBase.swift */,
 				B1D51A6A2F00110000000006 /* MpvPlayerPluginShared.swift */,
+				B1D51A6A2F0011000000000D /* MpvAudioPlayerCore.swift */,
+				B1D51A6A2F0011000000000F /* MpvAudioPlayerPlugin.swift */,
 				B1D51A6A2F0011000000000B /* AtmosProbePlugin.swift */,
 				B1D51A6A2F00110000000007 /* ExternalDisplayManager.swift */,
 				6A8A46222EDB370C0057B88C /* MpvPlayerCore.swift */,
@@ -420,6 +426,8 @@
 			files = (
 				B1D51A6A2F00110000000001 /* MpvPlayerCoreBase.swift in Sources */,
 				B1D51A6A2F00110000000005 /* MpvPlayerPluginShared.swift in Sources */,
+				B1D51A6A2F0011000000000C /* MpvAudioPlayerCore.swift in Sources */,
+				B1D51A6A2F0011000000000E /* MpvAudioPlayerPlugin.swift in Sources */,
 				B1D51A6A2F0011000000000A /* AtmosProbePlugin.swift in Sources */,
 				B1D51A6A2F00110000000008 /* ExternalDisplayManager.swift in Sources */,
 				6A8A46252EDB370C0057B88C /* MpvPlayerPlugin.swift in Sources */,
diff --git a/ios/Runner/AppDelegate.swift b/ios/Runner/AppDelegate.swift
index e5fcd496..57f41c00 100644
--- a/ios/Runner/AppDelegate.swift
+++ b/ios/Runner/AppDelegate.swift
@@ -36,6 +36,11 @@ import MediaPlayer
       MpvPlayerPlugin.register(with: registrar)
     }
 
+    // Register the audio-only MPV player plugin (music playback)
+    if let registrar = engineBridge.pluginRegistry.registrar(forPlugin: "MpvAudioPlayerPlugin") {
+      MpvAudioPlayerPlugin.register(with: registrar)
+    }
+
     if let registrar = engineBridge.pluginRegistry.registrar(forPlugin: "AtmosProbePlugin") {
       AtmosProbePlugin.register(with: registrar)
     }
diff --git a/lib/mpv/player/player.dart b/lib/mpv/player/player.dart
index 9287ccfc..23ad5cd5 100644
--- a/lib/mpv/player/player.dart
+++ b/lib/mpv/player/player.dart
@@ -96,6 +96,16 @@ abstract class Player {
   /// Seek to a specific position.
   Future<void> seek(Duration position);
 
+  /// Arm (or replace/clear) the item the backend should auto-advance into
+  /// when the current one plays out — the gapless-audio primitive.
+  ///
+  /// Audio players keep a native playlist of `[current, next?]`: ExoPlayer
+  /// via `addMediaItem`, mpv via `loadfile append` with `gapless-audio`.
+  /// When the advance happens the backend emits
+  /// [PlayerStreams.trackTransition] with the armed [Media.uri] instead of
+  /// `completed`. Pass `null` to clear. No-op on video backends.
+  Future<void> setNext(Media? media);
+
   /// Select an audio track.
   Future<void> selectAudioTrack(AudioTrack track);
 
@@ -379,4 +389,22 @@ abstract class Player {
     }
     throw UnsupportedError('Player is not supported on this platform');
   }
+
+  /// Creates the dedicated audio-only player used for music playback.
+  ///
+  /// An mpv audio-only core on every platform — regardless of the Android
+  /// video backend setting — running on its own native core and channels
+  /// (`com.plezy/mpv_audio_player`), so it never contends with the video
+  /// pipeline. Desktop and Android need none of the video plumbing (display
+  /// modes, GL textures, surfaces) — the plain mpv wrapper suffices. Only
+  /// one native player is kept alive at a time: the music service disposes
+  /// this instance when video playback claims the session (see
+  /// `PlaybackCoordinator`), and the video core only exists while the video
+  /// player screen is open.
+  factory Player.audio() {
+    if (Platform.isAndroid || Platform.isMacOS || Platform.isIOS || Platform.isWindows || Platform.isLinux) {
+      return PlayerNative.audio();
+    }
+    throw UnsupportedError('Player is not supported on this platform');
+  }
 }
diff --git a/lib/mpv/player/player_base.dart b/lib/mpv/player/player_base.dart
index f88d6137..865e6761 100644
--- a/lib/mpv/player/player_base.dart
+++ b/lib/mpv/player/player_base.dart
@@ -38,6 +38,11 @@ abstract class PlayerBase with PlayerStreamControllersMixin implements Player {
   @override
   bool get audioPassthroughActive => false;
 
+  /// Gapless-audio arming — meaningful only on the audio players, which
+  /// override this. Video backends ignore it.
+  @override
+  Future<void> setNext(Media? media) async {}
+
   late final PlayerStreams _streams;
 
   @override
diff --git a/lib/mpv/player/player_native.dart b/lib/mpv/player/player_native.dart
index cf6f9cd1..11f9a0d8 100644
--- a/lib/mpv/player/player_native.dart
+++ b/lib/mpv/player/player_native.dart
@@ -1,32 +1,58 @@
+import 'dart:async' show unawaited;
 import 'dart:convert';
 import 'dart:io' show Platform;
 
 import 'package:flutter/services.dart';
 
 import '../../media/media_display_criteria.dart';
+import '../../utils/app_logger.dart';
 import '../models.dart';
 import 'player_base.dart';
 
 /// MPV-backed player for platforms where AetherEngine is not the native route.
 class PlayerNative extends PlayerBase {
+  /// Video player on the default mpv channels/core.
+  PlayerNative()
+    : methodChannel = const MethodChannel('com.plezy/mpv_player'),
+      eventChannel = const EventChannel('com.plezy/mpv_player/events'),
+      audioOnly = false;
+
+  /// Audio-only player on the dedicated music channels/core (see
+  /// [Player.audio]). Skips every video concern: no render layer
+  /// ([setVisible] no-ops via [audioOnly]), no subtitle plumbing, no
+  /// display-mode handling.
+  PlayerNative.audio()
+    : methodChannel = const MethodChannel('com.plezy/mpv_audio_player'),
+      eventChannel = const EventChannel('com.plezy/mpv_audio_player/events'),
+      audioOnly = true;
+
   int? _textureIdValue;
   String _dvConversionMode = 'auto';
   String _dvConversionLog = 'no';
 
+  // Gapless-audio arming state (audioOnly). The native playlist is always
+  // [current, next?]; these track whether entry 1 exists and what it plays.
+  bool _hasArmedNext = false;
+  String? _armedNextUri;
+
+  // Set by open() and consumed by that load's file-loaded event, so it is
+  // not mistaken for a gapless advance (see _handleAudioFileLoaded).
+  bool _expectOpenFileLoad = false;
+
   @override
   int? get textureId => _textureIdValue;
 
-  static const _methodChannel = MethodChannel('com.plezy/mpv_player');
-  static const _eventChannel = EventChannel('com.plezy/mpv_player/events');
+  /// Whether this instance drives the audio-only core.
+  final bool audioOnly;
 
   @override
-  MethodChannel get methodChannel => _methodChannel;
+  final MethodChannel methodChannel;
 
   @override
-  EventChannel get eventChannel => _eventChannel;
+  final EventChannel eventChannel;
 
   @override
-  String get logPrefix => 'MPV';
+  String get logPrefix => audioOnly ? 'MPV-audio' : 'MPV';
 
   @override
   String get playerType => 'mpv';
@@ -61,6 +87,12 @@ class PlayerNative extends PlayerBase {
     return '%${utf8.encode(value).length}%$value';
   }
 
+  /// Query-free tail of [uri] for logs (keeps the part id, drops tokens).
+  static String _uriTail(String uri) {
+    final path = uri.split('?').first;
+    return path.length <= 40 ? path : '…${path.substring(path.length - 40)}';
+  }
+
   static String _escapePathListEntry(String value, String separator) {
     return value.replaceAll(r'\', r'\\').replaceAll(separator, '\\$separator');
   }
@@ -78,6 +110,16 @@ class PlayerNative extends PlayerBase {
     return 'sub-files=${_fixedLengthQuote(escapedUris.join(separator))}';
   }
 
+  /// Per-entry `http-header-fields` for a `loadfile ... append` options arg.
+  /// The fixed-length quote shields the whole value from the key=value list
+  /// parser; mpv then splits the headers on commas, the same separator the
+  /// `setProperty('http-header-fields', ...)` path in [open] relies on.
+  static String? _httpHeaderFieldsLoadfileOption(Map<String, String>? headers) {
+    if (headers == null || headers.isEmpty) return null;
+    final headerList = headers.entries.map((e) => '${e.key}: ${e.value}').join(',');
+    return 'http-header-fields=${_fixedLengthQuote(headerList)}';
+  }
+
   MediaDisplayCriteria? _effectiveDisplayCriteria(MediaDisplayCriteria? criteria) {
     if (criteria == null || (criteria.doviProfile ?? 0) != 7) return criteria;
 
@@ -144,6 +186,18 @@ class PlayerNative extends PlayerBase {
       await observeProperty('audio-device-list', _nodeFormat);
       await observeProperty('audio-device', 'string');
 
+      if (audioOnly) {
+        // Debug aid only: raw playlist positions in the log trail. Gapless
+        // advance DETECTION rides the file-loaded event instead — see
+        // _handleAudioFileLoaded for why property edges are unreliable.
+        await observeProperty('playlist-pos', _nodeFormat);
+        // The Apple audio core sets this at context init; set it defensively
+        // here so every mpv audio backend behaves identically. Direct invoke —
+        // setProperty() would await _ensureInitialized and deadlock on the
+        // memoized future of this very _doInitialize call.
+        await invoke('setProperty', {'name': 'gapless-audio', 'value': 'weak'});
+      }
+
       initialized = true;
     } catch (e) {
       _initFuture = null;
@@ -171,6 +225,10 @@ class PlayerNative extends PlayerBase {
   }) async {
     if (disposed) return;
     await _ensureInitialized();
+    // `loadfile replace` (below) clears the native playlist, dropping any
+    // gapless entry armed via setNext.
+    _hasArmedNext = false;
+    _armedNextUri = null;
     final startPosition = media.start ?? Duration.zero;
     configureTimeline(offset: timelineOffset, duration: timelineDuration);
     clearTracks();
@@ -178,7 +236,7 @@ class PlayerNative extends PlayerBase {
     resetPlaybackProgress(startPosition);
     setSeekable(false);
 
-    await setVisible(true);
+    if (!audioOnly) await setVisible(true);
 
     if (media.headers != null && media.headers!.isNotEmpty) {
       final headerList = media.headers!.entries.map((e) => '${e.key}: ${e.value}').toList();
@@ -216,6 +274,7 @@ class PlayerNative extends PlayerBase {
     if (loadfileOption != null) {
       loadfileArgs.addAll(['-1', loadfileOption]);
     }
+    if (audioOnly) _expectOpenFileLoad = true;
     await command(loadfileArgs);
 
     // mpv's pause property survives loadfile; in-place reloads pause the old
@@ -239,9 +298,11 @@ class PlayerNative extends PlayerBase {
 
   @override
   Future<void> stop() async {
+    _hasArmedNext = false;
+    _armedNextUri = null;
     await command(['stop']);
     setSeekable(false);
-    await invoke('setVisible', {'visible': false});
+    if (!audioOnly) await invoke('setVisible', {'visible': false});
   }
 
   @override
@@ -250,6 +311,90 @@ class PlayerNative extends PlayerBase {
     await runSeek(position, () => command(['seek', (sourcePosition.inMilliseconds / 1000.0).toString(), 'absolute']));
   }
 
+  @override
+  Future<void> setNext(Media? media) async {
+    if (!audioOnly || disposed || !initialized) return;
+
+    if (_hasArmedNext) {
+      _hasArmedNext = false;
+      _armedNextUri = null;
+      appLogger.d('MPV-audio: clearing armed entry (playlist-remove 1)');
+      try {
+        await command(['playlist-remove', '1']);
+      } on PlatformException {
+        // Entry 1 can vanish in the arm/advance race (mpv already rolled into
+        // it); the append below still lands after the current entry.
+      }
+    }
+    if (media == null) return;
+
+    // Per-entry options are the 4th loadfile argument on mpv >= 0.38
+    // (`loadfile <url> append -1 opt=val`), exactly like open() passes
+    // sub-files. `gapless-audio=weak` splices the armed entry into the
+    // running audio stream when formats match.
+    final args = ['loadfile', media.uri, 'append'];
+    final headerOption = _httpHeaderFieldsLoadfileOption(media.headers);
+    if (headerOption != null) {
+      args.addAll(['-1', headerOption]);
+    }
+    await command(args);
+    _hasArmedNext = true;
+    _armedNextUri = media.uri;
+    appLogger.d('MPV-audio: armed next ${_uriTail(media.uri)}');
+  }
+
+  @override
+  void handlePropertyChange(String name, dynamic value) {
+    if (audioOnly && name == 'playlist-pos') {
+      // Debug aid only — see _handleAudioFileLoaded for the real detection.
+      appLogger.d('MPV-audio: playlist-pos=$value (armed=$_hasArmedNext)');
+      return;
+    }
+    super.handlePropertyChange(name, value);
+  }
+
+  @override
+  void handlePlayerEvent(String name, Map? data) {
+    if (audioOnly && name == 'file-loaded') _handleAudioFileLoaded();
+    super.handlePlayerEvent(name, data);
+  }
+
+  /// Gapless auto-advance detection: a `file-loaded` that open() didn't
+  /// produce while an entry is armed means mpv rolled into the armed entry.
+  /// Surface the transition, then rebase the playlist so the now playing
+  /// entry sits at index 0 again ([setNext] always appends at 1). The rebase
+  /// only removes the spent entry behind the playing one, so it cannot
+  /// disturb position/duration — those refresh with the same file-loaded.
+  ///
+  /// Detection deliberately rides this EVENT, not `playlist-pos` property
+  /// edges: mpv coalesces observed-property notifications per observer
+  /// (1→0→1 under delivery lag nets out to nothing) and the Android bridge
+  /// additionally drops property changes when its shared 64-slot buffer
+  /// overflows (`MutableSharedFlow.tryEmit` from the native event thread),
+  /// so an edge can vanish entirely — which stalled playback at the end of
+  /// the armed track. `file-loaded` fires exactly once per started file on
+  /// the low-volume event flow. Clearing [_hasArmedNext] before emitting
+  /// makes a hypothetical duplicate signal a no-op (it cannot double
+  /// advance).
+  void _handleAudioFileLoaded() {
+    if (_expectOpenFileLoad) {
+      _expectOpenFileLoad = false;
+      appLogger.d('MPV-audio: file-loaded (open)');
+      return;
+    }
+    if (!_hasArmedNext) {
+      appLogger.d('MPV-audio: file-loaded (nothing armed, ignored)');
+      return;
+    }
+
+    final uri = _armedNextUri;
+    _hasArmedNext = false;
+    _armedNextUri = null;
+    appLogger.d('MPV-audio: transition (file-loaded) → playlist-remove 0, ${_uriTail(uri ?? '')}');
+    unawaited(command(['playlist-remove', '0']));
+    if (uri != null) trackTransitionController.add(uri);
+  }
+
   @override
   Future<void> selectAudioTrack(AudioTrack track) async {
     await setProperty('aid', track.id);
@@ -346,7 +491,7 @@ class PlayerNative extends PlayerBase {
 
   @override
   Future<void> setDisplayCriteria(MediaDisplayCriteria? criteria, {int extraDelayMs = 0}) async {
-    if (disposed || !Platform.isIOS) return;
+    if (disposed || audioOnly || !Platform.isIOS) return;
     await _ensureInitialized();
     await invoke('setDisplayCriteria', {
       'criteria': _effectiveDisplayCriteria(criteria)?.toJson(),
diff --git a/lib/mpv/player/player_stream_controllers.dart b/lib/mpv/player/player_stream_controllers.dart
index baa5daa4..6f3ca0e6 100644
--- a/lib/mpv/player/player_stream_controllers.dart
+++ b/lib/mpv/player/player_stream_controllers.dart
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ mixin PlayerStreamControllersMixin {
   final playbackRestartController = StreamController<void>.broadcast();
   final fileLoadedController = StreamController<void>.broadcast();
   final backendSwitchedController = StreamController<void>.broadcast();
+  final trackTransitionController = StreamController<String>.broadcast();
 
   PlayerStreams createStreams() {
     return PlayerStreams(
@@ -45,6 +46,7 @@ mixin PlayerStreamControllersMixin {
       playbackRestart: playbackRestartController.stream,
       fileLoaded: fileLoadedController.stream,
       backendSwitched: backendSwitchedController.stream,
+      trackTransition: trackTransitionController.stream,
     );
   }
 
@@ -68,5 +70,6 @@ mixin PlayerStreamControllersMixin {
     await playbackRestartController.close();
     await fileLoadedController.close();
     await backendSwitchedController.close();
+    await trackTransitionController.close();
   }
 }
diff --git a/lib/mpv/player/player_streams.dart b/lib/mpv/player/player_streams.dart
index bc91ed52..2eea1e58 100644
--- a/lib/mpv/player/player_streams.dart
+++ b/lib/mpv/player/player_streams.dart
@@ -63,6 +63,12 @@ class PlayerStreams {
   /// Only emitted on Android when ExoPlayer encounters an unsupported format.
   final Stream<void> backendSwitched;
 
+  /// Emits the URI the backend auto-advanced into after playing out the
+  /// current item, when a next item was pre-armed via [Player.setNext]
+  /// (gapless music). Only audio players emit this; the value is the armed
+  /// [Media.uri].
+  final Stream<String> trackTransition;
+
   const PlayerStreams({
     required this.playing,
     required this.completed,
@@ -83,5 +89,6 @@ class PlayerStreams {
     required this.playbackRestart,
     this.fileLoaded = const Stream<void>.empty(),
     required this.backendSwitched,
+    this.trackTransition = const Stream<String>.empty(),
   });
 }
diff --git a/lib/navigation/profile_session_screen.dart b/lib/navigation/profile_session_screen.dart
index c5c2d502..a79baed4 100644
--- a/lib/navigation/profile_session_screen.dart
+++ b/lib/navigation/profile_session_screen.dart
@@ -19,9 +19,12 @@ import '../providers/playback_state_provider.dart';
 import '../providers/trakt_account_provider.dart';
 import '../providers/trackers_provider.dart';
 import '../providers/watch_state_store.dart';
+import '../database/app_database.dart';
 import '../screens/main_screen.dart';
 import '../services/api_cache.dart';
 import '../services/music/music_playback_service.dart';
+import '../services/music/music_playback_service_impl.dart';
+import '../services/offline_watch_sync_service.dart';
 import '../services/storage_service.dart';
 import '../utils/app_logger.dart';
 import '../watch_together/providers/watch_together_provider.dart';
@@ -166,9 +169,16 @@ class _ProfileSessionScreenState extends State<ProfileSessionScreen> {
                 },
               ),
               ChangeNotifierProvider(create: (context) => PlaybackStateProvider()),
-              // Stub until the music playback engine binds a real service;
-              // profile-session scope so a profile switch ends the session.
-              ChangeNotifierProvider<MusicPlaybackService>(create: (context) => StubMusicPlaybackService()),
+              // Profile-session scope so a profile switch tears the music
+              // session down (dispose stops playback + releases the audio
+              // core).
+              ChangeNotifierProvider<MusicPlaybackService>(
+                create: (context) => MusicPlaybackServiceImpl(
+                  serverManager: context.read<MultiServerProvider>().serverManager,
+                  database: context.read<AppDatabase>(),
+                  offlineWatchService: context.read<OfflineWatchSyncService>(),
+                ),
+              ),
               ChangeNotifierProvider(create: (context) => WatchTogetherProvider()),
               ChangeNotifierProvider(
                 create: (context) {
diff --git a/lib/screens/video_player_screen.dart b/lib/screens/video_player_screen.dart
index 9b2befc1..0159dd27 100644
--- a/lib/screens/video_player_screen.dart
+++ b/lib/screens/video_player_screen.dart
@@ -47,6 +47,7 @@ import '../services/episode_navigation_service.dart';
 import '../services/app_foreground_service.dart';
 import '../services/apple_tv_remote_touch_service.dart';
 import '../services/media_controls_manager.dart';
+import '../services/playback_coordinator.dart';
 import '../services/playback_initialization_service.dart';
 import '../services/playback_context.dart';
 import '../services/local_playback_history.dart';
@@ -668,6 +669,13 @@ class VideoPlayerScreenState extends State<VideoPlayerScreen> with WidgetsBindin
         FullscreenStateManager().addListener(_onFullscreenChanged);
       }
 
+      // One-native-instance rule: a live music session owns the only audio
+      // core — stop it and wait for its dispose before constructing the
+      // video core (see PlaybackCoordinator).
+      initPhase = 'claiming playback session';
+      await PlaybackCoordinator.instance.claimVideo();
+      if (!mounted) return;
+
       initPhase = 'creating player';
       final currentPlayer = Player(useExoPlayer: useExoPlayer);
       player = currentPlayer;
diff --git a/lib/services/jellyfin_client/parts/browse.dart b/lib/services/jellyfin_client/parts/browse.dart
index bbf15e04..17b807d1 100644
--- a/lib/services/jellyfin_client/parts/browse.dart
+++ b/lib/services/jellyfin_client/parts/browse.dart
@@ -876,8 +876,15 @@ mixin _JellyfinBrowseMethods on MediaServerCacheMixin {
   /// since those preserve the container shape (Series rows, PlaylistItemId).
   ///
   @override
-  Future<List<MediaItem>> fetchPlayableDescendants(String parentId) {
-    return _fetchAllPlayableDescendants(parentId, includeItemTypes: _playableDescendantTypes);
+  Future<List<MediaItem>> fetchPlayableDescendants(String parentId) async {
+    final items = await _fetchAllPlayableDescendants(parentId, includeItemTypes: _playableDescendantTypes);
+    if (items.isNotEmpty) return items;
+    // Jellyfin links music to artists via *tags*, not the folder tree — a
+    // MusicArtist is usually not its tracks' ancestor, so the recursive
+    // `ParentId` query above comes back empty for tag-only artists (folder-
+    // backed artists resolve on the first query and never reach this).
+    // Retry once by album-artist credit, tracks only.
+    return _fetchAllPlayableDescendants(parentId, includeItemTypes: 'Audio', byAlbumArtist: true);
   }
 
   /// Playable video descendants for a folder browse row. This includes
@@ -887,7 +894,11 @@ mixin _JellyfinBrowseMethods on MediaServerCacheMixin {
     return _fetchAllPlayableDescendants(parentId, includeItemTypes: _playableFolderDescendantTypes);
   }
 
-  Future<List<MediaItem>> _fetchAllPlayableDescendants(String parentId, {required String includeItemTypes}) async {
+  Future<List<MediaItem>> _fetchAllPlayableDescendants(
+    String parentId, {
+    required String includeItemTypes,
+    bool byAlbumArtist = false,
+  }) async {
     final all = <MediaItem>[];
     var start = 0;
     while (true) {
@@ -896,6 +907,7 @@ mixin _JellyfinBrowseMethods on MediaServerCacheMixin {
         start: start,
         size: _pagedListPageSize,
         includeItemTypes: includeItemTypes,
+        byAlbumArtist: byAlbumArtist,
       );
       if (page.items.isEmpty) break;
       all.addAll(page.items);
@@ -927,6 +939,7 @@ mixin _JellyfinBrowseMethods on MediaServerCacheMixin {
     int? size,
     AbortController? abort,
     required String includeItemTypes,
+    bool byAlbumArtist = false,
   }) async {
     final offset = start ?? 0;
     final pageSize = size ?? _pagedListPageSize;
@@ -934,7 +947,9 @@ mixin _JellyfinBrowseMethods on MediaServerCacheMixin {
       '/Items',
       queryParameters: {
         'userId': connection.userId,
-        'ParentId': parentId,
+        // Tag-linked music artists have no folder descendants; the retry in
+        // [fetchPlayableDescendants] expands them by album-artist credit.
+        if (byAlbumArtist) 'AlbumArtistIds': parentId else 'ParentId': parentId,
         'Recursive': 'true',
         'IncludeItemTypes': includeItemTypes,
         'StartIndex': offset.toString(),
diff --git a/lib/services/media_controls_manager.dart b/lib/services/media_controls_manager.dart
index 655bfef6..5f098b68 100644
--- a/lib/services/media_controls_manager.dart
+++ b/lib/services/media_controls_manager.dart
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ import 'package:rate_limiter/rate_limiter.dart';
 import '../media/media_server_client.dart';
 import '../media/media_item.dart';
 import '../media/media_item_types.dart';
+import '../media/media_kind.dart';
 import '../utils/app_logger.dart';
 
 /// Manages OS media controls integration for video playback.
@@ -59,6 +60,8 @@ class MediaControlsManager {
         MediaMetadata(
           title: metadata.title ?? '',
           artist: _buildArtist(metadata),
+          // Music-only: null for video content, so video behavior is untouched.
+          album: metadata.kind == MediaKind.track ? metadata.albumTitle : null,
           artworkUrl: artworkUrl,
           duration: duration,
         ),
@@ -185,10 +188,16 @@ class MediaControlsManager {
 
   /// Build artist string from metadata
   ///
+  /// For music tracks: the performing artist
   /// For episodes: "Show Name - Season X Episode Y"
   /// For movies: Director or studio
   /// For other content: Fallback to year or empty
   String _buildArtist(MediaItem metadata) {
+    if (metadata.kind == MediaKind.track) {
+      // Performing artist with album-artist fallback (compilations store the
+      // track's own artist separately).
+      return metadata.trackArtistTitle ?? '';
+    }
     if (metadata.isEpisode) {
       final parts = <String>[];
 
diff --git a/lib/services/music/music_playback_service.dart b/lib/services/music/music_playback_service.dart
index 516a3426..0d6fc1e6 100644
--- a/lib/services/music/music_playback_service.dart
+++ b/lib/services/music/music_playback_service.dart
@@ -110,6 +110,22 @@ abstract class MusicPlaybackService extends ChangeNotifier {
   /// Stop playback and clear the session (mini-player disappears).
   Future<void> stop();
 
+  /// Whether a sleep timer (timed or end-of-track) is armed.
+  bool get sleepTimerActive;
+
+  /// When the timed sleep timer fires; null in end-of-track mode or when
+  /// inactive.
+  DateTime? get sleepTimerEndsAt;
+
+  /// Whether the sleep timer pauses at the end of the current track instead
+  /// of after a fixed duration.
+  bool get sleepTimerEndOfTrack;
+
+  /// Arm the sleep timer: a fixed [duration], or [endOfTrack] to pause when
+  /// the current track finishes. Pass `null` with `endOfTrack: false` to
+  /// cancel. Fires as a pause (session stays); cancelled by [stop].
+  void setSleepTimer(Duration? duration, {bool endOfTrack = false});
+
   /// Lyrics for [track] (defaults to the current track's backend). Delegates
   /// to `MediaServerClient.fetchLyrics`; null = none available.
   Future<Lyrics?> fetchLyrics(MediaItem track);
@@ -211,6 +227,18 @@ class StubMusicPlaybackService extends MusicPlaybackService {
   @override
   Future<void> stop() async {}
 
+  @override
+  bool get sleepTimerActive => false;
+
+  @override
+  DateTime? get sleepTimerEndsAt => null;
+
+  @override
+  bool get sleepTimerEndOfTrack => false;
+
+  @override
+  void setSleepTimer(Duration? duration, {bool endOfTrack = false}) {}
+
   @override
   Future<Lyrics?> fetchLyrics(MediaItem track) async => null;
 }
diff --git a/lib/services/music/music_playback_service_impl.dart b/lib/services/music/music_playback_service_impl.dart
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..d30cd00a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/services/music/music_playback_service_impl.dart
@@ -0,0 +1,973 @@
+import 'dart:async';
+
+import 'package:os_media_controls/os_media_controls.dart';
+
+import '../../database/app_database.dart';
+import '../../media/ids.dart';
+import '../../media/lyrics.dart';
+import '../../media/media_item.dart';
+import '../../media/media_server_client.dart';
+import '../../mpv/models.dart';
+import '../../mpv/player/player.dart';
+import '../../utils/app_logger.dart';
+import '../media_controls_manager.dart';
+import '../multi_server_manager.dart';
+import '../offline_watch_sync_service.dart';
+import '../playback_coordinator.dart';
+import '../playback_progress_tracker.dart';
+import 'music_playback_service.dart';
+import 'music_queue_controller.dart';
+import 'music_source_resolver.dart';
+
+/// A gapless-armed next track: what [Player.setNext] was fed, so the
+/// trackTransition event can be mapped back to a queue entry and its
+/// already-resolved source reused without a second server round-trip.
+class _ArmedTrack {
+  final MediaItem track;
+  final MusicSource source;
+
+  const _ArmedTrack({required this.track, required this.source});
+}
+
+/// Real music playback engine: owns the audio [Player], the queue
+/// (via [MusicQueueController]), gapless arming, per-track server progress
+/// reporting, and the OS media session.
+///
+/// ### Advancement paths
+/// * **Gapless (normal):** after a track starts, the next queue entry is
+///   resolved and armed via [Player.setNext]. When the backend auto-advances
+///   it emits `trackTransition(uri)` — treated as the authoritative advance:
+///   the finished track's tracker reports `stopped` at its full duration,
+///   the cursor moves to the armed entry, services rebind, and the new next
+///   is armed.
+/// * **Completed fallback:** `completed` with nothing armed means either the
+///   queue truly ended (repeat off, last track) — the session parks
+///   `paused` at the end, keeping [currentTrack] so the mini-player stays —
+///   or arming failed, in which case the next track is opened explicitly.
+/// * **Manual:** next/previous/jumpTo/removeAt-current finalize the current
+///   tracker at its *current* position and open the target directly.
+///
+/// ### Errors
+/// Player/resolver failures surface on [errors] (for a snackbar) and
+/// auto-skip to the next track; three consecutive failures without playback
+/// progress stop the session with [MusicPlaybackStatus.error].
+class MusicPlaybackServiceImpl extends MusicPlaybackService {
+  MusicPlaybackServiceImpl({
+    required MultiServerManager serverManager,
+    AppDatabase? database,
+    this._offlineWatchService,
+    MusicSourceResolver? resolver,
+    this._audioPlayerFactory = Player.audio,
+    this._mediaControlsFactory = MediaControlsManager.new,
+    this._completedConfirmDelay = const Duration(milliseconds: 400),
+    PlaybackCoordinator? coordinator,
+  }) : assert(resolver != null || database != null, 'database is required to build the default resolver'),
+       _serverManager = serverManager,
+       _resolver = resolver ?? ServerMusicSourceResolver(serverManager: serverManager, database: database!),
+       _coordinator = coordinator ?? PlaybackCoordinator.instance {
+    _coordinator.registerMusicSession(stopAndDispose: _stopForVideoClaim);
+  }
+
+  static const _previousRestartThreshold = Duration(seconds: 3);
+  static const _maxConsecutiveFailures = 3;
+
+  /// How long a completed (eof-reached) signal must stay uncontradicted
+  /// before it is treated as a genuine queue end — long enough for the
+  /// boundary pulse's own eof-reached=false / transition to arrive, short
+  /// enough to be imperceptible at a real queue end (see [_onCompleted]).
+  /// Injectable so tests can collapse the confirmation window.
+  final Duration _completedConfirmDelay;
+
+  final MultiServerManager _serverManager;
+  final OfflineWatchSyncService? _offlineWatchService;
+  final MusicSourceResolver _resolver;
+  final Player Function() _audioPlayerFactory;
+  final MediaControlsManager Function() _mediaControlsFactory;
+  final PlaybackCoordinator _coordinator;
+
+  final MusicQueueController _queue = MusicQueueController();
+
+  Player? _player;
+  final List<StreamSubscription<Object?>> _playerSubs = [];
+
+  MediaControlsManager? _mediaControls;
+  StreamSubscription<MediaControlEvent>? _controlEventsSub;
+
+  MusicPlaybackStatus _status = MusicPlaybackStatus.idle;
+  MediaItem? _currentTrack;
+  MusicSource? _currentSource;
+  MusicPlayContext? _playContext;
+  PlaybackProgressTracker? _tracker;
+  _ArmedTrack? _armed;
+  Timer? _completedConfirmTimer;
+
+  /// Bumped on every open/advance/stop so stale async continuations
+  /// (resolves, opens, arms) drop out instead of acting on the new state.
+  int _generation = 0;
+
+  int _consecutiveFailures = 0;
+  bool _resumeAfterInterruption = false;
+  bool _disposed = false;
+
+  Timer? _sleepTimer;
+  DateTime? _sleepTimerEndsAt;
+  bool _sleepTimerEndOfTrack = false;
+
+  final StreamController<Duration> _positionController = StreamController<Duration>.broadcast();
+  final StreamController<Object> _errorsController = StreamController<Object>.broadcast();
+
+  // ---------------------------------------------------------------------
+  // Getters
+  // ---------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+  @override
+  bool get isAvailable => true;
+
+  @override
+  MediaItem? get currentTrack => _currentTrack;
+
+  @override
+  MusicPlaybackStatus get status => _status;
+
+  @override
+  Duration? get duration {
+    if (_currentTrack == null) return null;
+    final playerDuration = _player?.state.duration ?? Duration.zero;
+    if (playerDuration > Duration.zero) return playerDuration;
+    final ms = _currentTrack?.durationMs;
+    return ms != null ? Duration(milliseconds: ms) : null;
+  }
+
+  @override
+  Duration get position => _player?.currentPosition ?? Duration.zero;
+
+  @override
+  Stream<Duration> get positionStream => _positionController.stream;
+
+  @override
+  List<MediaItem> get queue => _queue.queue;
+
+  @override
+  int get currentIndex => _queue.cursor;
+
+  @override
+  MusicPlayContext? get playContext => _playContext;
+
+  @override
+  bool get shuffled => _queue.shuffled;
+
+  @override
+  MusicRepeatMode get repeatMode => _queue.repeatMode;
+
+  @override
+  Stream<Object> get errors => _errorsController.stream;
+
+  @override
+  bool get sleepTimerActive => _sleepTimer != null || _sleepTimerEndOfTrack;
+
+  @override
+  DateTime? get sleepTimerEndsAt => _sleepTimerEndsAt;
+
+  @override
+  bool get sleepTimerEndOfTrack => _sleepTimerEndOfTrack;
+
+  // ---------------------------------------------------------------------
+  // Session start
+  // ---------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+  @override
+  Future<void> playFromList({
+    required List<MediaItem> tracks,
+    MediaItem? startTrack,
+    required MusicPlayContext playContext,
+    bool shuffle = false,
+  }) {
+    return _startQueue(tracks: tracks, startTrack: startTrack, playContext: playContext, shuffle: shuffle);
+  }
+
+  @override
+  Future<void> playInstantMix(MediaItem seed) async {
+    final client = _clientFor(seed);
+    if (client == null) {
+      _errorsController.add(StateError('No server available for instant mix'));
+      return;
+    }
+    List<MediaItem> tracks;
+    try {
+      tracks = await client.fetchInstantMix(seed.id);
+    } catch (e, st) {
+      appLogger.w('Instant mix fetch failed for ${seed.id}', error: e, stackTrace: st);
+      _errorsController.add(e);
+      return;
+    }
+    if (_disposed || tracks.isEmpty) return;
+    await _startQueue(
+      tracks: tracks,
+      playContext: MusicPlayContext(title: seed.displayTitle, kind: MusicPlayContextKind.mix),
+    );
+  }
+
+  Future<void> _startQueue({
+    required List<MediaItem> tracks,
+    MediaItem? startTrack,
+    required MusicPlayContext playContext,
+    bool shuffle = false,
+    bool autoplay = true,
+  }) async {
+    if (tracks.isEmpty || _disposed) return;
+    final generation = ++_generation;
+    _finalizeCurrentTrack();
+    var startIndex = 0;
+    if (startTrack != null) {
+      startIndex = tracks.indexWhere((t) => t.globalKey == startTrack.globalKey);
+      if (startIndex < 0) startIndex = 0;
+    }
+    _queue.load(tracks, startIndex: startIndex, shuffle: shuffle);
+    _playContext = playContext;
+    _consecutiveFailures = 0;
+    await _openCurrent(generation, play: autoplay);
+  }
+
+  // ---------------------------------------------------------------------
+  // Opening / advancing
+  // ---------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+  /// Resolve and open the queue's current track. All failure handling funnels
+  /// through [_handlePlaybackFailure].
+  Future<void> _openCurrent(int generation, {bool play = true}) async {
+    final track = _queue.current;
+    if (track == null) return;
+    _currentTrack = track;
+    _currentSource = null;
+    _armed = null;
+    _setStatus(MusicPlaybackStatus.loading, forceNotify: true);
+
+    await _coordinator.claimMusic();
+    if (generation != _generation) return;
+    final player = _ensurePlayer();
+    _ensureMediaControls();
+
+    // Clear any native arm left over from the previous item before the open
+    // replaces it, so a stray transition can't fire mid-switch.
+    try {
+      await player.setNext(null);
+    } catch (e) {
+      appLogger.d('setNext(null) before open failed', error: e);
+    }
+
+    MusicSource source;
+    try {
+      source = await _resolver.resolve(track);
+    } catch (e, st) {
+      appLogger.w('Music source resolve failed for ${track.id}', error: e, stackTrace: st);
+      if (generation == _generation) _handlePlaybackFailure(e);
+      return;
+    }
+    if (generation != _generation || _player != player) return;
+    _currentSource = source;
+
+    // Claim audio focus before audio starts so other media apps pause (mpv
+    // has no built-in focus handling; harmless no-op off Android). Result is
+    // ignored — mirrors the video screen, playback proceeds either way.
+    try {
+      await player.requestAudioFocus();
+    } catch (e) {
+      appLogger.d('Audio focus request failed', error: e);
+    }
+    if (generation != _generation || _player != player) return;
+
+    try {
+      await player.open(Media(source.url, headers: source.headers), play: play);
+    } catch (e, st) {
+      appLogger.w('Music open failed for ${track.id}', error: e, stackTrace: st);
+      if (generation == _generation) _handlePlaybackFailure(e);
+      return;
+    }
+    if (generation != _generation || _player != player) return;
+
+    _setStatus(play ? MusicPlaybackStatus.playing : MusicPlaybackStatus.paused);
+    _bindTrackServices(track, source);
+    unawaited(_armNext(generation));
+  }
+
+  /// Manual advance: finalize the current tracker at its current position and
+  /// open the queue entry at [cursor].
+  Future<void> _advanceTo(int cursor, {bool play = true}) async {
+    final generation = ++_generation;
+    _finalizeCurrentTrack();
+    _queue.jumpTo(cursor);
+    await _openCurrent(generation, play: play);
+  }
+
+  /// Arm (or clear) what the backend should auto-advance into. Skips the
+  /// resolve round-trip when the desired target is already armed; repeat-one
+  /// reuses the current track's resolved source.
+  Future<void> _armNext(int generation) async {
+    final player = _player;
+    if (player == null || generation != _generation) return;
+
+    final targetCursor = _sleepTimerEndOfTrack ? null : _queue.nextIndex();
+    final target = targetCursor == null ? null : _queue.trackAt(targetCursor);
+
+    if (target == null) {
+      if (_armed == null) return;
+      appLogger.d('Music: clearing arm (queue end / end-of-track sleep)');
+      _armed = null;
+      await _trySetNext(player, null);
+      return;
+    }
+    if (_armed?.track.globalKey == target.globalKey) return;
+
+    _armed = null;
+    await _trySetNext(player, null);
+    if (generation != _generation || _player != player) return;
+
+    MusicSource source;
+    if (targetCursor == _queue.cursor && _currentSource != null) {
+      // Repeat-one: the same file plays again — reuse the resolved source.
+      source = _currentSource!;
+    } else {
+      try {
+        source = await _resolver.resolve(target);
+      } catch (e, st) {
+        // Fail soft: with nothing armed, the completed event falls back to
+        // an explicit open of the next track (which retries the resolve).
+        appLogger.w('Gapless arm resolve failed for ${target.id}', error: e, stackTrace: st);
+        return;
+      }
+    }
+    if (generation != _generation || _player != player) return;
+    _armed = _ArmedTrack(track: target, source: source);
+    appLogger.d('Music: arming cursor $targetCursor "${target.title}"');
+    final ok = await _trySetNext(player, Media(source.url, headers: source.headers));
+    if (!ok && generation == _generation && _player == player) {
+      // Nothing is armed natively; clear the record so the confirmed
+      // completed fallback can advance explicitly instead of waiting for a
+      // transition that can never come.
+      _armed = null;
+    }
+  }
+
+  Future<bool> _trySetNext(Player player, Media? media) async {
+    try {
+      await player.setNext(media);
+      return true;
+    } catch (e) {
+      appLogger.w('setNext failed', error: e);
+      return false;
+    }
+  }
+
+  /// Re-arm only when queue/mode changes altered what plays next — queue
+  /// edits that keep the same next track cost no server round-trip.
+  void _rearmIfNeeded() {
+    if (_player == null || _currentTrack == null) return;
+    final targetCursor = _sleepTimerEndOfTrack ? null : _queue.nextIndex();
+    final target = targetCursor == null ? null : _queue.trackAt(targetCursor);
+    if (target == null && _armed == null) return;
+    if (target != null && _armed?.track.globalKey == target.globalKey) return;
+    unawaited(_armNext(_generation));
+  }
+
+  // ---------------------------------------------------------------------
+  // Player events
+  // ---------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+  Player _ensurePlayer() {
+    final existing = _player;
+    if (existing != null && !existing.disposed) return existing;
+    final player = _audioPlayerFactory();
+    _player = player;
+    _wirePlayerStreams(player);
+    return player;
+  }
+
+  void _wirePlayerStreams(Player player) {
+    for (final sub in _playerSubs) {
+      sub.cancel();
+    }
+    _playerSubs
+      ..clear()
+      ..add(player.streams.position.listen(_onPosition))
+      ..add(player.streams.playing.listen(_onPlayingChanged))
+      ..add(player.streams.trackTransition.listen(_onTrackTransition))
+      ..add(player.streams.completed.listen(_onCompleted))
+      ..add(player.streams.error.listen(_onPlayerError));
+  }
+
+  void _onPosition(Duration position) {
+    _positionController.add(position);
+    // Real playback progress proves the pipeline recovered — reset the
+    // consecutive-failure strike counter.
+    if (_consecutiveFailures != 0 && position > Duration.zero && _status == MusicPlaybackStatus.playing) {
+      _consecutiveFailures = 0;
+    }
+    final player = _player;
+    if (player != null) {
+      _mediaControls?.updatePlaybackState(isPlaying: player.state.isActive, position: position, speed: 1.0);
+    }
+  }
+
+  void _onPlayingChanged(bool isPlaying) {
+    if (_status == MusicPlaybackStatus.playing || _status == MusicPlaybackStatus.paused) {
+      _setStatus(isPlaying ? MusicPlaybackStatus.playing : MusicPlaybackStatus.paused);
+      unawaited(_tracker?.sendProgress(isPlaying ? 'playing' : 'paused'));
+    }
+    final player = _player;
+    if (player != null) {
+      _mediaControls?.updatePlaybackState(
+        isPlaying: player.state.isActive,
+        position: player.currentPosition,
+        speed: 1.0,
+        force: true,
+      );
+    }
+  }
+
+  /// The backend auto-advanced into the pre-armed item: authoritative
+  /// track change.
+  void _onTrackTransition(String uri) {
+    final armed = _armed;
+    if (armed == null || armed.source.url != uri) {
+      appLogger.w('Unexpected track transition to $uri (armed: ${armed?.source.url})');
+      return;
+    }
+    _armed = null;
+    final generation = ++_generation;
+
+    // The finished track played out fully — report stopped at its duration.
+    final finishedMs = _currentTrack?.durationMs;
+    _finalizeCurrentTrack(positionOverride: finishedMs != null ? Duration(milliseconds: finishedMs) : null);
+
+    // Move the cursor to the armed entry: the expected natural-next when it
+    // still matches, otherwise wherever the armed track now sits.
+    final expected = _queue.nextIndex();
+    if (expected != null && _queue.trackAt(expected)?.globalKey == armed.track.globalKey) {
+      _queue.jumpTo(expected);
+    } else {
+      final index = _queue.queue.indexWhere((t) => t.globalKey == armed.track.globalKey);
+      if (index >= 0) _queue.jumpTo(index);
+    }
+
+    _currentTrack = _queue.current ?? armed.track;
+    _currentSource = armed.source;
+    _consecutiveFailures = 0;
+    appLogger.d('Music: transition received "${armed.track.title}" → cursor ${_queue.cursor}');
+    _setStatus(MusicPlaybackStatus.playing, forceNotify: true);
+    _bindTrackServices(_currentTrack!, armed.source);
+    unawaited(_armNext(generation));
+  }
+
+  /// Completed (eof-reached) is NOT a last-entry-only signal: mpv pulses it
+  /// at every gapless boundary (the audio of the finished entry drains
+  /// before the armed entry starts), and its delivery order against the
+  /// trackTransition event is not guaranteed. A boundary pulse that lands
+  /// after the transition already cleared [_armed] (re-arm still resolving)
+  /// looks exactly like "queue advanced with nothing armed" — acting on it
+  /// immediately double-advanced the queue (skipped a track, cut off the
+  /// just-started file; live-captured on Android). So never act on the raw
+  /// pulse: confirm it is stable first. A boundary pulse is followed by
+  /// eof-reached=false / a transition within milliseconds (which resets
+  /// `state.completed` and bumps [_generation]); at a genuine queue end,
+  /// sleep-at-end-of-track, or failed arm it stays true, and the confirmed
+  /// handler advances explicitly or parks.
+  void _onCompleted(bool done) {
+    if (!done || _currentTrack == null || _status == MusicPlaybackStatus.idle) return;
+    appLogger.d('Music: completed received (armed=${_armed != null}, cursor ${_queue.cursor})');
+    if (_armed != null) return; // The backend advances; trackTransition handles it.
+
+    final generation = _generation;
+    _completedConfirmTimer?.cancel();
+    _completedConfirmTimer = Timer(_completedConfirmDelay, () {
+      _completedConfirmTimer = null;
+      if (_disposed || generation != _generation || _armed != null) return;
+      if (_player?.state.completed != true) return; // stale boundary pulse
+      appLogger.d('Music: completed confirmed (cursor ${_queue.cursor})');
+      _handleQueueCompleted();
+    });
+  }
+
+  /// Confirmed end of the current file with nothing armed: queue end,
+  /// sleep-at-end-of-track, or a failed arm (fall back to an explicit open).
+  void _handleQueueCompleted() {
+    if (_sleepTimerEndOfTrack) {
+      _sleepTimerEndOfTrack = false;
+      _parkAtEnd();
+      return;
+    }
+
+    final nextCursor = _queue.nextIndex();
+    if (nextCursor != null) {
+      unawaited(_advanceTo(nextCursor));
+      return;
+    }
+    _parkAtEnd();
+  }
+
+  /// Queue played out: report the final track stopped at its duration and
+  /// park paused at the end. [currentTrack] stays set so the mini-player
+  /// remains; pressing play restarts the current track from the top.
+  void _parkAtEnd() {
+    _generation++;
+    final finishedMs = _currentTrack?.durationMs;
+    _finalizeCurrentTrack(positionOverride: finishedMs != null ? Duration(milliseconds: finishedMs) : null);
+    _setStatus(MusicPlaybackStatus.paused, forceNotify: true);
+    final player = _player;
+    if (player != null) {
+      _mediaControls?.updatePlaybackState(isPlaying: false, position: player.currentPosition, speed: 1.0, force: true);
+    }
+  }
+
+  void _onPlayerError(PlayerError error) {
+    if (_status == MusicPlaybackStatus.idle || _status == MusicPlaybackStatus.error) return;
+    appLogger.w('Music player error: $error');
+    _handlePlaybackFailure(error);
+  }
+
+  /// Shared recovery for resolve/open/player errors: surface, then skip to
+  /// the next track; three consecutive strikes stop the session as failed.
+  void _handlePlaybackFailure(Object error) {
+    _errorsController.add(error);
+    _consecutiveFailures++;
+    if (_consecutiveFailures >= _maxConsecutiveFailures) {
+      unawaited(_stopSession(endStatus: MusicPlaybackStatus.error));
+      return;
+    }
+    final nextCursor = _queue.nextIndex(manual: true);
+    if (nextCursor == null) {
+      unawaited(_stopSession(endStatus: MusicPlaybackStatus.error));
+      return;
+    }
+    unawaited(_advanceTo(nextCursor));
+  }
+
+  // ---------------------------------------------------------------------
+  // Per-track services (progress reporting + OS media controls)
+  // ---------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+  /// (Re)bind the per-track progress tracker and media-session metadata —
+  /// the music mirror of the video screen's `_wirePerItemPlaybackServices`.
+  /// The previous track must already be finalized.
+  void _bindTrackServices(MediaItem track, MusicSource source) {
+    _tracker?.dispose();
+    _tracker = null;
+    final player = _player;
+    if (player == null) return;
+
+    final client = source.reportingClient;
+    if (client != null) {
+      _tracker = PlaybackProgressTracker(
+        client: client,
+        metadata: track,
+        player: player,
+        offlineWatchService: _offlineWatchService,
+        // Local files keep reporting online but queue locally when the
+        // server rejects the report — same policy as downloaded video.
+        queueOnOnlineFailure: source.isOffline && _offlineWatchService != null,
+        playMethod: source.playMethod ?? 'DirectPlay',
+        playSessionId: source.playSessionId,
+        mediaInfo: source.mediaInfo,
+      )..startTracking();
+    } else if (source.isOffline && _offlineWatchService != null) {
+      _tracker = PlaybackProgressTracker(
+        client: null,
+        metadata: track,
+        player: player,
+        isOffline: true,
+        offlineWatchService: _offlineWatchService,
+      )..startTracking();
+    }
+
+    final controls = _mediaControls;
+    if (controls != null) {
+      unawaited(
+        controls.updateMetadata(
+          metadata: track,
+          client: client ?? _clientFor(track),
+          duration: track.durationMs != null ? Duration(milliseconds: track.durationMs!) : null,
+        ),
+      );
+      _syncControlsAvailability();
+    }
+  }
+
+  /// Stop tracking and fire the final `stopped` report for the current
+  /// track (fire-and-forget; report sessions are per track so the next
+  /// track's `started` can overlap safely).
+  void _finalizeCurrentTrack({Duration? positionOverride}) {
+    final tracker = _tracker;
+    _tracker = null;
+    if (tracker == null) return;
+    tracker.stopTracking();
+    unawaited(
+      tracker.sendStoppedProgressOnce(positionOverride: positionOverride).catchError((Object e) {
+        appLogger.d('Final music progress report failed', error: e);
+      }),
+    );
+  }
+
+  void _ensureMediaControls() {
+    if (_mediaControls != null) return;
+    final controls = _mediaControlsFactory();
+    _mediaControls = controls;
+    _controlEventsSub = controls.controlEvents.listen(_onControlEvent);
+  }
+
+  void _syncControlsAvailability() {
+    unawaited(
+      _mediaControls?.setControlsEnabled(
+        canGoNext: _queue.nextIndex(manual: true) != null,
+        // Previous always restarts the track even at queue head.
+        canGoPrevious: true,
+        canSeek: true,
+      ),
+    );
+  }
+
+  void _onControlEvent(MediaControlEvent event) {
+    if (_disposed || _currentTrack == null) return;
+    if (event is PlayEvent) {
+      unawaited(play());
+    } else if (event is PauseEvent) {
+      unawaited(pause());
+    } else if (event is TogglePlayPauseEvent) {
+      unawaited(togglePlayPause());
+    } else if (event is NextTrackEvent) {
+      unawaited(next());
+    } else if (event is PreviousTrackEvent) {
+      unawaited(previous());
+    } else if (event is SeekEvent) {
+      unawaited(seek(event.position));
+    } else if (event is AudioInterruptionBeganEvent || event is AudioRouteOldDeviceUnavailableEvent) {
+      // Remember whether we were playing so interruption-end/route-return
+      // can resume. Unlike video, music resumes even while backgrounded —
+      // background audio is the product.
+      _resumeAfterInterruption = _player?.state.isActive ?? false;
+      unawaited(pause());
+    } else if (event is AudioInterruptionEndedEvent) {
+      if (event.shouldResume && _resumeAfterInterruption) {
+        _resumeAfterInterruption = false;
+        unawaited(play());
+      } else {
+        _resumeAfterInterruption = false;
+      }
+    } else if (event is AudioRouteNewDeviceAvailableEvent) {
+      if (_resumeAfterInterruption) {
+        _resumeAfterInterruption = false;
+        unawaited(play());
+      }
+    }
+  }
+
+  // ---------------------------------------------------------------------
+  // Transport
+  // ---------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+  @override
+  Future<void> play() async {
+    final player = _player;
+    if (player == null || _currentTrack == null) return;
+    if (player.state.completed) {
+      // Parked at queue end: restart the current track.
+      await player.seek(Duration.zero);
+      unawaited(_armNext(_generation));
+    }
+    await player.play();
+    _setStatus(MusicPlaybackStatus.playing);
+  }
+
+  @override
+  Future<void> pause() async {
+    final player = _player;
+    if (player == null) return;
+    await player.pause();
+    _setStatus(MusicPlaybackStatus.paused);
+  }
+
+  @override
+  Future<void> togglePlayPause() {
+    final player = _player;
+    if (player == null) return Future.value();
+    return player.state.isActive ? pause() : play();
+  }
+
+  @override
+  Future<void> next() async {
+    final nextCursor = _queue.nextIndex(manual: true);
+    if (nextCursor == null) return;
+    await _advanceTo(nextCursor);
+  }
+
+  @override
+  Future<void> previous() async {
+    final player = _player;
+    if (player == null) return;
+    if (player.currentPosition > _previousRestartThreshold) {
+      await player.seek(Duration.zero);
+      return;
+    }
+    final prevCursor = _queue.previousIndex();
+    if (prevCursor == null) {
+      await player.seek(Duration.zero);
+      return;
+    }
+    await _advanceTo(prevCursor);
+  }
+
+  @override
+  Future<void> seek(Duration position) async {
+    await _player?.seek(position);
+  }
+
+  @override
+  Future<void> jumpTo(int index) async {
+    if (index < 0 || index >= _queue.length || index == _queue.cursor) return;
+    await _advanceTo(index);
+  }
+
+  // ---------------------------------------------------------------------
+  // Queue / mode edits
+  // ---------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+  @override
+  void setRepeatMode(MusicRepeatMode mode) {
+    if (_queue.repeatMode == mode) return;
+    _queue.repeatMode = mode;
+    _rearmIfNeeded();
+    _syncControlsAvailability();
+    notifyListeners();
+  }
+
+  @override
+  void toggleShuffle() {
+    if (_queue.isEmpty) return;
+    _queue.toggleShuffle();
+    _rearmIfNeeded();
+    _syncControlsAvailability();
+    notifyListeners();
+  }
+
+  @override
+  void removeAt(int index) {
+    if (index < 0 || index >= _queue.length) return;
+    final wasCurrent = _queue.removeAt(index);
+    if (wasCurrent) {
+      if (_queue.isEmpty) {
+        unawaited(stop());
+        return;
+      }
+      // The cursor already points at what used to be next — open it.
+      unawaited(_advanceTo(_queue.cursor));
+      return;
+    }
+    _rearmIfNeeded();
+    _syncControlsAvailability();
+    notifyListeners();
+  }
+
+  @override
+  void reorder(int from, int to) {
+    if (from == to) return;
+    _queue.move(from, to);
+    _rearmIfNeeded();
+    _syncControlsAvailability();
+    notifyListeners();
+  }
+
+  @override
+  void addNext(List<MediaItem> tracks) => _enqueue(tracks, next: true);
+
+  @override
+  void addToEnd(List<MediaItem> tracks) => _enqueue(tracks, next: false);
+
+  /// Queue edits while idle start a session parked on the first added track
+  /// (mini-player appears paused) instead of silently dropping the action
+  /// or surprising the user with audio.
+  void _enqueue(List<MediaItem> tracks, {required bool next}) {
+    if (tracks.isEmpty) return;
+    if (_queue.isEmpty || _currentTrack == null) {
+      final first = tracks.first;
+      unawaited(
+        _startQueue(
+          tracks: tracks,
+          playContext: MusicPlayContext(
+            title: first.albumTitle ?? first.title ?? '',
+            kind: MusicPlayContextKind.tracks,
+          ),
+          autoplay: false,
+        ),
+      );
+      return;
+    }
+    if (next) {
+      _queue.addNext(tracks);
+    } else {
+      _queue.addToEnd(tracks);
+    }
+    _rearmIfNeeded();
+    _syncControlsAvailability();
+    notifyListeners();
+  }
+
+  @override
+  void clearUpcoming() {
+    if (_queue.isEmpty) return;
+    _queue.clearUpcoming();
+    _rearmIfNeeded();
+    _syncControlsAvailability();
+    notifyListeners();
+  }
+
+  // ---------------------------------------------------------------------
+  // Sleep timer
+  // ---------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+  @override
+  void setSleepTimer(Duration? duration, {bool endOfTrack = false}) {
+    _sleepTimer?.cancel();
+    _sleepTimer = null;
+    _sleepTimerEndsAt = null;
+    final hadEndOfTrack = _sleepTimerEndOfTrack;
+    _sleepTimerEndOfTrack = endOfTrack;
+    if (!endOfTrack && duration != null) {
+      _sleepTimerEndsAt = DateTime.now().add(duration);
+      _sleepTimer = Timer(duration, _onSleepTimerFired);
+    }
+    // End-of-track mode suppresses gapless arming (and leaving it restores
+    // the arm), so the track genuinely completes instead of transitioning.
+    if (hadEndOfTrack != _sleepTimerEndOfTrack) {
+      unawaited(_armNext(_generation));
+    }
+    notifyListeners();
+  }
+
+  void _onSleepTimerFired() {
+    _sleepTimer = null;
+    _sleepTimerEndsAt = null;
+    unawaited(pause());
+    notifyListeners();
+  }
+
+  void _cancelSleepTimer() {
+    _sleepTimer?.cancel();
+    _sleepTimer = null;
+    _sleepTimerEndsAt = null;
+    _sleepTimerEndOfTrack = false;
+  }
+
+  // ---------------------------------------------------------------------
+  // Stop / teardown
+  // ---------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+  @override
+  Future<void> stop() => _stopSession(endStatus: MusicPlaybackStatus.idle);
+
+  /// The coordinator's video claim uses the exact same full-stop path, so
+  /// the audio core is guaranteed disposed when it resolves.
+  Future<void> _stopForVideoClaim() => _stopSession(endStatus: MusicPlaybackStatus.idle);
+
+  Future<void> _stopSession({required MusicPlaybackStatus endStatus}) async {
+    _generation++;
+    _completedConfirmTimer?.cancel();
+    _completedConfirmTimer = null;
+    _cancelSleepTimer();
+    _finalizeCurrentTrack();
+    _queue.clear();
+    _currentTrack = null;
+    _currentSource = null;
+    _armed = null;
+    _playContext = null;
+    _resumeAfterInterruption = false;
+
+    final player = _player;
+    _player = null;
+    for (final sub in _playerSubs) {
+      unawaited(sub.cancel());
+    }
+    _playerSubs.clear();
+    if (player != null && !player.disposed) {
+      try {
+        await player.stop();
+      } catch (e) {
+        appLogger.d('Audio player stop failed during session teardown', error: e);
+      }
+      try {
+        await player.abandonAudioFocus();
+      } catch (e) {
+        appLogger.d('Audio focus abandon failed during session teardown', error: e);
+      }
+      try {
+        await player.dispose();
+      } catch (e) {
+        appLogger.w('Audio player dispose failed during session teardown', error: e);
+      }
+    }
+
+    unawaited(_controlEventsSub?.cancel());
+    _controlEventsSub = null;
+    final controls = _mediaControls;
+    _mediaControls = null;
+    if (controls != null) {
+      unawaited(controls.clear());
+      controls.dispose();
+    }
+
+    _setStatus(endStatus, forceNotify: true);
+  }
+
+  @override
+  Future<Lyrics?> fetchLyrics(MediaItem track) async {
+    final client = _clientFor(track);
+    if (client == null) return null;
+    return client.fetchLyrics(track);
+  }
+
+  MediaServerClient? _clientFor(MediaItem item) {
+    final serverId = serverIdOrNull(item.serverId);
+    if (serverId == null) return null;
+    return _serverManager.getClient(serverId);
+  }
+
+  void _setStatus(MusicPlaybackStatus status, {bool forceNotify = false}) {
+    if (_disposed) return;
+    if (_status == status && !forceNotify) return;
+    _status = status;
+    notifyListeners();
+  }
+
+  @override
+  void dispose() {
+    if (_disposed) return;
+    _disposed = true;
+    _coordinator.unregisterMusicSession(_stopForVideoClaim);
+    _completedConfirmTimer?.cancel();
+    _completedConfirmTimer = null;
+    _cancelSleepTimer();
+    _finalizeCurrentTrack();
+    for (final sub in _playerSubs) {
+      unawaited(sub.cancel());
+    }
+    _playerSubs.clear();
+    unawaited(_controlEventsSub?.cancel());
+    _controlEventsSub = null;
+    final player = _player;
+    _player = null;
+    if (player != null && !player.disposed) {
+      unawaited(
+        player.abandonAudioFocus().catchError((Object e) {
+          appLogger.d('Audio focus abandon failed during dispose', error: e);
+        }),
+      );
+      unawaited(player.dispose());
+    }
+    final controls = _mediaControls;
+    _mediaControls = null;
+    if (controls != null) {
+      unawaited(controls.clear());
+      controls.dispose();
+    }
+    unawaited(_positionController.close());
+    unawaited(_errorsController.close());
+    super.dispose();
+  }
+}
diff --git a/lib/services/music/music_queue_controller.dart b/lib/services/music/music_queue_controller.dart
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..3a3867a4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/services/music/music_queue_controller.dart
@@ -0,0 +1,190 @@
+import 'dart:math';
+
+import '../../media/media_item.dart';
+import 'music_playback_service.dart';
+
+/// Pure, deterministic queue state for the music session — no I/O, no player.
+///
+/// Holds the canonical track list ([_items], insertion order) plus a playback
+/// order ([_order], indexes into the canonical list; the identity permutation
+/// while unshuffled) and the [cursor] into that playback order. Every index a
+/// caller passes in ([jumpTo], [removeAt], [move]) is a *playback-order*
+/// index — the same flat list the queue UI renders via [queue].
+///
+/// The controller only mutates state; deciding what to do about it (open a
+/// new track, re-arm gapless, stop) is the service's job.
+class MusicQueueController {
+  MusicQueueController({Random? random}) : _random = random ?? Random();
+
+  final Random _random;
+
+  /// Canonical tracks in the order they were loaded/enqueued. Restored as
+  /// the playback order when shuffle turns off.
+  final List<MediaItem> _items = [];
+
+  /// Playback order: indexes into [_items]. Identity when unshuffled.
+  List<int> _order = [];
+
+  int _cursor = -1;
+  bool _shuffled = false;
+
+  MusicRepeatMode repeatMode = MusicRepeatMode.off;
+
+  bool get isEmpty => _items.isEmpty;
+  int get length => _order.length;
+  bool get shuffled => _shuffled;
+
+  /// Position of the current track within the playback order; -1 when empty.
+  int get cursor => _cursor;
+
+  MediaItem? get current => trackAt(_cursor);
+
+  /// Full queue in playback order (what the UI renders).
+  List<MediaItem> get queue => [for (final i in _order) _items[i]];
+
+  MediaItem? trackAt(int queueIndex) =>
+      queueIndex >= 0 && queueIndex < _order.length ? _items[_order[queueIndex]] : null;
+
+  /// Replace the queue with [tracks], starting at [startIndex]. With
+  /// [shuffle] the start track is anchored first and the rest shuffle after
+  /// it (it keeps playing / plays first).
+  void load(List<MediaItem> tracks, {int startIndex = 0, bool shuffle = false}) {
+    _items
+      ..clear()
+      ..addAll(tracks);
+    _order = List.generate(tracks.length, (i) => i);
+    _shuffled = false;
+    _cursor = tracks.isEmpty ? -1 : startIndex.clamp(0, tracks.length - 1);
+    if (shuffle && tracks.isNotEmpty) _shuffleAnchoringCurrent();
+  }
+
+  void clear() {
+    _items.clear();
+    _order = [];
+    _cursor = -1;
+    _shuffled = false;
+  }
+
+  /// Playback-order position that plays after the current one, or null when
+  /// playback should end there. Natural advancement (`manual: false`)
+  /// honors repeat-one by returning the cursor itself; a user-initiated
+  /// next (`manual: true`) always steps to the following entry.
+  int? nextIndex({bool manual = false}) {
+    if (_order.isEmpty || _cursor < 0) return null;
+    if (repeatMode == MusicRepeatMode.one && !manual) return _cursor;
+    final next = _cursor + 1;
+    if (next < _order.length) return next;
+    return repeatMode == MusicRepeatMode.all ? 0 : null;
+  }
+
+  /// Playback-order position before the current one, or null when there is
+  /// none (the service restarts the current track in that case).
+  int? previousIndex() {
+    if (_order.isEmpty || _cursor < 0) return null;
+    final prev = _cursor - 1;
+    if (prev >= 0) return prev;
+    return repeatMode == MusicRepeatMode.all ? _order.length - 1 : null;
+  }
+
+  void jumpTo(int queueIndex) {
+    if (queueIndex < 0 || queueIndex >= _order.length) return;
+    _cursor = queueIndex;
+  }
+
+  /// Insert [tracks] directly after the current entry.
+  void addNext(List<MediaItem> tracks) {
+    if (tracks.isEmpty) return;
+    _order.insertAll(_cursor < 0 ? 0 : _cursor + 1, _append(tracks));
+    if (_cursor < 0) _cursor = 0;
+  }
+
+  void addToEnd(List<MediaItem> tracks) {
+    if (tracks.isEmpty) return;
+    _order.addAll(_append(tracks));
+    if (_cursor < 0) _cursor = 0;
+  }
+
+  List<int> _append(List<MediaItem> tracks) {
+    final first = _items.length;
+    _items.addAll(tracks);
+    return List.generate(tracks.length, (i) => first + i);
+  }
+
+  /// Remove the queue entry at playback-order [queueIndex]. Returns true
+  /// when the removed entry was the current track — the cursor then points
+  /// at what used to be the next entry (or the new last entry when the
+  /// current one was last; -1 when the queue emptied), and the caller
+  /// decides whether to open it.
+  bool removeAt(int queueIndex) {
+    if (queueIndex < 0 || queueIndex >= _order.length) return false;
+    final wasCurrent = queueIndex == _cursor;
+    final itemIndex = _order.removeAt(queueIndex);
+    _items.removeAt(itemIndex);
+    for (var i = 0; i < _order.length; i++) {
+      if (_order[i] > itemIndex) _order[i]--;
+    }
+    if (queueIndex < _cursor) {
+      _cursor--;
+    } else if (_cursor >= _order.length) {
+      _cursor = _order.length - 1;
+    }
+    return wasCurrent;
+  }
+
+  /// Reorder the playback queue: move the entry at [from] to [to] (both
+  /// playback-order indexes). The cursor keeps tracking the current track.
+  void move(int from, int to) {
+    if (from < 0 || from >= _order.length || to < 0 || to >= _order.length || from == to) {
+      return;
+    }
+    final entry = _order.removeAt(from);
+    _order.insert(to, entry);
+    if (from == _cursor) {
+      _cursor = to;
+    } else if (from < _cursor && to >= _cursor) {
+      _cursor--;
+    } else if (from > _cursor && to <= _cursor) {
+      _cursor++;
+    }
+  }
+
+  /// Toggle shuffle. Turning it on anchors the current track first and
+  /// shuffles the rest after it; turning it off restores canonical order
+  /// with the cursor following the current track.
+  void toggleShuffle() {
+    if (_items.isEmpty) return;
+    if (_shuffled) {
+      final currentItem = _order[_cursor];
+      _order = List.generate(_items.length, (i) => i);
+      _cursor = currentItem;
+      _shuffled = false;
+    } else {
+      _shuffleAnchoringCurrent();
+    }
+  }
+
+  void _shuffleAnchoringCurrent() {
+    final anchor = _order[_cursor < 0 ? 0 : _cursor];
+    final rest = [
+      for (final i in _order)
+        if (i != anchor) i,
+    ]..shuffle(_random);
+    _order = [anchor, ...rest];
+    _cursor = 0;
+    _shuffled = true;
+  }
+
+  /// Drop everything after the current entry (playback order), including
+  /// the underlying canonical items.
+  void clearUpcoming() {
+    if (_cursor < 0 || _cursor >= _order.length - 1) return;
+    final removedItemIndexes = _order.sublist(_cursor + 1)..sort();
+    _order.removeRange(_cursor + 1, _order.length);
+    for (final itemIndex in removedItemIndexes.reversed) {
+      _items.removeAt(itemIndex);
+      for (var i = 0; i < _order.length; i++) {
+        if (_order[i] > itemIndex) _order[i]--;
+      }
+    }
+  }
+}
diff --git a/lib/services/music/music_source_resolver.dart b/lib/services/music/music_source_resolver.dart
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..4481321e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/services/music/music_source_resolver.dart
@@ -0,0 +1,103 @@
+import '../../database/app_database.dart';
+import '../../media/media_item.dart';
+import '../../media/media_server_client.dart';
+import '../../media/media_source_info.dart';
+import '../../models/transcode_quality_preset.dart';
+import '../../utils/session_identifier.dart';
+import '../multi_server_manager.dart';
+import '../playback_initialization_service.dart';
+import '../playback_source_resolver.dart';
+import '../settings_service.dart';
+
+/// Everything the music engine needs to open and report one track.
+class MusicSource {
+  /// Playable stream URL (or `file://` path for downloaded tracks).
+  final String url;
+
+  /// HTTP headers to open [url] with (Plex identity headers; null for
+  /// local files and backends that self-authenticate via the query string).
+  final Map<String, String>? headers;
+
+  /// Server playback session id to echo in progress reports.
+  final String? playSessionId;
+
+  /// `DirectPlay` / `Transcode` for progress reports.
+  final String? playMethod;
+
+  final int selectedMediaIndex;
+  final String? selectedMediaSourceId;
+
+  /// True when [url] points at a downloaded/local copy.
+  final bool isOffline;
+
+  final MediaSourceInfo? mediaInfo;
+
+  /// Client that should receive progress reports for this track (null when
+  /// its server is unreachable — offline reports queue locally instead).
+  final MediaServerClient? reportingClient;
+
+  const MusicSource({
+    required this.url,
+    this.headers,
+    this.playSessionId,
+    this.playMethod,
+    this.selectedMediaIndex = 0,
+    this.selectedMediaSourceId,
+    this.isOffline = false,
+    this.mediaInfo,
+    this.reportingClient,
+  });
+}
+
+/// Seam between the music engine and playback initialization, so tests can
+/// inject synthetic sources without any network or database.
+abstract class MusicSourceResolver {
+  Future<MusicSource> resolve(MediaItem track);
+}
+
+/// Production resolver: delegates to the shared [PlaybackSourceResolver] /
+/// [PlaybackInitializationService] pipeline, which routes
+/// [MediaKind.track] items down the per-backend audio path (music transcode
+/// preset) and substitutes downloaded copies before touching the network.
+class ServerMusicSourceResolver implements MusicSourceResolver {
+  final MultiServerManager serverManager;
+  final AppDatabase database;
+
+  ServerMusicSourceResolver({required this.serverManager, required this.database});
+
+  @override
+  Future<MusicSource> resolve(MediaItem track) async {
+    final settings = await SettingsService.getInstance();
+    final context = await PlaybackSourceResolver(serverManager: serverManager, database: database).resolve(
+      metadata: track,
+      selectedMediaIndex: 0,
+      offlineLibraryMode: false,
+      // Video-shaped preset is ignored for tracks; `original` also keeps the
+      // resolver's downloaded-copy preference on.
+      qualityPreset: TranscodeQualityPreset.original,
+      audioQualityPreset: settings.read(SettingsService.musicQualityPreset),
+      // Plex music transcode requires both session ids; fresh per track so
+      // concurrent gapless arming never reuses a live transcode session.
+      sessionIdentifier: generateSessionIdentifier(),
+      transcodeSessionId: generateSessionIdentifier(),
+    );
+
+    final result = context.result;
+    final url = result.videoUrl;
+    if (url == null) {
+      throw PlaybackException('No audio URL available for ${track.title ?? track.id}');
+    }
+
+    return MusicSource(
+      url: url,
+      headers: context.streamHeaders,
+      playSessionId: result.playSessionId,
+      playMethod: result.playMethod ?? (result.isTranscoding ? 'Transcode' : 'DirectPlay'),
+      selectedMediaIndex: result.selectedMediaIndex,
+      selectedMediaSourceId: result.selectedMediaSourceId,
+      isOffline: result.isOffline,
+      mediaInfo: result.mediaInfo,
+      reportingClient: context.reportingClient,
+    );
+  }
+}
diff --git a/lib/services/playback_coordinator.dart b/lib/services/playback_coordinator.dart
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..77a6a1b8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/services/playback_coordinator.dart
@@ -0,0 +1,55 @@
+import '../utils/app_logger.dart';
+
+/// Arbitrates the one-native-player-instance rule between the music engine
+/// and the video player.
+///
+/// Only one native playback core is kept alive at a time: the music
+/// service's audio `Player` lives across screens, while the video core only
+/// exists while the video player screen is open. The video screen calls
+/// [claimVideo] at the very start of its player initialization so a playing
+/// music session is fully stopped *and its native core disposed* before the
+/// video core is constructed.
+class PlaybackCoordinator {
+  PlaybackCoordinator._();
+
+  static final PlaybackCoordinator instance = PlaybackCoordinator._();
+
+  Future<void> Function()? _stopMusicSession;
+
+  /// Register the active music session's teardown. [stopAndDispose] must
+  /// stop playback, send final progress, and dispose the audio `Player`
+  /// before completing. Replaces any previous registration (there is one
+  /// music service per profile session).
+  void registerMusicSession({required Future<void> Function() stopAndDispose}) {
+    _stopMusicSession = stopAndDispose;
+  }
+
+  /// Remove [stopAndDispose] if it is the current registration. Passing the
+  /// same callback used to register keeps a stale unregister (from an
+  /// already-replaced session) from tearing down the new one.
+  void unregisterMusicSession(Future<void> Function() stopAndDispose) {
+    if (_stopMusicSession == stopAndDispose) _stopMusicSession = null;
+  }
+
+  /// Video playback is about to construct its native core: stop and dispose
+  /// any live music session first. Completes once the audio core is gone.
+  Future<void> claimVideo() async {
+    final stop = _stopMusicSession;
+    if (stop == null) return;
+    try {
+      await stop();
+    } catch (e, st) {
+      // The video player must still be able to start; a wedged audio core
+      // is strictly worse than a leaked stop error.
+      appLogger.w('PlaybackCoordinator: music session teardown failed', error: e, stackTrace: st);
+    }
+  }
+
+  /// Music playback is about to construct its audio core. Currently a no-op
+  /// guard: the video core only exists while the video player screen is
+  /// open, and music playback cannot be started from inside that screen —
+  /// leaving it disposes the video core before any music UI is reachable.
+  /// Kept as an explicit seam so a future "start music over video" flow has
+  /// a single place to add the reverse teardown.
+  Future<void> claimMusic() async {}
+}
diff --git a/lib/services/playback_initialization_service.dart b/lib/services/playback_initialization_service.dart
index 8da585b0..cf007b14 100644
--- a/lib/services/playback_initialization_service.dart
+++ b/lib/services/playback_initialization_service.dart
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ import '../media/media_item.dart';
 import '../media/media_item_types.dart';
 import '../media/media_server_client.dart';
 import '../media/media_source_info.dart';
+import '../models/audio_quality_preset.dart';
 import '../models/download_models.dart';
 import '../models/transcode_quality_preset.dart';
 import '../mpv/models.dart';
@@ -156,6 +157,7 @@ class PlaybackInitializationService {
     String? preferredVersionSignature,
     bool preferOffline = false,
     TranscodeQualityPreset qualityPreset = TranscodeQualityPreset.original,
+    AudioQualityPreset? audioQualityPreset,
     int? selectedAudioStreamId,
     String? sessionIdentifier,
     String? transcodeSessionId,
@@ -200,6 +202,7 @@ class PlaybackInitializationService {
           selectedMediaSourceId: selectedMediaSourceId,
           preferredVersionSignature: preferredVersionSignature,
           qualityPreset: qualityPreset,
+          audioQualityPreset: audioQualityPreset,
           selectedAudioStreamId: selectedAudioStreamId,
           sessionIdentifier: sessionIdentifier,
           transcodeSessionId: transcodeSessionId,
diff --git a/lib/services/playback_source_resolver.dart b/lib/services/playback_source_resolver.dart
index ab0d26ef..bae80697 100644
--- a/lib/services/playback_source_resolver.dart
+++ b/lib/services/playback_source_resolver.dart
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ import '../media/ids.dart';
 import '../media/media_backend.dart';
 import '../media/media_item.dart';
 import '../media/media_server_client.dart';
+import '../models/audio_quality_preset.dart';
 import '../models/transcode_quality_preset.dart';
 import 'multi_server_manager.dart';
 import 'playback_context.dart';
@@ -17,6 +18,10 @@ class PlaybackSourceResolver {
   /// [preferOffline] overrides the default downloaded-copy preference
   /// (`offlineLibraryMode || qualityPreset.isOriginal`). Pass false for
   /// flows that must stay on the server stream, e.g. a transcode restart.
+  ///
+  /// [audioQualityPreset] is the music transcode preset, consulted by the
+  /// backends only for [MediaKind.track] items ([qualityPreset] is
+  /// video-shaped and ignored for tracks).
   Future<PlaybackContext> resolve({
     required MediaItem metadata,
     required int selectedMediaIndex,
@@ -24,6 +29,7 @@ class PlaybackSourceResolver {
     String? preferredVersionSignature,
     required bool offlineLibraryMode,
     required TranscodeQualityPreset qualityPreset,
+    AudioQualityPreset? audioQualityPreset,
     int? selectedAudioStreamId,
     String? sessionIdentifier,
     String? transcodeSessionId,
@@ -38,6 +44,7 @@ class PlaybackSourceResolver {
       preferredVersionSignature: preferredVersionSignature,
       preferOffline: preferOffline ?? (offlineLibraryMode || qualityPreset.isOriginal),
       qualityPreset: qualityPreset,
+      audioQualityPreset: audioQualityPreset,
       selectedAudioStreamId: selectedAudioStreamId,
       sessionIdentifier: sessionIdentifier,
       transcodeSessionId: transcodeSessionId,
diff --git a/linux/runner/mpv/mpv_player.cc b/linux/runner/mpv/mpv_player.cc
index 2c7da7cd..48bc5e05 100644
--- a/linux/runner/mpv/mpv_player.cc
+++ b/linux/runner/mpv/mpv_player.cc
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ static void* get_opengl_proc_address(void* ctx, const char* name) {
 
 namespace mpv {
 
-MpvPlayer::MpvPlayer() {}
+MpvPlayer::MpvPlayer(bool audio_only) : audio_only_(audio_only) {}
 
 MpvPlayer::~MpvPlayer() { Dispose(); }
 
@@ -41,15 +41,27 @@ bool MpvPlayer::Initialize() {
     return false;
   }
 
-  // Configure mpv for embedded playback.
-  mpv_set_option_string(mpv_, "vo", "libmpv");
-  mpv_set_option_string(mpv_, "hwdec", "auto");
+  if (audio_only_) {
+    // Music core: no VO, no video decode. vid=no keeps embedded cover art
+    // from ever becoming a video track, and force-window/audio-display make
+    // sure mpv never opens a video output for it either.
+    mpv_set_option_string(mpv_, "vid", "no");
+    mpv_set_option_string(mpv_, "force-window", "no");
+    mpv_set_option_string(mpv_, "audio-display", "no");
+    mpv_set_option_string(mpv_, "gapless-audio", "weak");
+  } else {
+    // Configure mpv for embedded playback.
+    mpv_set_option_string(mpv_, "vo", "libmpv");
+    mpv_set_option_string(mpv_, "hwdec", "auto");
+  }
   mpv_set_option_string(mpv_, "keep-open", "yes");
 
-  // HDR tone mapping
-  mpv_set_option_string(mpv_, "tone-mapping", "auto");
-  mpv_set_option_string(mpv_, "target-colorspace-hint", "no");
-  mpv_set_option_string(mpv_, "hdr-compute-peak", "auto");
+  if (!audio_only_) {
+    // HDR tone mapping
+    mpv_set_option_string(mpv_, "tone-mapping", "auto");
+    mpv_set_option_string(mpv_, "target-colorspace-hint", "no");
+    mpv_set_option_string(mpv_, "hdr-compute-peak", "auto");
+  }
   mpv_set_option_string(mpv_, "idle", "yes");
   mpv_set_option_string(mpv_, "input-default-bindings", "no");
   mpv_set_option_string(mpv_, "input-vo-keyboard", "no");
@@ -71,11 +83,16 @@ bool MpvPlayer::Initialize() {
   // Set up event wakeup callback.
   mpv_set_wakeup_callback(mpv_, OnMpvWakeup, this);
 
-  g_message("MPV: Initialization successful (render context deferred)");
+  g_message("MPV: Initialization successful (%s)", audio_only_ ? "audio-only" : "render context deferred");
   return true;
 }
 
 bool MpvPlayer::InitRenderContext() {
+  if (audio_only_) {
+    g_warning("MPV: InitRenderContext called on an audio-only player");
+    return false;
+  }
+
   if (mpv_gl_) {
     return true;  // Already created.
   }
diff --git a/linux/runner/mpv/mpv_player.h b/linux/runner/mpv/mpv_player.h
index cadf715d..7fb386b5 100644
--- a/linux/runner/mpv/mpv_player.h
+++ b/linux/runner/mpv/mpv_player.h
@@ -34,7 +34,10 @@ using RedrawCallback = std::function<void()>;
 /// commands, properties, and event dispatching.
 class MpvPlayer {
  public:
-  MpvPlayer();
+  /// |audio_only| runs mpv as a music core with video disabled entirely:
+  /// no render context is ever created (InitRenderContext must not be
+  /// called) and no GL/EGL state is touched.
+  explicit MpvPlayer(bool audio_only = false);
   ~MpvPlayer();
 
   /// Initializes the mpv instance and configures options.
@@ -45,6 +48,7 @@ class MpvPlayer {
 
   /// Creates the mpv OpenGL render context.
   /// Must be called with a valid GL context current (e.g., from FlTextureGL::populate).
+  /// Fails on audio-only players.
   /// @return true if render context creation succeeded.
   bool InitRenderContext();
 
@@ -60,8 +64,9 @@ class MpvPlayer {
   /// Disposes mpv and releases resources.
   void Dispose();
 
-  /// Returns true if mpv is initialized (has both mpv handle and render context).
-  bool IsInitialized() const { return mpv_ != nullptr && mpv_gl_ != nullptr; }
+  /// Returns true if mpv is initialized (has both mpv handle and render
+  /// context; audio-only players never have a render context).
+  bool IsInitialized() const { return mpv_ != nullptr && (audio_only_ || mpv_gl_ != nullptr); }
 
   /// Returns true if this player has been disposed.
   bool IsDisposed() const { return disposed_.load(); }
@@ -140,6 +145,7 @@ class MpvPlayer {
   /// Helper to convert mpv_node to FlValue.
   ::_FlValue* NodeToFlValue(mpv_node* node);
 
+  const bool audio_only_;
   mpv_handle* mpv_ = nullptr;
   mpv_render_context* mpv_gl_ = nullptr;
 
diff --git a/linux/runner/mpv/mpv_plugin.cc b/linux/runner/mpv/mpv_plugin.cc
index 98406c4c..09988169 100644
--- a/linux/runner/mpv/mpv_plugin.cc
+++ b/linux/runner/mpv/mpv_plugin.cc
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ struct _MpvPlugin {
   MpvTexture* texture;  // owned via GObject ref
   gboolean visible;
   gboolean initialized;
+  gboolean audio_only;
 };
 
 G_DEFINE_TYPE(MpvPlugin, mpv_plugin, G_TYPE_OBJECT)
@@ -67,31 +68,43 @@ static void mpv_plugin_init(MpvPlugin* self) {
   self->initialized = FALSE;
   self->texture = nullptr;
   self->texture_registrar = nullptr;
+  self->audio_only = FALSE;
 }
 
-MpvPlugin* mpv_plugin_new(FlPluginRegistrar* registrar) {
+MpvPlugin* mpv_plugin_new(FlPluginRegistrar* registrar, const gchar* channel_name, gboolean audio_only) {
   MpvPlugin* self = MPV_PLUGIN(g_object_new(MPV_PLUGIN_TYPE, nullptr));
 
   self->registrar = FL_PLUGIN_REGISTRAR(g_object_ref(registrar));
-  self->texture_registrar = fl_plugin_registrar_get_texture_registrar(registrar);
-  self->player = std::make_unique<mpv::MpvPlayer>();
+  self->audio_only = audio_only;
+  // The audio-only core never renders; leaving the texture registrar unset
+  // makes the GL/texture path structurally unreachable for it.
+  self->texture_registrar = audio_only ? nullptr : fl_plugin_registrar_get_texture_registrar(registrar);
+  self->player = std::make_unique<mpv::MpvPlayer>(audio_only);
 
   g_autoptr(FlStandardMethodCodec) codec = fl_standard_method_codec_new();
-  self->method_channel = fl_method_channel_new(
-      fl_plugin_registrar_get_messenger(registrar), "com.plezy/mpv_player", FL_METHOD_CODEC(codec));
+  self->method_channel =
+      fl_method_channel_new(fl_plugin_registrar_get_messenger(registrar), channel_name, FL_METHOD_CODEC(codec));
 
   fl_method_channel_set_method_call_handler(self->method_channel, mpv_plugin_handle_method_call, self, nullptr);
 
-  self->event_channel = fl_event_channel_new(
-      fl_plugin_registrar_get_messenger(registrar), "com.plezy/mpv_player/events", FL_METHOD_CODEC(codec));
+  g_autofree gchar* event_channel_name = g_strconcat(channel_name, "/events", nullptr);
+  self->event_channel =
+      fl_event_channel_new(fl_plugin_registrar_get_messenger(registrar), event_channel_name, FL_METHOD_CODEC(codec));
 
   return self;
 }
 
-// Static reference to keep the plugin alive.
+// Static references to keep the plugin instances alive.
 static MpvPlugin* g_mpv_plugin = nullptr;
+static MpvPlugin* g_mpv_audio_plugin = nullptr;
 
-void mpv_plugin_register_with_registrar(FlPluginRegistrar* registrar) { g_mpv_plugin = mpv_plugin_new(registrar); }
+void mpv_plugin_register_with_registrar(FlPluginRegistrar* registrar) {
+  g_mpv_plugin = mpv_plugin_new(registrar, "com.plezy/mpv_player", FALSE);
+}
+
+void mpv_audio_plugin_register_with_registrar(FlPluginRegistrar* registrar) {
+  g_mpv_audio_plugin = mpv_plugin_new(registrar, "com.plezy/mpv_audio_player", TRUE);
+}
 
 /// Method call handler.
 static void mpv_plugin_handle_method_call(FlMethodChannel* channel, FlMethodCall* method_call, gpointer user_data) {
@@ -103,7 +116,26 @@ static void mpv_plugin_handle_method_call(FlMethodChannel* channel, FlMethodCall
   g_autoptr(FlMethodResponse) response = nullptr;
 
   if (strcmp(method, "initialize") == 0) {
-    if (self->initialized && self->texture) {
+    if (self->audio_only) {
+      // Audio-only music core: no texture, no render context — mpv runs
+      // with video disabled entirely (see MpvPlayer). Returns `true`; the
+      // Dart side only treats int results as texture IDs.
+      if (!self->initialized) {
+        if (!self->player || self->player->IsDisposed()) {
+          self->player = std::make_unique<mpv::MpvPlayer>(/*audio_only=*/true);
+        }
+        if (self->player->Initialize()) {
+          self->player->SetEventCallback([self](FlValue* event) { send_event(self, event); });
+          self->initialized = TRUE;
+        }
+      }
+      if (self->initialized) {
+        response = FL_METHOD_RESPONSE(fl_method_success_response_new(fl_value_new_bool(TRUE)));
+      } else {
+        response =
+            FL_METHOD_RESPONSE(fl_method_error_response_new("INIT_FAILED", "Failed to initialize MPV player", nullptr));
+      }
+    } else if (self->initialized && self->texture) {
       // Already initialized — return existing texture ID
       response =
           FL_METHOD_RESPONSE(fl_method_success_response_new(fl_value_new_int(mpv_texture_get_id(self->texture))));
diff --git a/linux/runner/mpv/mpv_plugin.h b/linux/runner/mpv/mpv_plugin.h
index b4c31646..45a9a960 100644
--- a/linux/runner/mpv/mpv_plugin.h
+++ b/linux/runner/mpv/mpv_plugin.h
@@ -9,21 +9,26 @@
 
 G_BEGIN_DECLS
 
-/// Plugin for MPV video playback on Linux.
+/// Plugin for MPV playback on Linux.
 ///
-/// This plugin renders mpv video through Flutter's GPU-accelerated
-/// texture pipeline via FlTextureGL.
+/// The video instance renders mpv video through Flutter's GPU-accelerated
+/// texture pipeline via FlTextureGL. The audio-only instance (music
+/// playback) skips all texture/GL work and runs mpv with video disabled.
 
 #define MPV_PLUGIN_TYPE (mpv_plugin_get_type())
 
 G_DECLARE_FINAL_TYPE(MpvPlugin, mpv_plugin, MPV, PLUGIN, GObject)
 
-/// Creates a new MpvPlugin instance.
-MpvPlugin* mpv_plugin_new(FlPluginRegistrar* registrar);
+/// Creates a new MpvPlugin instance on the given method channel name (the
+/// event channel is |channel_name| + "/events").
+MpvPlugin* mpv_plugin_new(FlPluginRegistrar* registrar, const gchar* channel_name, gboolean audio_only);
 
-/// Registers the plugin with Flutter.
+/// Registers the video plugin with Flutter.
 void mpv_plugin_register_with_registrar(FlPluginRegistrar* registrar);
 
+/// Registers the audio-only (music) plugin with Flutter.
+void mpv_audio_plugin_register_with_registrar(FlPluginRegistrar* registrar);
+
 G_END_DECLS
 
 #endif  // MPV_PLUGIN_H_
diff --git a/linux/runner/my_application.cc b/linux/runner/my_application.cc
index 3aea47e3..f5ab1cd4 100644
--- a/linux/runner/my_application.cc
+++ b/linux/runner/my_application.cc
@@ -52,6 +52,12 @@ static void my_application_activate(GApplication* application) {
       fl_plugin_registry_get_registrar_for_plugin(FL_PLUGIN_REGISTRY(self->flutter_view), "MpvPlugin");
   mpv_plugin_register_with_registrar(registrar);
 
+  // Register the dedicated audio-only MPV core for music playback (no
+  // texture/GL work at all).
+  FlPluginRegistrar* audio_registrar =
+      fl_plugin_registry_get_registrar_for_plugin(FL_PLUGIN_REGISTRY(self->flutter_view), "MpvAudioPlugin");
+  mpv_audio_plugin_register_with_registrar(audio_registrar);
+
   gtk_widget_show(GTK_WIDGET(window));
   gtk_widget_grab_focus(GTK_WIDGET(self->flutter_view));
 }
diff --git a/macos/Runner.xcodeproj/project.pbxproj b/macos/Runner.xcodeproj/project.pbxproj
index 0401bcee..887943f1 100644
--- a/macos/Runner.xcodeproj/project.pbxproj
+++ b/macos/Runner.xcodeproj/project.pbxproj
@@ -37,6 +37,8 @@
 		6AD8B16A2ED7B50000E9E1B6 /* MpvPipController.swift in Sources */ = {isa = PBXBuildFile; fileRef = 6AD8B16B2ED7B50000E9E1B6 /* MpvPipController.swift */; };
 		B1D51A6A2F00110000000003 /* MpvPlayerCoreBase.swift in Sources */ = {isa = PBXBuildFile; fileRef = B1D51A6A2F00110000000004 /* MpvPlayerCoreBase.swift */; };
 		B1D51A6A2F00110000000007 /* MpvPlayerPluginShared.swift in Sources */ = {isa = PBXBuildFile; fileRef = B1D51A6A2F00110000000008 /* MpvPlayerPluginShared.swift */; };
+		B1D51A6A2F00110000000010 /* MpvAudioPlayerCore.swift in Sources */ = {isa = PBXBuildFile; fileRef = B1D51A6A2F00110000000011 /* MpvAudioPlayerCore.swift */; };
+		B1D51A6A2F00110000000012 /* MpvAudioPlayerPlugin.swift in Sources */ = {isa = PBXBuildFile; fileRef = B1D51A6A2F00110000000013 /* MpvAudioPlayerPlugin.swift */; };
 		78A318202AECB46A00862997 /* FlutterGeneratedPluginSwiftPackage in Frameworks */ = {isa = PBXBuildFile; productRef = 78A3181F2AECB46A00862997 /* FlutterGeneratedPluginSwiftPackage */; };
 /* End PBXBuildFile section */
 
@@ -103,6 +105,8 @@
 		A1182D4EEFEC88235D8ECD2C /* Pods_RunnerTests.framework */ = {isa = PBXFileReference; explicitFileType = wrapper.framework; includeInIndex = 0; path = Pods_RunnerTests.framework; sourceTree = BUILT_PRODUCTS_DIR; };
 		B1D51A6A2F00110000000004 /* MpvPlayerCoreBase.swift */ = {isa = PBXFileReference; lastKnownFileType = sourcecode.swift; name = MpvPlayerCoreBase.swift; path = ../shared/apple/MpvPlayer/MpvPlayerCoreBase.swift; sourceTree = SOURCE_ROOT; };
 		B1D51A6A2F00110000000008 /* MpvPlayerPluginShared.swift */ = {isa = PBXFileReference; lastKnownFileType = sourcecode.swift; name = MpvPlayerPluginShared.swift; path = ../shared/apple/MpvPlayer/MpvPlayerPluginShared.swift; sourceTree = SOURCE_ROOT; };
+		B1D51A6A2F00110000000011 /* MpvAudioPlayerCore.swift */ = {isa = PBXFileReference; lastKnownFileType = sourcecode.swift; name = MpvAudioPlayerCore.swift; path = ../shared/apple/MpvPlayer/MpvAudioPlayerCore.swift; sourceTree = SOURCE_ROOT; };
+		B1D51A6A2F00110000000013 /* MpvAudioPlayerPlugin.swift */ = {isa = PBXFileReference; lastKnownFileType = sourcecode.swift; name = MpvAudioPlayerPlugin.swift; path = ../shared/apple/MpvPlayer/MpvAudioPlayerPlugin.swift; sourceTree = SOURCE_ROOT; };
 		B94440F7FE93A00B39D27ADF /* Pods-RunnerTests.profile.xcconfig */ = {isa = PBXFileReference; includeInIndex = 1; lastKnownFileType = text.xcconfig; name = "Pods-RunnerTests.profile.xcconfig"; path = "Target Support Files/Pods-RunnerTests/Pods-RunnerTests.profile.xcconfig"; sourceTree = "<group>"; };
 		DFD234339E4EACF84227E544 /* Pods-Runner.release.xcconfig */ = {isa = PBXFileReference; includeInIndex = 1; lastKnownFileType = text.xcconfig; name = "Pods-Runner.release.xcconfig"; path = "Target Support Files/Pods-Runner/Pods-Runner.release.xcconfig"; sourceTree = "<group>"; };
 		78E0A7A72DC9AD7400C4905E /* FlutterGeneratedPluginSwiftPackage */ = {isa = PBXFileReference; lastKnownFileType = wrapper; name = FlutterGeneratedPluginSwiftPackage; path = ephemeral/Packages/FlutterGeneratedPluginSwiftPackage; sourceTree = "<group>"; };
@@ -228,6 +232,8 @@
 			children = (
 				B1D51A6A2F00110000000004 /* MpvPlayerCoreBase.swift */,
 				B1D51A6A2F00110000000008 /* MpvPlayerPluginShared.swift */,
+				B1D51A6A2F00110000000011 /* MpvAudioPlayerCore.swift */,
+				B1D51A6A2F00110000000013 /* MpvAudioPlayerPlugin.swift */,
 				6AD8B1632ED7B50000E9E1B4 /* MpvPlayerCore.swift */,
 				6AD8B16B2ED7B50000E9E1B6 /* MpvPipController.swift */,
 				6AD8B1642ED7B50000E9E1B4 /* MpvPlayerPlugin.swift */,
@@ -485,6 +491,8 @@
 				335BBD1B22A9A15E00E9071D /* GeneratedPluginRegistrant.swift in Sources */,
 				B1D51A6A2F00110000000003 /* MpvPlayerCoreBase.swift in Sources */,
 				B1D51A6A2F00110000000007 /* MpvPlayerPluginShared.swift in Sources */,
+				B1D51A6A2F00110000000010 /* MpvAudioPlayerCore.swift in Sources */,
+				B1D51A6A2F00110000000012 /* MpvAudioPlayerPlugin.swift in Sources */,
 				6AD8B1612ED7B50000E9E1B4 /* MpvPlayerCore.swift in Sources */,
 				6AD8B1622ED7B50000E9E1B4 /* MpvPlayerPlugin.swift in Sources */,
 				6AD8B1662ED7B50000E9E1B5 /* WindowUtilsPlugin.swift in Sources */,
diff --git a/macos/Runner/MainFlutterWindow.swift b/macos/Runner/MainFlutterWindow.swift
index de62a9b9..82c442a2 100644
--- a/macos/Runner/MainFlutterWindow.swift
+++ b/macos/Runner/MainFlutterWindow.swift
@@ -30,6 +30,10 @@ class MainFlutterWindow: NSWindow {
     MpvPlayerPlugin.register(
       with: flutterViewController.registrar(forPlugin: "MpvPlayerPlugin"))
 
+    // Register the audio-only MPV player plugin for music playback
+    MpvAudioPlayerPlugin.register(
+      with: flutterViewController.registrar(forPlugin: "MpvAudioPlayerPlugin"))
+
     // Register window utils plugin for dynamic titlebar/fullscreen control from Dart
     WindowUtilsPlugin.register(
       with: flutterViewController.registrar(forPlugin: "WindowUtilsPlugin"))
diff --git a/shared/apple/MpvPlayer/MpvAudioPlayerCore.swift b/shared/apple/MpvPlayer/MpvAudioPlayerCore.swift
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..f0364fcb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/shared/apple/MpvPlayer/MpvAudioPlayerCore.swift
@@ -0,0 +1,58 @@
+import Foundation
+import Libmpv
+
+/// Audio-only mpv core for music playback.
+///
+/// Reuses [MpvPlayerCoreBase]'s context/event/property machinery (all of it
+/// instance-scoped) but never touches a render surface: video decoding is
+/// disabled outright, embedded cover art must not surface as a video track
+/// (`audio-display=no`), and none of the display-criteria/EDR/PiP paths apply.
+/// Lives alongside — and independently of — the video core, so it can be
+/// created and destroyed repeatedly regardless of the video plugin's state.
+class MpvAudioPlayerCore: MpvPlayerCoreBase {
+
+  private var isDisposed = false
+
+  func initialize() -> Bool {
+    guard !isInitialized else {
+      print("[MpvAudioPlayerCore] Already initialized")
+      return true
+    }
+
+    let created = createMpvContext { [self] in
+      guard let mpv else { return }
+      checkError(mpv_set_option_string(mpv, "vid", "no"))
+      // Critical: without this, embedded cover art is exposed as a video
+      // track and mpv would try to present it.
+      checkError(mpv_set_option_string(mpv, "audio-display", "no"))
+      checkError(mpv_set_option_string(mpv, "force-window", "no"))
+      // Gapless track transitions when the next playlist entry matches the
+      // current audio format (the Dart side arms it via `loadfile append`).
+      checkError(mpv_set_option_string(mpv, "gapless-audio", "weak"))
+      // Match the video core: hold the final track at EOF (eof-reached flips
+      // true) instead of unloading, so Dart's completed handling still works.
+      checkError(mpv_set_option_string(mpv, "keep-open", "yes"))
+    }
+    guard created else { return false }
+
+    isInitialized = true
+    print("[MpvAudioPlayerCore] Initialized successfully")
+    return true
+  }
+
+  func dispose() {
+    // Guard double-dispose: the plugin calls dispose() then drops the strong
+    // ref, which fires deinit → dispose() again (same pattern as the video
+    // cores).
+    guard !isDisposed else { return }
+    isDisposed = true
+
+    disposeSharedState(destroySynchronously: false)
+    isInitialized = false
+    print("[MpvAudioPlayerCore] Disposed")
+  }
+
+  deinit {
+    dispose()
+  }
+}
diff --git a/shared/apple/MpvPlayer/MpvAudioPlayerPlugin.swift b/shared/apple/MpvPlayer/MpvAudioPlayerPlugin.swift
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..c687d19c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/shared/apple/MpvPlayer/MpvAudioPlayerPlugin.swift
@@ -0,0 +1,127 @@
+#if os(iOS) || os(tvOS)
+  import Flutter
+#elseif os(macOS)
+  import FlutterMacOS
+#endif
+
+/// Flutter plugin for the dedicated audio-only mpv core (music playback).
+///
+/// Registers `com.plezy/mpv_audio_player` + `/events` and delegates all
+/// generic property/command/observe traffic to the shared [MpvPluginShared]
+/// handlers. There is no render layer, so the visual hooks are no-ops and
+/// `setVisible`/`updateFrame` succeed without doing anything. Shared across
+/// iOS, tvOS, and macOS — unlike the video plugin there is nothing
+/// platform-specific beyond the messenger accessor.
+class MpvAudioPlayerPlugin: NSObject, FlutterPlugin, FlutterStreamHandler, MpvPluginShared {
+
+  private var playerCore: MpvAudioPlayerCore?
+  var eventSink: FlutterEventSink?
+  var nameToId: [String: Int] = [:]
+
+  // MpvPluginShared conformance — the audio core has no visual surface.
+  var coreBase: MpvPlayerCoreBase? { playerCore }
+  func setPlayerVisible(_ visible: Bool, restoreOnWindowVisible _: Bool) {}
+  func updatePlayerFrame() {}
+  func didSetPauseProperty(value _: String) {}
+
+  // MARK: - FlutterPlugin Registration
+
+  static func register(with registrar: FlutterPluginRegistrar) {
+    #if os(macOS)
+      let messenger = registrar.messenger
+    #else
+      let messenger = registrar.messenger()
+    #endif
+
+    let methodChannel = FlutterMethodChannel(
+      name: "com.plezy/mpv_audio_player",
+      binaryMessenger: messenger
+    )
+    let eventChannel = FlutterEventChannel(
+      name: "com.plezy/mpv_audio_player/events",
+      binaryMessenger: messenger
+    )
+
+    let instance = MpvAudioPlayerPlugin()
+    registrar.addMethodCallDelegate(instance, channel: methodChannel)
+    eventChannel.setStreamHandler(instance)
+  }
+
+  // MARK: - FlutterStreamHandler
+
+  func onListen(withArguments arguments: Any?, eventSink events: @escaping FlutterEventSink)
+    -> FlutterError?
+  {
+    self.eventSink = events
+    return nil
+  }
+
+  func onCancel(withArguments arguments: Any?) -> FlutterError? {
+    self.eventSink = nil
+    return nil
+  }
+
+  // MARK: - FlutterPlugin Method Handler
+
+  func handle(_ call: FlutterMethodCall, result: @escaping FlutterResult) {
+    switch call.method {
+    case "initialize":
+      handleInitialize(result: result)
+    case "dispose":
+      handleDispose(result: result)
+    case "setProperty":
+      handleSetProperty(call: call, result: result)
+    case "getProperty":
+      handleGetProperty(call: call, result: result)
+    case "observeProperty":
+      handleObserveProperty(call: call, result: result)
+    case "command":
+      handleCommand(call: call, result: result)
+    case "isInitialized":
+      result(playerCore?.isInitialized ?? false)
+    case "setVisible", "updateFrame":
+      // No render layer — succeed so shared Dart call sites stay unconditional.
+      result(nil)
+    case "setLogLevel":
+      handleSetLogLevel(call: call, result: result)
+    default:
+      result(FlutterMethodNotImplemented)
+    }
+  }
+
+  private func handleInitialize(result: @escaping FlutterResult) {
+    DispatchQueue.main.async { [weak self] in
+      guard let self else {
+        result(FlutterError(code: "ERROR", message: "Plugin deallocated", details: nil))
+        return
+      }
+
+      if self.playerCore?.isInitialized == true {
+        result(true)
+        return
+      }
+
+      let core = MpvAudioPlayerCore()
+      core.delegate = self
+
+      guard core.initialize() else {
+        result(
+          FlutterError(
+            code: "MPV_INIT_FAILED", message: "Failed to initialize MPV audio core", details: nil))
+        return
+      }
+
+      self.playerCore = core
+      result(true)
+    }
+  }
+
+  private func handleDispose(result: @escaping FlutterResult) {
+    DispatchQueue.main.async { [weak self] in
+      guard let self else { result(nil); return }
+      self.playerCore?.dispose()
+      self.playerCore = nil
+      result(nil)
+    }
+  }
+}
diff --git a/shared/apple/MpvPlayer/MpvPlayerCoreBase.swift b/shared/apple/MpvPlayer/MpvPlayerCoreBase.swift
index 5fbfb4e9..b2bb5cbf 100644
--- a/shared/apple/MpvPlayer/MpvPlayerCoreBase.swift
+++ b/shared/apple/MpvPlayer/MpvPlayerCoreBase.swift
@@ -346,6 +346,41 @@ class MpvPlayerCoreBase: NSObject {
 
     applyDvConversionModeEnvironment()
 
+    let created = createMpvContext { [self] in
+      guard let mpv else { return }
+      var layer = Int64(Int(bitPattern: Unmanaged.passUnretained(renderLayer).toOpaque()))
+      checkError(mpv_set_option(mpv, "wid", MPV_FORMAT_INT64, &layer))
+      applySharedMpvOptions()
+      configurePlatformMpvOptions()
+    }
+    guard created, let mpv else { return false }
+
+    mpv_observe_property(mpv, Self.internalSigPeakObserverId, "video-params/sig-peak", MPV_FORMAT_DOUBLE)
+    mpv_observe_property(mpv, Self.internalWidthObserverId, "width", MPV_FORMAT_DOUBLE)
+    mpv_observe_property(mpv, Self.internalHeightObserverId, "height", MPV_FORMAT_DOUBLE)
+    mpv_observe_property(
+      mpv, Self.internalDoviProfileObserverId,
+      "current-tracks/video/dolby-vision-profile", MPV_FORMAT_INT64)
+    mpv_observe_property(
+      mpv, Self.internalDoviLevelObserverId,
+      "current-tracks/video/dolby-vision-level", MPV_FORMAT_INT64)
+    mpv_observe_property(
+      mpv, Self.internalContainerFpsObserverId,
+      "container-fps", MPV_FORMAT_DOUBLE)
+    mpv_observe_property(mpv, Self.internalVideoGammaObserverId, "video-params/gamma", MPV_FORMAT_STRING)
+    mpv_observe_property(mpv, Self.internalVideoPrimariesObserverId, "video-params/primaries", MPV_FORMAT_STRING)
+    mpv_observe_property(
+      mpv, Self.internalVideoColorMatrixObserverId,
+      "video-params/colormatrix", MPV_FORMAT_STRING)
+    return true
+  }
+
+  /// Create the mpv context, apply pre-init options via `configure`, run
+  /// `mpv_initialize`, and install the wakeup callback. Everything here is
+  /// instance-scoped (per-instance dispatch queue, request table, and retained
+  /// wakeup context), so the video core and the audio-only core can each own
+  /// an independent context and be created/destroyed at any time.
+  func createMpvContext(configure: () -> Void) -> Bool {
     mpv = mpv_create()
     guard let mpv else {
       print("[MpvPlayerCore] Failed to create MPV context")
@@ -357,10 +392,7 @@ class MpvPlayerCoreBase: NSObject {
     // subtitle-timing investigation.
     checkError(mpv_request_log_messages(mpv, "v"))
 
-    var layer = Int64(Int(bitPattern: Unmanaged.passUnretained(renderLayer).toOpaque()))
-    checkError(mpv_set_option(mpv, "wid", MPV_FORMAT_INT64, &layer))
-    applySharedMpvOptions()
-    configurePlatformMpvOptions()
+    configure()
 
     let initResult = mpv_initialize(mpv)
     if initResult < 0 {
@@ -384,24 +416,6 @@ class MpvPlayerCoreBase: NSObject {
       },
       wakeupContext
     )
-
-    mpv_observe_property(mpv, Self.internalSigPeakObserverId, "video-params/sig-peak", MPV_FORMAT_DOUBLE)
-    mpv_observe_property(mpv, Self.internalWidthObserverId, "width", MPV_FORMAT_DOUBLE)
-    mpv_observe_property(mpv, Self.internalHeightObserverId, "height", MPV_FORMAT_DOUBLE)
-    mpv_observe_property(
-      mpv, Self.internalDoviProfileObserverId,
-      "current-tracks/video/dolby-vision-profile", MPV_FORMAT_INT64)
-    mpv_observe_property(
-      mpv, Self.internalDoviLevelObserverId,
-      "current-tracks/video/dolby-vision-level", MPV_FORMAT_INT64)
-    mpv_observe_property(
-      mpv, Self.internalContainerFpsObserverId,
-      "container-fps", MPV_FORMAT_DOUBLE)
-    mpv_observe_property(mpv, Self.internalVideoGammaObserverId, "video-params/gamma", MPV_FORMAT_STRING)
-    mpv_observe_property(mpv, Self.internalVideoPrimariesObserverId, "video-params/primaries", MPV_FORMAT_STRING)
-    mpv_observe_property(
-      mpv, Self.internalVideoColorMatrixObserverId,
-      "video-params/colormatrix", MPV_FORMAT_STRING)
     return true
   }
 
diff --git a/test/services/music/music_playback_service_test.dart b/test/services/music/music_playback_service_test.dart
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..96bea525
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/services/music/music_playback_service_test.dart
@@ -0,0 +1,782 @@
+import 'dart:async';
+
+import 'package:flutter_test/flutter_test.dart';
+import 'package:os_media_controls/os_media_controls.dart';
+import 'package:plezy/media/ids.dart';
+import 'package:plezy/media/media_backend.dart';
+import 'package:plezy/media/media_display_criteria.dart';
+import 'package:plezy/media/media_item.dart';
+import 'package:plezy/media/media_kind.dart';
+import 'package:plezy/media/media_server_client.dart';
+import 'package:plezy/media/playback_report_metadata.dart';
+import 'package:plezy/mpv/models.dart';
+import 'package:plezy/mpv/player/player.dart';
+import 'package:plezy/mpv/player/player_state.dart';
+import 'package:plezy/mpv/player/player_streams.dart';
+import 'package:plezy/services/media_controls_manager.dart';
+import 'package:plezy/services/multi_server_manager.dart';
+import 'package:plezy/services/music/music_playback_service.dart';
+import 'package:plezy/services/music/music_playback_service_impl.dart';
+import 'package:plezy/services/music/music_source_resolver.dart';
+import 'package:plezy/services/playback_coordinator.dart';
+
+const _trackDuration = Duration(minutes: 3);
+
+MediaItem _track(String id) => MediaItem(
+  id: id,
+  backend: MediaBackend.plex,
+  kind: MediaKind.track,
+  title: 'Track $id',
+  parentTitle: 'Album',
+  grandparentTitle: 'Artist',
+  durationMs: _trackDuration.inMilliseconds,
+  serverId: 'srv',
+);
+
+String _urlFor(MediaItem track) => 'fake://${track.id}';
+
+/// In-memory audio player: records calls, exposes manual stream controllers
+/// so tests drive transitions/completion/errors deterministically.
+class FakePlayer implements Player {
+  final playingCtrl = StreamController<bool>.broadcast(sync: true);
+  final completedCtrl = StreamController<bool>.broadcast(sync: true);
+  final bufferingCtrl = StreamController<bool>.broadcast(sync: true);
+  final positionCtrl = StreamController<Duration>.broadcast(sync: true);
+  final durationCtrl = StreamController<Duration>.broadcast(sync: true);
+  final seekableCtrl = StreamController<bool>.broadcast(sync: true);
+  final bufferCtrl = StreamController<Duration>.broadcast(sync: true);
+  final volumeCtrl = StreamController<double>.broadcast(sync: true);
+  final rateCtrl = StreamController<double>.broadcast(sync: true);
+  final tracksCtrl = StreamController<Tracks>.broadcast(sync: true);
+  final trackCtrl = StreamController<TrackSelection>.broadcast(sync: true);
+  final logCtrl = StreamController<PlayerLog>.broadcast(sync: true);
+  final errorCtrl = StreamController<PlayerError>.broadcast(sync: true);
+  final audioDeviceCtrl = StreamController<AudioDevice>.broadcast(sync: true);
+  final audioDevicesCtrl = StreamController<List<AudioDevice>>.broadcast(sync: true);
+  final bufferRangesCtrl = StreamController<List<BufferRange>>.broadcast(sync: true);
+  final playbackRestartCtrl = StreamController<void>.broadcast(sync: true);
+  final fileLoadedCtrl = StreamController<void>.broadcast(sync: true);
+  final backendSwitchedCtrl = StreamController<void>.broadcast(sync: true);
+  final trackTransitionCtrl = StreamController<String>.broadcast(sync: true);
+
+  late final PlayerStreams _streams = PlayerStreams(
+    playing: playingCtrl.stream,
+    completed: completedCtrl.stream,
+    buffering: bufferingCtrl.stream,
+    position: positionCtrl.stream,
+    duration: durationCtrl.stream,
+    seekable: seekableCtrl.stream,
+    buffer: bufferCtrl.stream,
+    volume: volumeCtrl.stream,
+    rate: rateCtrl.stream,
+    tracks: tracksCtrl.stream,
+    track: trackCtrl.stream,
+    log: logCtrl.stream,
+    error: errorCtrl.stream,
+    audioDevice: audioDeviceCtrl.stream,
+    audioDevices: audioDevicesCtrl.stream,
+    bufferRanges: bufferRangesCtrl.stream,
+    playbackRestart: playbackRestartCtrl.stream,
+    fileLoaded: fileLoadedCtrl.stream,
+    backendSwitched: backendSwitchedCtrl.stream,
+    trackTransition: trackTransitionCtrl.stream,
+  );
+
+  PlayerState _state = const PlayerState();
+
+  final List<String> openedUris = [];
+  final List<Media?> setNextCalls = [];
+  final List<Duration> seeks = [];
+  int playCalls = 0;
+  int pauseCalls = 0;
+  int stopCalls = 0;
+  bool _disposed = false;
+  Media? _armedMedia;
+
+  /// Effective armed item, mirroring the native playlist: set by [setNext],
+  /// consumed by an auto-advance ([emitTransition]).
+  Media? get armed => _armedMedia;
+
+  void emitTransition(String uri) {
+    _armedMedia = null; // the backend advanced into the armed entry
+    _state = _state.copyWith(position: Duration.zero, duration: _trackDuration);
+    trackTransitionCtrl.add(uri);
+  }
+
+  void emitCompleted() {
+    _state = _state.copyWith(completed: true, position: _trackDuration);
+    completedCtrl.add(true);
+  }
+
+  void emitError(String message) => errorCtrl.add(PlayerError(message));
+
+  void setPosition(Duration position) {
+    _state = _state.copyWith(position: position);
+    positionCtrl.add(position);
+  }
+
+  void closeControllers() {
+    playingCtrl.close();
+    completedCtrl.close();
+    bufferingCtrl.close();
+    positionCtrl.close();
+    durationCtrl.close();
+    seekableCtrl.close();
+    bufferCtrl.close();
+    volumeCtrl.close();
+    rateCtrl.close();
+    tracksCtrl.close();
+    trackCtrl.close();
+    logCtrl.close();
+    errorCtrl.close();
+    audioDeviceCtrl.close();
+    audioDevicesCtrl.close();
+    bufferRangesCtrl.close();
+    playbackRestartCtrl.close();
+    fileLoadedCtrl.close();
+    backendSwitchedCtrl.close();
+    trackTransitionCtrl.close();
+  }
+
+  @override
+  PlayerState get state => _state;
+
+  @override
+  PlayerStreams get streams => _streams;
+
+  @override
+  Duration get currentPosition => _state.position;
+
+  @override
+  bool get audioPassthroughActive => false;
+
+  @override
+  int? get textureId => null;
+
+  @override
+  String get playerType => 'fake';
+
+  @override
+  Future<void> open(
+    Media media, {
+    bool play = true,
+    bool isLive = false,
+    List<SubtitleTrack>? externalSubtitles,
+    Duration timelineOffset = Duration.zero,
+    Duration? timelineDuration,
+  }) async {
+    openedUris.add(media.uri);
+    _state = _state.copyWith(playing: play, completed: false, position: Duration.zero, duration: _trackDuration);
+    if (play) playingCtrl.add(true);
+  }
+
+  @override
+  Future<void> play() async {
+    playCalls++;
+    _state = _state.copyWith(playing: true, completed: false);
+    playingCtrl.add(true);
+  }
+
+  @override
+  Future<void> pause() async {
+    pauseCalls++;
+    _state = _state.copyWith(playing: false);
+    playingCtrl.add(false);
+  }
+
+  @override
+  Future<void> playOrPause() => _state.playing ? pause() : play();
+
+  @override
+  Future<void> stop() async {
+    stopCalls++;
+    _state = _state.copyWith(playing: false, position: Duration.zero);
+  }
+
+  @override
+  Future<void> seek(Duration position) async {
+    seeks.add(position);
+    _state = _state.copyWith(position: position, completed: false);
+  }
+
+  @override
+  Future<void> setNext(Media? media) async {
+    setNextCalls.add(media);
+    _armedMedia = media;
+  }
+
+  @override
+  bool get disposed => _disposed;
+
+  @override
+  Future<void> dispose({bool preserveDisplayMode = false}) async {
+    _disposed = true;
+  }
+
+  // Inert surface below — never exercised by the music engine.
+  @override
+  Future<void> selectAudioTrack(AudioTrack track) async {}
+
+  @override
+  Future<void> selectSubtitleTrack(SubtitleTrack track) async {}
+
+  @override
+  Future<void> selectSecondarySubtitleTrack(SubtitleTrack track) async {}
+
+  @override
+  bool get supportsSecondarySubtitles => false;
+
+  @override
+  bool get attachesExternalSubtitlesAtOpen => true;
+
+  @override
+  bool get detectsFpsAfterRender => false;
+
+  @override
+  bool get needsDecoderRefreshAfterDisplaySwitch => false;
+
+  @override
+  bool get providesNativeStats => false;
+
+  @override
+  Future<void> addSubtitleTrack({required String uri, String? title, String? language, bool select = false}) async {}
+
+  @override
+  Future<void> setVolume(double volume) async {}
+
+  @override
+  Future<void> setRate(double rate) async {}
+
+  @override
+  Future<void> setAudioDevice(AudioDevice device) async {}
+
+  @override
+  Future<void> setProperty(String name, String value) async {}
+
+  @override
+  Future<String?> getProperty(String name) async => null;
+
+  @override
+  Future<void> setLogLevel(String level) async {}
+
+  @override
+  Future<void> command(List<String> args) async {}
+
+  @override
+  Future<void> setDisplayCriteria(MediaDisplayCriteria? criteria, {int extraDelayMs = 0}) async {}
+
+  @override
+  Future<void> configureSubtitleFonts() async {}
+
+  @override
+  Future<void> setAudioPassthrough(bool enabled) async {}
+
+  @override
+  Future<void> setAudioNormalization(bool enabled) async {}
+
+  @override
+  Future<void> setAudioDownmix({required bool enabled, required int centerBoostDb, required bool normalize}) async {}
+
+  @override
+  Future<bool> setVisible(bool visible, {bool restoreOnWindowVisible = false}) async => true;
+
+  @override
+  Future<void> updateFrame() async {}
+
+  @override
+  Future<bool> setVideoFrameRate(
+    double fps,
+    int durationMs, {
+    int extraDelayMs = 0,
+    int videoWidth = 0,
+    int videoHeight = 0,
+  }) async => false;
+
+  @override
+  Future<void> clearVideoFrameRate() async {}
+
+  @override
+  Future<void> setSubtitleStyle({
+    required double fontSize,
+    required String textColor,
+    required double borderSize,
+    required String borderColor,
+    required String bgColor,
+    required int bgOpacity,
+    int subtitlePosition = 100,
+    bool bold = false,
+    bool italic = false,
+  }) async {}
+
+  @override
+  Future<void> setBoxFitMode(int mode) async {}
+
+  @override
+  Future<void> setVideoZoom(double scale) async {}
+
+  @override
+  Future<Map<String, dynamic>> getStats() async => {};
+
+  @override
+  Future<String> runtimePlayerType() async => 'fake';
+
+  @override
+  Future<bool> requestAudioFocus() async => true;
+
+  @override
+  Future<void> abandonAudioFocus() async {}
+}
+
+class RecordedReport {
+  final String state;
+  final String itemId;
+  final Duration position;
+
+  const RecordedReport(this.state, this.itemId, this.position);
+
+  @override
+  String toString() => '$state($itemId @ ${position.inSeconds}s)';
+}
+
+/// Records the progress-report surface; everything else is unimplemented
+/// (the engine and tracker never touch it in these tests).
+class FakeMediaServerClient extends Fake implements MediaServerClient {
+  final List<RecordedReport> reports = [];
+  final List<String> markedWatched = [];
+
+  Iterable<RecordedReport> reportsFor(String state) => reports.where((r) => r.state == state);
+
+  @override
+  ServerId get serverId => ServerId('srv');
+
+  @override
+  double get watchedThreshold => 0.9;
+
+  @override
+  bool get marksWatchedOnPlaybackStopped => false;
+
+  @override
+  Future<void> markWatched(MediaItem item) async {
+    markedWatched.add(item.id);
+  }
+
+  @override
+  Future<void> reportPlaybackStarted({
+    required String itemId,
+    required Duration position,
+    Duration? duration,
+    String? playSessionId,
+    String? playMethod,
+    String? mediaSourceId,
+    int? audioStreamIndex,
+    int? subtitleStreamIndex,
+  }) async {
+    reports.add(RecordedReport('started', itemId, position));
+  }
+
+  @override
+  Future<void> reportPlaybackProgress({
+    required String itemId,
+    required Duration position,
+    required Duration duration,
+    bool isPaused = false,
+    String? playSessionId,
+    String? playMethod,
+    String? mediaSourceId,
+    int? audioStreamIndex,
+    int? subtitleStreamIndex,
+  }) async {
+    reports.add(RecordedReport(isPaused ? 'paused' : 'progress', itemId, position));
+  }
+
+  @override
+  Future<void> reportPlaybackStopped({
+    required String itemId,
+    required Duration position,
+    Duration? duration,
+    String? playSessionId,
+    String? mediaSourceId,
+    PlaybackReportMetadata report = const PlaybackReportMetadata.live(),
+  }) async {
+    reports.add(RecordedReport('stopped', itemId, position));
+  }
+}
+
+class FakeMusicSourceResolver implements MusicSourceResolver {
+  FakeMusicSourceResolver({this.client});
+
+  final MediaServerClient? client;
+  final Set<String> failingIds = {};
+  final Map<String, int> resolveCounts = {};
+
+  @override
+  Future<MusicSource> resolve(MediaItem track) async {
+    resolveCounts[track.id] = (resolveCounts[track.id] ?? 0) + 1;
+    if (failingIds.contains(track.id)) {
+      throw StateError('resolve failed for ${track.id}');
+    }
+    return MusicSource(
+      url: _urlFor(track),
+      playSessionId: 'ps-${track.id}',
+      playMethod: 'DirectPlay',
+      reportingClient: client,
+    );
+  }
+}
+
+/// Keeps the OS media session out of the tests: overrides every platform
+/// touchpoint and feeds control events from a local controller.
+class FakeMediaControlsManager extends MediaControlsManager {
+  final eventsCtrl = StreamController<MediaControlEvent>.broadcast(sync: true);
+  final List<String> metadataTitles = [];
+  bool cleared = false;
+
+  void closeControllers() {
+    eventsCtrl.close();
+  }
+
+  @override
+  Stream<MediaControlEvent> get controlEvents => eventsCtrl.stream;
+
+  @override
+  Future<void> updateMetadata({required MediaItem metadata, MediaServerClient? client, Duration? duration}) async {
+    metadataTitles.add(metadata.title ?? '');
+  }
+
+  @override
+  Future<void> updatePlaybackState({
+    required bool isPlaying,
+    required Duration position,
+    required double speed,
+    bool force = false,
+  }) async {}
+
+  @override
+  Future<void> setControlsEnabled({bool canGoNext = false, bool canGoPrevious = false, bool canSeek = false}) async {}
+
+  @override
+  Future<void> clear() async {
+    cleared = true;
+  }
+}
+
+class _Harness {
+  _Harness._(this.service, this.resolver, this.client, this.controls, this.players);
+
+  final MusicPlaybackServiceImpl service;
+  final FakeMusicSourceResolver resolver;
+  final FakeMediaServerClient client;
+  final FakeMediaControlsManager controls;
+  final List<FakePlayer> players;
+
+  FakePlayer get player => players.last;
+
+  factory _Harness.create() {
+    final client = FakeMediaServerClient();
+    final resolver = FakeMusicSourceResolver(client: client);
+    final controls = FakeMediaControlsManager();
+    final players = <FakePlayer>[];
+    final service = MusicPlaybackServiceImpl(
+      serverManager: MultiServerManager(),
+      resolver: resolver,
+      audioPlayerFactory: () {
+        final player = FakePlayer();
+        players.add(player);
+        return player;
+      },
+      mediaControlsFactory: () => controls,
+      // Collapse the boundary-pulse confirmation window so completed-driven
+      // paths resolve within pumpEventQueue.
+      completedConfirmDelay: Duration.zero,
+    );
+    return _Harness._(service, resolver, client, controls, players);
+  }
+
+  Future<void> playTracks(List<MediaItem> tracks, {MediaItem? startTrack, bool shuffle = false}) async {
+    await service.playFromList(
+      tracks: tracks,
+      startTrack: startTrack,
+      playContext: const MusicPlayContext(title: 'Test', kind: MusicPlayContextKind.album),
+      shuffle: shuffle,
+    );
+    await pumpEventQueue();
+  }
+}
+
+void main() {
+  final t1 = _track('t1');
+  final t2 = _track('t2');
+  final t3 = _track('t3');
+
+  late _Harness h;
+
+  setUp(() {
+    h = _Harness.create();
+  });
+
+  tearDown(() {
+    h.service.dispose();
+    for (final player in h.players) {
+      player.closeControllers();
+    }
+    h.controls.closeControllers();
+  });
+
+  test('playFromList opens the first track and arms the second', () async {
+    await h.playTracks([t1, t2, t3]);
+
+    expect(h.player.openedUris, [_urlFor(t1)]);
+    expect(h.service.status, MusicPlaybackStatus.playing);
+    expect(h.service.currentTrack?.id, 't1');
+    expect(h.service.currentIndex, 0);
+    expect(h.player.armed?.uri, _urlFor(t2));
+
+    // Track services bound: session started + OS metadata pushed.
+    expect(h.client.reportsFor('started').map((r) => r.itemId), ['t1']);
+    expect(h.controls.metadataTitles, ['Track t1']);
+  });
+
+  test('trackTransition advances the cursor, re-arms, and reports the previous track stopped at duration', () async {
+    await h.playTracks([t1, t2, t3]);
+
+    h.player.emitTransition(_urlFor(t2));
+    await pumpEventQueue();
+
+    expect(h.service.currentTrack?.id, 't2');
+    expect(h.service.currentIndex, 1);
+    expect(h.service.status, MusicPlaybackStatus.playing);
+    expect(h.player.armed?.uri, _urlFor(t3));
+    // No second open — the backend advanced gaplessly.
+    expect(h.player.openedUris, [_urlFor(t1)]);
+
+    final stopped = h.client.reportsFor('stopped').toList();
+    expect(stopped, hasLength(1));
+    expect(stopped.single.itemId, 't1');
+    expect(stopped.single.position, _trackDuration);
+    // Full playout crossed the watched threshold.
+    expect(h.client.markedWatched, ['t1']);
+    // New session started for the new track.
+    expect(h.client.reportsFor('started').map((r) => r.itemId), ['t1', 't2']);
+  });
+
+  test('completed with nothing armed parks paused at the end and keeps the track', () async {
+    await h.playTracks([t1, t2]);
+    h.player.emitTransition(_urlFor(t2));
+    await pumpEventQueue();
+    expect(h.player.armed, isNull); // last track, repeat off
+
+    h.player.emitCompleted();
+    await pumpEventQueue();
+
+    expect(h.service.status, MusicPlaybackStatus.paused);
+    expect(h.service.currentTrack?.id, 't2');
+    expect(h.service.queue, hasLength(2));
+    final stopped = h.client.reportsFor('stopped').toList();
+    expect(stopped.map((r) => r.itemId), ['t1', 't2']);
+    expect(stopped.last.position, _trackDuration);
+  });
+
+  test('completed with a failed arm falls back to opening the next track', () async {
+    h.resolver.failingIds.add('t2'); // arming t2 fails silently
+    await h.playTracks([t1, t2]);
+    expect(h.player.armed, isNull);
+
+    h.resolver.failingIds.clear(); // the explicit open retries the resolve
+    h.player.emitCompleted();
+    await pumpEventQueue();
+
+    expect(h.player.openedUris, [_urlFor(t1), _urlFor(t2)]);
+    expect(h.service.currentTrack?.id, 't2');
+    expect(h.service.status, MusicPlaybackStatus.playing);
+  });
+
+  test('player error surfaces and auto-skips to the next track', () async {
+    await h.playTracks([t1, t2, t3]);
+    final errors = <Object>[];
+    final sub = h.service.errors.listen(errors.add);
+
+    h.player.emitError('boom');
+    await pumpEventQueue();
+
+    expect(errors, hasLength(1));
+    expect(h.service.currentTrack?.id, 't2');
+    expect(h.player.openedUris, [_urlFor(t1), _urlFor(t2)]);
+    expect(h.service.status, MusicPlaybackStatus.playing);
+    await sub.cancel();
+  });
+
+  test('three consecutive failures stop the session with an error status', () async {
+    await h.playTracks([t1, t2, t3]);
+    h.resolver.failingIds.addAll(['t2', 't3']);
+    final errors = <Object>[];
+    final sub = h.service.errors.listen(errors.add);
+
+    // Strike 1: player error on t1 -> skip to t2; strikes 2 and 3: t2/t3
+    // resolves fail -> stop as error.
+    h.player.emitError('boom');
+    await pumpEventQueue();
+
+    expect(errors, hasLength(3));
+    expect(h.service.status, MusicPlaybackStatus.error);
+    expect(h.service.currentTrack, isNull);
+    expect(h.service.queue, isEmpty);
+    expect(h.players.single.disposed, isTrue);
+    await sub.cancel();
+  });
+
+  test('playback progress after an error resets the strike counter', () async {
+    await h.playTracks([t1, t2, t3, _track('t4')]);
+
+    h.player.emitError('boom'); // strike 1 -> skips to t2
+    await pumpEventQueue();
+    h.player.setPosition(const Duration(seconds: 5)); // t2 actually plays -> reset
+    h.player.emitError('boom'); // strike 1 again (not 2) -> skips to t3
+    await pumpEventQueue();
+    h.player.setPosition(const Duration(seconds: 5));
+    h.player.emitError('boom'); // still an isolated strike -> skips to t4
+    await pumpEventQueue();
+
+    // Without the reset this would have been the third strike (error stop).
+    expect(h.service.status, MusicPlaybackStatus.playing);
+    expect(h.service.currentTrack?.id, 't4');
+  });
+
+  test('claimVideo stops the session and disposes the audio core', () async {
+    await h.playTracks([t1, t2]);
+    final player = h.player;
+
+    await PlaybackCoordinator.instance.claimVideo();
+
+    expect(player.disposed, isTrue);
+    expect(h.service.status, MusicPlaybackStatus.idle);
+    expect(h.service.currentTrack, isNull);
+    expect(h.service.queue, isEmpty);
+    expect(h.controls.cleared, isTrue);
+    // The played track's session was closed on the way out.
+    expect(h.client.reportsFor('stopped').map((r) => r.itemId), ['t1']);
+
+    // A new playback after the claim recreates the player.
+    await h.playTracks([t3]);
+    expect(h.players, hasLength(2));
+    expect(h.player.openedUris, [_urlFor(t3)]);
+    expect(h.service.status, MusicPlaybackStatus.playing);
+  });
+
+  test('repeat-one arms the same uri without a new resolve and repeats on transition', () async {
+    await h.playTracks([t1, t2]);
+    expect(h.player.armed?.uri, _urlFor(t2));
+
+    h.service.setRepeatMode(MusicRepeatMode.one);
+    await pumpEventQueue();
+    expect(h.player.armed?.uri, _urlFor(t1));
+    expect(h.resolver.resolveCounts['t1'], 1); // reused the current source
+
+    h.player.emitTransition(_urlFor(t1));
+    await pumpEventQueue();
+    expect(h.service.currentTrack?.id, 't1');
+    expect(h.service.currentIndex, 0);
+    expect(h.player.armed?.uri, _urlFor(t1)); // re-armed for the next loop
+    expect(h.resolver.resolveCounts['t1'], 1);
+  });
+
+  test('queue edits that keep the same next track do not re-arm or re-resolve', () async {
+    await h.playTracks([t1, t2, t3]);
+    final armCallsBefore = h.player.setNextCalls.length;
+
+    h.service.addToEnd([_track('t4')]);
+    await pumpEventQueue();
+
+    expect(h.player.setNextCalls.length, armCallsBefore);
+    expect(h.resolver.resolveCounts['t2'], 1);
+  });
+
+  test('previous restarts the track past 3s and steps back before that', () async {
+    await h.playTracks([t1, t2]);
+    h.player.emitTransition(_urlFor(t2));
+    await pumpEventQueue();
+
+    h.player.setPosition(const Duration(seconds: 10));
+    await h.service.previous();
+    expect(h.player.seeks, [Duration.zero]);
+    expect(h.service.currentTrack?.id, 't2');
+
+    h.player.setPosition(const Duration(seconds: 1));
+    await h.service.previous();
+    await pumpEventQueue();
+    expect(h.service.currentTrack?.id, 't1');
+    expect(h.player.openedUris, [_urlFor(t1), _urlFor(t1)]);
+  });
+
+  test('stop clears the session and notifies', () async {
+    await h.playTracks([t1, t2]);
+    var notified = 0;
+    h.service.addListener(() => notified++);
+
+    await h.service.stop();
+    await pumpEventQueue();
+
+    expect(notified, greaterThan(0));
+    expect(h.service.status, MusicPlaybackStatus.idle);
+    expect(h.service.currentTrack, isNull);
+    expect(h.service.queue, isEmpty);
+    expect(h.service.playContext, isNull);
+    expect(h.player.disposed, isTrue);
+    expect(h.controls.cleared, isTrue);
+    expect(h.client.reportsFor('stopped').map((r) => r.itemId), ['t1']);
+  });
+
+  test('interruption pauses and resumes when the system says shouldResume', () async {
+    await h.playTracks([t1, t2]);
+
+    h.controls.eventsCtrl.add(const AudioInterruptionBeganEvent());
+    await pumpEventQueue();
+    expect(h.service.status, MusicPlaybackStatus.paused);
+    expect(h.player.pauseCalls, 1);
+
+    h.controls.eventsCtrl.add(const AudioInterruptionEndedEvent(shouldResume: true));
+    await pumpEventQueue();
+    expect(h.service.status, MusicPlaybackStatus.playing);
+    expect(h.player.playCalls, 1);
+  });
+
+  test('interruption without shouldResume stays paused', () async {
+    await h.playTracks([t1]);
+
+    h.controls.eventsCtrl.add(const AudioInterruptionBeganEvent());
+    await pumpEventQueue();
+    h.controls.eventsCtrl.add(const AudioInterruptionEndedEvent(shouldResume: false));
+    await pumpEventQueue();
+
+    expect(h.service.status, MusicPlaybackStatus.paused);
+    expect(h.player.playCalls, 0);
+  });
+
+  test('removing the current track opens the next one', () async {
+    await h.playTracks([t1, t2, t3]);
+
+    h.service.removeAt(0);
+    await pumpEventQueue();
+
+    expect(h.service.currentTrack?.id, 't2');
+    expect(h.service.queue.map((t) => t.id), ['t2', 't3']);
+    expect(h.player.openedUris, [_urlFor(t1), _urlFor(t2)]);
+    expect(h.client.reportsFor('stopped').map((r) => r.itemId), ['t1']);
+  });
+
+  test('end-of-track sleep timer suppresses arming and pauses at completion', () async {
+    await h.playTracks([t1, t2]);
+    expect(h.player.armed?.uri, _urlFor(t2));
+
+    h.service.setSleepTimer(null, endOfTrack: true);
+    await pumpEventQueue();
+    expect(h.service.sleepTimerActive, isTrue);
+    expect(h.player.armed, isNull);
+
+    h.player.emitCompleted();
+    await pumpEventQueue();
+
+    expect(h.service.status, MusicPlaybackStatus.paused);
+    expect(h.service.currentTrack?.id, 't1');
+    expect(h.service.sleepTimerActive, isFalse);
+  });
+}
diff --git a/test/services/music/music_queue_controller_test.dart b/test/services/music/music_queue_controller_test.dart
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..2d4b9a34
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/services/music/music_queue_controller_test.dart
@@ -0,0 +1,229 @@
+import 'dart:math';
+
+import 'package:flutter_test/flutter_test.dart';
+import 'package:plezy/media/media_backend.dart';
+import 'package:plezy/media/media_item.dart';
+import 'package:plezy/media/media_kind.dart';
+import 'package:plezy/services/music/music_playback_service.dart';
+import 'package:plezy/services/music/music_queue_controller.dart';
+
+MediaItem _track(String id) =>
+    MediaItem(id: id, backend: MediaBackend.plex, kind: MediaKind.track, title: 'Track $id', serverId: 'srv');
+
+List<String> _ids(List<MediaItem> items) => [for (final i in items) i.id];
+
+void main() {
+  final tracks = [for (var i = 0; i < 6; i++) _track('t$i')];
+
+  MusicQueueController controller({int seed = 42}) => MusicQueueController(random: Random(seed));
+
+  group('load', () {
+    test('starts at startIndex in canonical order', () {
+      final q = controller()..load(tracks, startIndex: 2);
+      expect(_ids(q.queue), ['t0', 't1', 't2', 't3', 't4', 't5']);
+      expect(q.cursor, 2);
+      expect(q.current!.id, 't2');
+      expect(q.shuffled, isFalse);
+    });
+
+    test('shuffle anchors the start track first', () {
+      final q = controller()..load(tracks, startIndex: 3, shuffle: true);
+      expect(q.shuffled, isTrue);
+      expect(q.cursor, 0);
+      expect(q.current!.id, 't3');
+      expect(_ids(q.queue).first, 't3');
+      expect(_ids(q.queue).toSet(), _ids(tracks).toSet());
+    });
+
+    test('empty load leaves an idle queue', () {
+      final q = controller()..load(const []);
+      expect(q.isEmpty, isTrue);
+      expect(q.cursor, -1);
+      expect(q.current, isNull);
+      expect(q.nextIndex(), isNull);
+    });
+  });
+
+  group('advancement (nextIndex/previousIndex)', () {
+    test('repeat off walks forward and ends after the last track', () {
+      final q = controller()..load(tracks, startIndex: 4);
+      expect(q.nextIndex(), 5);
+      q.jumpTo(5);
+      expect(q.nextIndex(), isNull);
+      expect(q.nextIndex(manual: true), isNull);
+    });
+
+    test('repeat all wraps both directions', () {
+      final q = controller()..load(tracks, startIndex: 5);
+      q.repeatMode = MusicRepeatMode.all;
+      expect(q.nextIndex(), 0);
+      q.jumpTo(0);
+      expect(q.previousIndex(), 5);
+    });
+
+    test('repeat one repeats naturally but steps on manual next', () {
+      final q = controller()..load(tracks, startIndex: 1);
+      q.repeatMode = MusicRepeatMode.one;
+      expect(q.nextIndex(), 1);
+      expect(q.nextIndex(manual: true), 2);
+    });
+
+    test('repeat one on the last track ends on manual next', () {
+      final q = controller()..load(tracks, startIndex: 5);
+      q.repeatMode = MusicRepeatMode.one;
+      expect(q.nextIndex(), 5);
+      expect(q.nextIndex(manual: true), isNull);
+    });
+
+    test('previousIndex steps back and stops at the head with repeat off', () {
+      final q = controller()..load(tracks, startIndex: 1);
+      expect(q.previousIndex(), 0);
+      q.jumpTo(0);
+      expect(q.previousIndex(), isNull);
+    });
+  });
+
+  group('jumpTo', () {
+    test('moves the cursor within bounds only', () {
+      final q = controller()..load(tracks);
+      q.jumpTo(4);
+      expect(q.current!.id, 't4');
+      q.jumpTo(99);
+      expect(q.cursor, 4);
+      q.jumpTo(-1);
+      expect(q.cursor, 4);
+    });
+  });
+
+  group('addNext / addToEnd', () {
+    test('addNext inserts directly after the current track', () {
+      final q = controller()..load(tracks, startIndex: 2);
+      q.addNext([_track('n1'), _track('n2')]);
+      expect(_ids(q.queue), ['t0', 't1', 't2', 'n1', 'n2', 't3', 't4', 't5']);
+      expect(q.current!.id, 't2');
+    });
+
+    test('addToEnd appends after everything', () {
+      final q = controller()..load(tracks, startIndex: 2);
+      q.addToEnd([_track('e1')]);
+      expect(_ids(q.queue).last, 'e1');
+      expect(q.current!.id, 't2');
+    });
+
+    test('added tracks survive an unshuffle in canonical order', () {
+      final q = controller()..load(tracks, startIndex: 0, shuffle: true);
+      q.addToEnd([_track('e1')]);
+      q.toggleShuffle(); // off — canonical = insertion order
+      expect(_ids(q.queue), ['t0', 't1', 't2', 't3', 't4', 't5', 'e1']);
+    });
+  });
+
+  group('removeAt', () {
+    test('before the cursor shifts the cursor back', () {
+      final q = controller()..load(tracks, startIndex: 3);
+      final wasCurrent = q.removeAt(1);
+      expect(wasCurrent, isFalse);
+      expect(q.current!.id, 't3');
+      expect(q.cursor, 2);
+      expect(_ids(q.queue), ['t0', 't2', 't3', 't4', 't5']);
+    });
+
+    test('after the cursor leaves the cursor alone', () {
+      final q = controller()..load(tracks, startIndex: 3);
+      expect(q.removeAt(5), isFalse);
+      expect(q.current!.id, 't3');
+      expect(q.cursor, 3);
+    });
+
+    test('at the cursor keeps the cursor on the following track', () {
+      final q = controller()..load(tracks, startIndex: 3);
+      expect(q.removeAt(3), isTrue);
+      expect(q.cursor, 3);
+      expect(q.current!.id, 't4');
+    });
+
+    test('at the cursor on the last track clamps back', () {
+      final q = controller()..load(tracks, startIndex: 5);
+      expect(q.removeAt(5), isTrue);
+      expect(q.cursor, 4);
+      expect(q.current!.id, 't4');
+    });
+
+    test('removing the only track empties the queue', () {
+      final q = controller()..load([_track('solo')]);
+      expect(q.removeAt(0), isTrue);
+      expect(q.isEmpty, isTrue);
+      expect(q.cursor, -1);
+    });
+  });
+
+  group('reorder (move)', () {
+    test('moving the current track moves the cursor with it', () {
+      final q = controller()..load(tracks, startIndex: 2);
+      q.move(2, 4);
+      expect(q.cursor, 4);
+      expect(q.current!.id, 't2');
+      expect(_ids(q.queue), ['t0', 't1', 't3', 't4', 't2', 't5']);
+    });
+
+    test('moving an entry across the cursor adjusts it', () {
+      final q = controller()..load(tracks, startIndex: 2);
+      q.move(0, 5);
+      expect(q.cursor, 1);
+      expect(q.current!.id, 't2');
+      q.move(5, 0);
+      expect(q.cursor, 2);
+      expect(q.current!.id, 't2');
+    });
+
+    test('moving entries on one side keeps the cursor', () {
+      final q = controller()..load(tracks, startIndex: 2);
+      q.move(3, 5);
+      expect(q.cursor, 2);
+      expect(q.current!.id, 't2');
+    });
+  });
+
+  group('toggleShuffle', () {
+    test('on: current track anchors first, rest shuffled after', () {
+      final q = controller()..load(tracks, startIndex: 2);
+      q.toggleShuffle();
+      expect(q.shuffled, isTrue);
+      expect(q.cursor, 0);
+      expect(q.current!.id, 't2');
+      expect(_ids(q.queue).toSet(), _ids(tracks).toSet());
+    });
+
+    test('off: canonical order restored, cursor follows current', () {
+      final q = controller()..load(tracks, startIndex: 2);
+      q.toggleShuffle();
+      q.jumpTo(3); // some shuffled position
+      final current = q.current!.id;
+      q.toggleShuffle();
+      expect(q.shuffled, isFalse);
+      expect(_ids(q.queue), ['t0', 't1', 't2', 't3', 't4', 't5']);
+      expect(q.current!.id, current);
+    });
+  });
+
+  group('clearUpcoming', () {
+    test('drops everything after the current track', () {
+      final q = controller()..load(tracks, startIndex: 2);
+      q.clearUpcoming();
+      expect(_ids(q.queue), ['t0', 't1', 't2']);
+      expect(q.current!.id, 't2');
+      expect(q.nextIndex(), isNull);
+    });
+
+    test('while shuffled also drops the canonical items', () {
+      final q = controller()..load(tracks, startIndex: 0, shuffle: true);
+      final kept = _ids(q.queue.sublist(0, 2));
+      q.jumpTo(1);
+      q.clearUpcoming();
+      expect(_ids(q.queue), kept);
+      q.toggleShuffle();
+      expect(_ids(q.queue).toSet(), kept.toSet());
+      expect(q.current!.id, kept[1]);
+    });
+  });
+}
diff --git a/tvos/Runner.xcodeproj/project.pbxproj b/tvos/Runner.xcodeproj/project.pbxproj
index ec789873..88b7fda7 100644
--- a/tvos/Runner.xcodeproj/project.pbxproj
+++ b/tvos/Runner.xcodeproj/project.pbxproj
@@ -15,6 +15,8 @@
 		5C71F5F7B33075F2B007825B /* MpvPlayerPluginShared.swift in Sources */ = {isa = PBXBuildFile; fileRef = 73645904F226A24585A092CE /* MpvPlayerPluginShared.swift */; };
 		7A11A7C50113007825B00A01 /* AtmosProbePlugin.swift in Sources */ = {isa = PBXBuildFile; fileRef = 7A11A7C50113007825B00A02 /* AtmosProbePlugin.swift */; };
 		691577F0EB3F4EB1A5160280 /* MpvPlayerCoreBase.swift in Sources */ = {isa = PBXBuildFile; fileRef = D52A3BDA46E79969EA1DF3AC /* MpvPlayerCoreBase.swift */; };
+		B1D51A6A2F00110000000014 /* MpvAudioPlayerCore.swift in Sources */ = {isa = PBXBuildFile; fileRef = B1D51A6A2F00110000000015 /* MpvAudioPlayerCore.swift */; };
+		B1D51A6A2F00110000000016 /* MpvAudioPlayerPlugin.swift in Sources */ = {isa = PBXBuildFile; fileRef = B1D51A6A2F00110000000017 /* MpvAudioPlayerPlugin.swift */; };
 		6F3C0DD6F2F8DA14E7E2F386 /* MpvPlayerCore.swift in Sources */ = {isa = PBXBuildFile; fileRef = A12B8610AE5D580077264851 /* MpvPlayerCore.swift */; };
 		74858FAF1ED2DC5600515810 /* AppDelegate.swift in Sources */ = {isa = PBXBuildFile; fileRef = 74858FAE1ED2DC5600515810 /* AppDelegate.swift */; };
 		81325C1CD13794375A81AC02 /* messages.g.swift in Sources */ = {isa = PBXBuildFile; fileRef = 34CD411CCD84E381C4BF4C1B /* messages.g.swift */; };
@@ -102,6 +104,8 @@
 		BBCB49C8AE9E90DEF97A87CA /* Info.plist */ = {isa = PBXFileReference; includeInIndex = 1; lastKnownFileType = text.plist.xml; path = Info.plist; sourceTree = "<group>"; };
 		C0455EBA0EF4A61D3B71D2D7 /* SharedPreferencesPlugin.swift */ = {isa = PBXFileReference; includeInIndex = 1; lastKnownFileType = sourcecode.swift; path = SharedPreferencesPlugin.swift; sourceTree = "<group>"; };
 		D41AA251EF365516E2AC5287 /* PathProviderPlugin.swift */ = {isa = PBXFileReference; includeInIndex = 1; lastKnownFileType = sourcecode.swift; path = PathProviderPlugin.swift; sourceTree = "<group>"; };
+		B1D51A6A2F00110000000015 /* MpvAudioPlayerCore.swift */ = {isa = PBXFileReference; includeInIndex = 1; lastKnownFileType = sourcecode.swift; name = MpvAudioPlayerCore.swift; path = ../shared/apple/MpvPlayer/MpvAudioPlayerCore.swift; sourceTree = "<source_root>"; };
+		B1D51A6A2F00110000000017 /* MpvAudioPlayerPlugin.swift */ = {isa = PBXFileReference; includeInIndex = 1; lastKnownFileType = sourcecode.swift; name = MpvAudioPlayerPlugin.swift; path = ../shared/apple/MpvPlayer/MpvAudioPlayerPlugin.swift; sourceTree = "<source_root>"; };
 		D52A3BDA46E79969EA1DF3AC /* MpvPlayerCoreBase.swift */ = {isa = PBXFileReference; includeInIndex = 1; lastKnownFileType = sourcecode.swift; name = MpvPlayerCoreBase.swift; path = ../shared/apple/MpvPlayer/MpvPlayerCoreBase.swift; sourceTree = "<source_root>"; };
 		F2F829B3F190657106F66379 /* TopShelfProvider.swift */ = {isa = PBXFileReference; includeInIndex = 1; lastKnownFileType = sourcecode.swift; path = TopShelfProvider.swift; sourceTree = "<group>"; };
 		F9426EFA282CDA8E0E98EEE9 /* PackageInfoPlusPlugin.swift */ = {isa = PBXFileReference; includeInIndex = 1; lastKnownFileType = sourcecode.swift; path = PackageInfoPlusPlugin.swift; sourceTree = "<group>"; };
@@ -251,6 +255,8 @@
 			children = (
 				D52A3BDA46E79969EA1DF3AC /* MpvPlayerCoreBase.swift */,
 				73645904F226A24585A092CE /* MpvPlayerPluginShared.swift */,
+				B1D51A6A2F00110000000015 /* MpvAudioPlayerCore.swift */,
+				B1D51A6A2F00110000000017 /* MpvAudioPlayerPlugin.swift */,
 				7A11A7C50113007825B00A02 /* AtmosProbePlugin.swift */,
 				A12B8610AE5D580077264851 /* MpvPlayerCore.swift */,
 				9D7A998830EDC8F77BF521D1 /* MpvPlayerPlugin.swift */,
@@ -480,6 +486,8 @@
 				74858FAF1ED2DC5600515810 /* AppDelegate.swift in Sources */,
 				691577F0EB3F4EB1A5160280 /* MpvPlayerCoreBase.swift in Sources */,
 				5C71F5F7B33075F2B007825B /* MpvPlayerPluginShared.swift in Sources */,
+				B1D51A6A2F00110000000014 /* MpvAudioPlayerCore.swift in Sources */,
+				B1D51A6A2F00110000000016 /* MpvAudioPlayerPlugin.swift in Sources */,
 				7A11A7C50113007825B00A01 /* AtmosProbePlugin.swift in Sources */,
 				6F3C0DD6F2F8DA14E7E2F386 /* MpvPlayerCore.swift in Sources */,
 				8E5EED3DDAC9455D4DAA9776 /* MpvPlayerPlugin.swift in Sources */,
diff --git a/tvos/Runner/AppDelegate.swift b/tvos/Runner/AppDelegate.swift
index 1243a869..0eee747b 100644
--- a/tvos/Runner/AppDelegate.swift
+++ b/tvos/Runner/AppDelegate.swift
@@ -138,6 +138,9 @@ import wakelock_plus
     if let r = self.registrar(forPlugin: "MpvPlayerPlugin") {
       MpvPlayerPlugin.register(with: r)
     }
+    if let r = self.registrar(forPlugin: "MpvAudioPlayerPlugin") {
+      MpvAudioPlayerPlugin.register(with: r)
+    }
     if let r = self.registrar(forPlugin: "AtmosProbePlugin") {
       AtmosProbePlugin.register(with: r)
     }
diff --git a/windows/runner/flutter_window.cpp b/windows/runner/flutter_window.cpp
index e8d0dbfe..e08cb6cc 100644
--- a/windows/runner/flutter_window.cpp
+++ b/windows/runner/flutter_window.cpp
@@ -98,9 +98,11 @@ bool FlutterWindow::OnCreate() {
   }
   RegisterPlugins(flutter_controller_->engine());
 
-  // Register mpv player plugin.
+  // Register mpv player plugins (video + dedicated audio-only music core).
   OutputDebugStringA("FlutterWindow: About to register MpvPlayerPlugin\n");
   MpvPlayerPluginRegisterWithRegistrar(flutter_controller_->engine()->GetRegistrarForPlugin("MpvPlayerPlugin"));
+  MpvAudioPlayerPluginRegisterWithRegistrar(
+      flutter_controller_->engine()->GetRegistrarForPlugin("MpvAudioPlayerPlugin"));
   OutputDebugStringA("FlutterWindow: MpvPlayerPlugin registered\n");
 
   RegisterWindowChannel();
diff --git a/windows/runner/mpv/mpv_player.cpp b/windows/runner/mpv/mpv_player.cpp
index 4d0258d2..8f658c15 100644
--- a/windows/runner/mpv/mpv_player.cpp
+++ b/windows/runner/mpv/mpv_player.cpp
@@ -73,7 +73,7 @@ void EnsureMpvInnerSubclassed(HWND host) {
 
 }  // namespace
 
-MpvPlayer::MpvPlayer() {}
+MpvPlayer::MpvPlayer(bool audio_only) : audio_only_(audio_only) {}
 
 MpvPlayer::~MpvPlayer() { Dispose(); }
 
@@ -88,31 +88,43 @@ bool MpvPlayer::Initialize(HWND view) {
     return false;
   }
 
-  // Create a child window for mpv to render into, parented to the Flutter
-  // |view|. The video child then sits in the view's own per-window layer
-  // stack, above the view's (never-painted) layer-1 content and below the
-  // engine's topmost DComp visual carrying the UI. WS_CLIPSIBLINGS keeps it
-  // from painting over neighboring view children. Mouse input over the video
-  // is delivered to mpv's own inner window (on mpv's thread); the subclass
-  // installed in EnsureMpvInnerSubclassed forwards it back to the view.
-  hwnd_ = ::CreateWindowExW(
-      WS_EX_NOPARENTNOTIFY, L"STATIC", L"", WS_CHILD | WS_CLIPSIBLINGS, 0, 0, 100, 100, view, nullptr,
-      GetModuleHandle(nullptr), nullptr);
-  if (!hwnd_) {
-    mpv_destroy(mpv_);
-    mpv_ = nullptr;
-    return false;
-  }
-  g_forward_target_view = view;
+  if (audio_only_) {
+    // Windowless music core: no HWND, no VO, no video decode. vid=no keeps
+    // embedded cover art from ever becoming a video track, and
+    // force-window/audio-display make sure mpv never opens a video output
+    // for it either.
+    mpv_set_option_string(mpv_, "vid", "no");
+    mpv_set_option_string(mpv_, "force-window", "no");
+    mpv_set_option_string(mpv_, "audio-display", "no");
+    mpv_set_option_string(mpv_, "gapless-audio", "weak");
+  } else {
+    // Create a child window for mpv to render into, parented to the Flutter
+    // |view|. The video child then sits in the view's own per-window layer
+    // stack, above the view's (never-painted) layer-1 content and below the
+    // engine's topmost DComp visual carrying the UI. WS_CLIPSIBLINGS keeps it
+    // from painting over neighboring view children. Mouse input over the video
+    // is delivered to mpv's own inner window (on mpv's thread); the subclass
+    // installed in EnsureMpvInnerSubclassed forwards it back to the view.
+    hwnd_ = ::CreateWindowExW(
+        WS_EX_NOPARENTNOTIFY, L"STATIC", L"", WS_CHILD | WS_CLIPSIBLINGS, 0, 0, 100, 100, view, nullptr,
+        GetModuleHandle(nullptr), nullptr);
+    if (!hwnd_) {
+      mpv_destroy(mpv_);
+      mpv_ = nullptr;
+      return false;
+    }
+    g_forward_target_view = view;
 
-  // Set the wid option to embed mpv in our window.
-  int64_t wid = reinterpret_cast<int64_t>(hwnd_);
-  mpv_set_option(mpv_, "wid", MPV_FORMAT_INT64, &wid);
+    // Set the wid option to embed mpv in our window.
+    int64_t wid = reinterpret_cast<int64_t>(hwnd_);
+    mpv_set_option(mpv_, "wid", MPV_FORMAT_INT64, &wid);
+
+    mpv_set_option_string(mpv_, "vo", "gpu-next");
+    mpv_set_option_string(mpv_, "gpu-api", "auto");
+    // hwdec is set from Flutter via setProperty based on user preference
+  }
 
   // Configure mpv for embedded playback.
-  mpv_set_option_string(mpv_, "vo", "gpu-next");
-  mpv_set_option_string(mpv_, "gpu-api", "auto");
-  // hwdec is set from Flutter via setProperty based on user preference
   mpv_set_option_string(mpv_, "keep-open", "yes");
   mpv_set_option_string(mpv_, "idle", "yes");
   mpv_set_option_string(mpv_, "input-default-bindings", "no");
@@ -122,12 +134,14 @@ bool MpvPlayer::Initialize(HWND view) {
   mpv_set_option_string(mpv_, "input-media-keys", "no");
   mpv_set_option_string(mpv_, "osc", "no");
 
-  // Let mpv use display/context detection instead of forcing HDR signaling.
-  mpv_set_option_string(mpv_, "target-colorspace-hint", "auto");
+  if (!audio_only_) {
+    // Let mpv use display/context detection instead of forcing HDR signaling.
+    mpv_set_option_string(mpv_, "target-colorspace-hint", "auto");
 
-  // Fallback tone mapping when display doesn't support HDR
-  mpv_set_option_string(mpv_, "tone-mapping", "auto");
-  mpv_set_option_string(mpv_, "hdr-compute-peak", "auto");
+    // Fallback tone mapping when display doesn't support HDR
+    mpv_set_option_string(mpv_, "tone-mapping", "auto");
+    mpv_set_option_string(mpv_, "hdr-compute-peak", "auto");
+  }
 
   // When WASAPI becomes unavailable (sleep, device unplug), fall back to null
   // audio output instead of permanently dropping the audio track. Recovery is
@@ -140,15 +154,19 @@ bool MpvPlayer::Initialize(HWND view) {
   // Initialize mpv.
   int err = mpv_initialize(mpv_);
   if (err < 0) {
-    ::DestroyWindow(hwnd_);
-    hwnd_ = nullptr;
+    if (hwnd_) {
+      ::DestroyWindow(hwnd_);
+      hwnd_ = nullptr;
+    }
     mpv_destroy(mpv_);
     mpv_ = nullptr;
     return false;
   }
 
-  // Observe video-params/sig-peak for HDR detection
-  mpv_observe_property(mpv_, 0, "video-params/sig-peak", MPV_FORMAT_DOUBLE);
+  // Observe video-params/sig-peak for HDR detection (video core only).
+  if (!audio_only_) {
+    mpv_observe_property(mpv_, 0, "video-params/sig-peak", MPV_FORMAT_DOUBLE);
+  }
   mpv_observe_property(mpv_, 0, "current-ao", MPV_FORMAT_STRING);
   // Native observation so audio recovery doesn't depend on the Dart side
   // choosing to observe the device list.
@@ -192,11 +210,13 @@ void MpvPlayer::Dispose() {
   if (hwnd_) {
     ::DestroyWindow(hwnd_);
     hwnd_ = nullptr;
-  }
 
-  // The subclassed inner window died with hwnd_; clear the forwarding state.
-  g_mpv_inner_hwnd = nullptr;
-  g_mpv_inner_original_proc = nullptr;
+    // The subclassed inner window died with hwnd_; clear the forwarding
+    // state. Only the owner of the window may do this: the audio-only core
+    // (which never has an hwnd_) must not wipe the video instance's state.
+    g_mpv_inner_hwnd = nullptr;
+    g_mpv_inner_original_proc = nullptr;
+  }
 
   observed_properties_.clear();
 }
diff --git a/windows/runner/mpv/mpv_player.h b/windows/runner/mpv/mpv_player.h
index 44494c21..3240ecb6 100644
--- a/windows/runner/mpv/mpv_player.h
+++ b/windows/runner/mpv/mpv_player.h
@@ -23,13 +23,16 @@ class MpvPlayer {
  public:
   using EventCallback = std::function<void(const flutter::EncodableValue&)>;
 
-  MpvPlayer();
+  // |audio_only| runs mpv as a windowless music core: no child HWND, no VO,
+  // video decode disabled entirely (vid=no).
+  explicit MpvPlayer(bool audio_only = false);
   ~MpvPlayer();
 
   // Initializes mpv and creates the video window as a child of the Flutter
   // |view| window. The flutter-plezy engine presents the UI on a topmost
   // DirectComposition visual, so the video child composites beneath it in the
-  // same HWND.
+  // same HWND. In audio-only mode |view| is ignored (pass nullptr) and no
+  // window is created.
   bool Initialize(HWND view);
 
   // Disposes mpv and the video window.
@@ -97,6 +100,7 @@ class MpvPlayer {
   uint64_t RegisterGetPropertyRequest(GetPropertyCallback callback);
   GetPropertyCallback TakeGetPropertyRequest(uint64_t request_id);
 
+  const bool audio_only_;
   mpv_handle* mpv_ = nullptr;
   HWND hwnd_ = nullptr;
 
diff --git a/windows/runner/mpv/mpv_plugin.cpp b/windows/runner/mpv/mpv_plugin.cpp
index ca9b7d44..139ab001 100644
--- a/windows/runner/mpv/mpv_plugin.cpp
+++ b/windows/runner/mpv/mpv_plugin.cpp
@@ -13,29 +13,41 @@ void MpvPlayerPluginRegisterWithRegistrar(FlutterDesktopPluginRegistrarRef regis
       flutter::PluginRegistrarManager::GetInstance()->GetRegistrar<flutter::PluginRegistrarWindows>(registrar));
 }
 
+void MpvAudioPlayerPluginRegisterWithRegistrar(FlutterDesktopPluginRegistrarRef registrar) {
+  mpv::MpvPlayerPlugin::RegisterWithRegistrar(
+      flutter::PluginRegistrarManager::GetInstance()->GetRegistrar<flutter::PluginRegistrarWindows>(registrar),
+      "com.plezy/mpv_audio_player", /*audio_only=*/true);
+}
+
 namespace mpv {
 
 namespace {
 constexpr UINT kPlatformTaskMessage = WM_APP + 0x4D50;
-}
+constexpr UINT kAudioPlatformTaskMessage = WM_APP + 0x4D51;
+}  // namespace
 
-void MpvPlayerPlugin::RegisterWithRegistrar(flutter::PluginRegistrarWindows* registrar) {
-  auto plugin = std::make_unique<MpvPlayerPlugin>(registrar);
+void MpvPlayerPlugin::RegisterWithRegistrar(
+    flutter::PluginRegistrarWindows* registrar, const std::string& channel_name, bool audio_only) {
+  auto plugin = std::make_unique<MpvPlayerPlugin>(registrar, channel_name, audio_only);
   registrar->AddPlugin(std::move(plugin));
 }
 
-MpvPlayerPlugin::MpvPlayerPlugin(flutter::PluginRegistrarWindows* registrar)
-    : registrar_(registrar), platform_thread_id_(::GetCurrentThreadId()) {
+MpvPlayerPlugin::MpvPlayerPlugin(
+    flutter::PluginRegistrarWindows* registrar, const std::string& channel_name, bool audio_only)
+    : registrar_(registrar),
+      platform_thread_id_(::GetCurrentThreadId()),
+      audio_only_(audio_only),
+      platform_task_message_(audio_only ? kAudioPlatformTaskMessage : kPlatformTaskMessage) {
   // Create method channel.
   method_channel_ = std::make_unique<flutter::MethodChannel<flutter::EncodableValue>>(
-      registrar->messenger(), "com.plezy/mpv_player", &flutter::StandardMethodCodec::GetInstance());
+      registrar->messenger(), channel_name, &flutter::StandardMethodCodec::GetInstance());
 
   method_channel_->SetMethodCallHandler(
       [this](const auto& call, auto result) { HandleMethodCall(call, std::move(result)); });
 
   // Create event channel.
   event_channel_ = std::make_unique<flutter::EventChannel<flutter::EncodableValue>>(
-      registrar->messenger(), "com.plezy/mpv_player/events", &flutter::StandardMethodCodec::GetInstance());
+      registrar->messenger(), channel_name + "/events", &flutter::StandardMethodCodec::GetInstance());
 
   auto handler = std::make_unique<flutter::StreamHandlerFunctions<flutter::EncodableValue>>(
       [this](
@@ -92,7 +104,7 @@ void MpvPlayerPlugin::PostToPlatformThread(std::function<void()> task) {
     }
   }
 
-  if (post_wakeup && !::PostMessage(flutter_window_, kPlatformTaskMessage, 0, 0)) {
+  if (post_wakeup && !::PostMessage(flutter_window_, platform_task_message_, 0, 0)) {
     // Wakeup lost (e.g. message queue full during a log storm); let the next
     // enqueue retry instead of stranding the queue.
     std::lock_guard<std::mutex> lock(platform_tasks_mutex_);
@@ -133,7 +145,7 @@ void MpvPlayerPlugin::HandleMethodCall(
     // topmost DComp visual — there is no separate container window to manage.
     proc_id_ =
         registrar_->RegisterTopLevelWindowProcDelegate([this](HWND hwnd, UINT message, WPARAM wparam, LPARAM lparam) {
-          if (message == kPlatformTaskMessage) {
+          if (message == platform_task_message_) {
             DrainPlatformTasks();
             return std::optional<HRESULT>(0);
           }
@@ -156,18 +168,21 @@ void MpvPlayerPlugin::HandleMethodCall(
     // and below the view's topmost DComp visual carrying the UI (layer 4). As
     // a *sibling* of the view, either the view's never-painted white content
     // covers the video or the video covers the UI — the in-subtree placement
-    // is the only ordering that yields white < video < UI.
-    HWND view = GetChildWindow();
+    // is the only ordering that yields white < video < UI. The audio-only
+    // core is windowless, so it gets no view at all.
+    HWND view = audio_only_ ? nullptr : GetChildWindow();
 
-    player_ = std::make_unique<MpvPlayer>();
+    player_ = std::make_unique<MpvPlayer>(audio_only_);
     bool success = player_->Initialize(view);
 
     if (success) {
       // Set up event callback.
       player_->SetEventCallback([this](const flutter::EncodableValue& event) { SendEvent(event); });
 
-      // Start hidden.
-      player_->SetVisible(false);
+      if (!audio_only_) {
+        // Start hidden.
+        player_->SetVisible(false);
+      }
       result->Success(flutter::EncodableValue(true));
     } else {
       player_.reset();  // Clear the player so we don't have a half-initialized state
@@ -343,6 +358,12 @@ void MpvPlayerPlugin::HandleMethodCall(
         std::get<int32_t>(id_it->second));
     result->Success();
   } else if (method == "setVisible") {
+    if (audio_only_) {
+      // Windowless core: nothing to show or hide, tolerate as a success no-op.
+      result->Success();
+      return;
+    }
+
     const auto* args = method_call.arguments();
     if (!args || !std::holds_alternative<flutter::EncodableMap>(*args)) {
       result->Error("INVALID_ARGS", "Expected map argument");
@@ -365,6 +386,12 @@ void MpvPlayerPlugin::HandleMethodCall(
 
     result->Success();
   } else if (method == "setVideoRect") {
+    if (audio_only_) {
+      // Windowless core: no rect to position, tolerate as a success no-op.
+      result->Success();
+      return;
+    }
+
     const auto* args = method_call.arguments();
     if (!args || !std::holds_alternative<flutter::EncodableMap>(*args)) {
       result->Error("INVALID_ARGS", "Expected map argument");
@@ -404,13 +431,16 @@ void MpvPlayerPlugin::HandleMethodCall(
       player_->SetRect(rect, dpr);
     }
 
+    result->Success();
+  } else if (audio_only_ && method == "updateFrame") {
+    // No frames to pump on the windowless core; tolerate as a success no-op.
     result->Success();
   } else if (method == "isInitialized") {
     bool initialized = player_ && player_->IsInitialized();
     result->Success(flutter::EncodableValue(initialized));
 
-    // --- Display mode matching ---
-  } else if (method == "getDisplayModes") {
+    // --- Display mode matching (video instance only) ---
+  } else if (!audio_only_ && method == "getDisplayModes") {
     HWND hwnd = GetWindow();
     auto modes = display_mode_manager_.EnumerateDisplayModes(hwnd);
     flutter::EncodableList list;
@@ -418,11 +448,11 @@ void MpvPlayerPlugin::HandleMethodCall(
       list.push_back(flutter::EncodableValue(DisplayModeToMap(mode)));
     }
     result->Success(flutter::EncodableValue(list));
-  } else if (method == "getCurrentDisplayMode") {
+  } else if (!audio_only_ && method == "getCurrentDisplayMode") {
     HWND hwnd = GetWindow();
     auto mode = display_mode_manager_.GetCurrentMode(hwnd);
     result->Success(flutter::EncodableValue(DisplayModeToMap(mode)));
-  } else if (method == "setDisplayMode") {
+  } else if (!audio_only_ && method == "setDisplayMode") {
     const auto* args = method_call.arguments();
     if (!args || !std::holds_alternative<flutter::EncodableMap>(*args)) {
       result->Error("INVALID_ARGS", "Expected map argument");
@@ -438,17 +468,17 @@ void MpvPlayerPlugin::HandleMethodCall(
     bool success =
         display_mode_manager_.SetDisplayMode(hwnd, get_int("width"), get_int("height"), get_int("refreshRate"));
     result->Success(flutter::EncodableValue(success));
-  } else if (method == "restoreDisplayMode") {
+  } else if (!audio_only_ && method == "restoreDisplayMode") {
     HWND hwnd = GetWindow();
     bool success = display_mode_manager_.RestoreOriginalMode(hwnd);
     result->Success(flutter::EncodableValue(success));
-  } else if (method == "isHDRSupported") {
+  } else if (!audio_only_ && method == "isHDRSupported") {
     HWND hwnd = GetWindow();
     result->Success(flutter::EncodableValue(display_mode_manager_.IsHDRSupported(hwnd)));
-  } else if (method == "isHDREnabled") {
+  } else if (!audio_only_ && method == "isHDREnabled") {
     HWND hwnd = GetWindow();
     result->Success(flutter::EncodableValue(display_mode_manager_.IsHDREnabled(hwnd)));
-  } else if (method == "setSystemHDR") {
+  } else if (!audio_only_ && method == "setSystemHDR") {
     const auto* args = method_call.arguments();
     if (!args || !std::holds_alternative<flutter::EncodableMap>(*args)) {
       result->Error("INVALID_ARGS", "Expected map argument");
@@ -464,13 +494,13 @@ void MpvPlayerPlugin::HandleMethodCall(
     HWND hwnd = GetWindow();
     bool success = display_mode_manager_.SetHDREnabled(hwnd, enabled);
     result->Success(flutter::EncodableValue(success));
-  } else if (method == "restoreSystemHDR") {
+  } else if (!audio_only_ && method == "restoreSystemHDR") {
     HWND hwnd = GetWindow();
     bool success = display_mode_manager_.RestoreOriginalHDRState(hwnd);
     result->Success(flutter::EncodableValue(success));
-  } else if (method == "isModeChanged") {
+  } else if (!audio_only_ && method == "isModeChanged") {
     result->Success(flutter::EncodableValue(display_mode_manager_.IsModeChanged()));
-  } else if (method == "isHDRChanged") {
+  } else if (!audio_only_ && method == "isHDRChanged") {
     result->Success(flutter::EncodableValue(display_mode_manager_.IsHDRChanged()));
   } else {
     result->NotImplemented();
diff --git a/windows/runner/mpv/mpv_plugin.h b/windows/runner/mpv/mpv_plugin.h
index 376f1531..0331c0e9 100644
--- a/windows/runner/mpv/mpv_plugin.h
+++ b/windows/runner/mpv/mpv_plugin.h
@@ -13,20 +13,30 @@
 #include <mutex>
 #include <optional>
 #include <queue>
+#include <string>
 
 #include "display_mode_manager.h"
 #include "mpv_player.h"
 
-// C-style registration function for the plugin.
+// C-style registration functions for the video and audio-only plugin
+// instances.
 void MpvPlayerPluginRegisterWithRegistrar(FlutterDesktopPluginRegistrarRef registrar);
+void MpvAudioPlayerPluginRegisterWithRegistrar(FlutterDesktopPluginRegistrarRef registrar);
 
 namespace mpv {
 
 class MpvPlayerPlugin : public flutter::Plugin {
  public:
-  static void RegisterWithRegistrar(flutter::PluginRegistrarWindows* registrar);
+  // |channel_name| is the method channel name; the event channel is
+  // |channel_name| + "/events". |audio_only| runs a windowless music core:
+  // no child HWND, no display-mode handling (see MpvPlayer).
+  static void RegisterWithRegistrar(
+      flutter::PluginRegistrarWindows* registrar, const std::string& channel_name = "com.plezy/mpv_player",
+      bool audio_only = false);
 
-  MpvPlayerPlugin(flutter::PluginRegistrarWindows* registrar);
+  MpvPlayerPlugin(
+      flutter::PluginRegistrarWindows* registrar, const std::string& channel_name = "com.plezy/mpv_player",
+      bool audio_only = false);
   virtual ~MpvPlayerPlugin();
 
  private:
@@ -43,6 +53,11 @@ class MpvPlayerPlugin : public flutter::Plugin {
 
   flutter::PluginRegistrarWindows* registrar_;
   DWORD platform_thread_id_;
+  const bool audio_only_;
+  // Per-instance wakeup message: the first window-proc delegate that handles
+  // a message consumes it, so the video and audio instances must not share
+  // one message id or one instance's wakeup would strand the other's queue.
+  const UINT platform_task_message_;
   HWND flutter_window_ = nullptr;
   std::unique_ptr<flutter::MethodChannel<flutter::EncodableValue>> method_channel_;
   std::unique_ptr<flutter::EventChannel<flutter::EncodableValue>> event_channel_;