diff --git a/core/search/orchestrator.py b/core/search/orchestrator.py
index a1961424..8e1bd6ca 100644
--- a/core/search/orchestrator.py
+++ b/core/search/orchestrator.py
@@ -65,7 +65,9 @@ class SearchDeps:
 def resolve_client(source_name: str, deps: SearchDeps) -> tuple[Any, bool]:
     """Return (client, is_available) for an explicit metadata source request."""
     if source_name == 'spotify':
-        if deps.spotify_client and deps.spotify_client.is_spotify_authenticated():
+        # Available when real auth OR the no-creds SpotipyFree fallback can serve
+        # (the client routes to free internally when auth is missing/limited).
+        if deps.spotify_client and deps.spotify_client.is_spotify_metadata_available():
             return deps.spotify_client, True
         return None, False
     if source_name == 'itunes':
diff --git a/core/spotify_client.py b/core/spotify_client.py
index 09ede9c4..0da306af 100644
--- a/core/spotify_client.py
+++ b/core/spotify_client.py
@@ -569,6 +569,61 @@ class SpotifyClient:
             return self._itunes  # Fall back to iTunes if no Discogs token
         return self._itunes
 
+    def _free_enabled(self) -> bool:
+        """Opt-in switch for the no-creds SpotipyFree ('Spotify Free') source.
+        Default OFF — the user explicitly enables it (Settings), so there's no
+        surprise web-scraping for people who simply haven't connected Spotify."""
+        try:
+            return bool(config_manager.get('metadata.spotify_free', False))
+        except Exception:
+            return False
+
+    def _free_available(self) -> bool:
+        """Whether the no-creds fallback can be offered at all: enabled in
+        config AND the SpotipyFree package is installed."""
+        from core.spotify_free_metadata import spotify_free_installed
+        return self._free_enabled() and spotify_free_installed()
+
+    def is_spotify_metadata_available(self) -> bool:
+        """Whether SoulSync can serve Spotify metadata — real auth OR the
+        no-creds fallback. Availability gates (search resolve, enrichment
+        worker, watchlist) use THIS instead of ``is_spotify_authenticated()``
+        so the fallback is reachable. Does NOT change auth semantics."""
+        from core.spotify_free_metadata import should_offer_spotify_metadata
+        try:
+            authed = self.is_spotify_authenticated()
+        except Exception:
+            authed = False
+        return should_offer_spotify_metadata(authed, self._free_available())
+
+    def _free_active(self) -> bool:
+        """Whether the no-creds SpotipyFree fallback may serve THIS request.
+
+        Only when official Spotify can't (no auth, or rate-limited — note
+        ``is_spotify_authenticated()`` already returns False during a rate-limit
+        ban) AND the fallback is available. When authed + healthy the official
+        path returns before any fallback, so this never opens. Delegates the
+        pure decision to ``core.spotify_free_metadata.should_use_free_fallback``."""
+        from core.spotify_free_metadata import should_use_free_fallback
+        if not self._free_available():
+            return False
+        try:
+            authed = self.is_spotify_authenticated()
+        except Exception:
+            authed = False
+        return should_use_free_fallback(authed, _is_globally_rate_limited())
+
+    @property
+    def _free_meta(self):
+        """Lazy SpotipyFree-backed metadata client (soft import — absence is
+        not fatal; methods degrade to the iTunes/Deezer fallback)."""
+        client = getattr(self, '_free_meta_client', None)
+        if client is None:
+            from core.spotify_free_metadata import SpotifyFreeMetadataClient
+            client = SpotifyFreeMetadataClient()
+            self._free_meta_client = client
+        return client
+
     def reload_config(self):
         """Reload configuration and re-initialize client"""
         self._invalidate_auth_cache()
@@ -1276,6 +1331,17 @@ class SpotifyClient:
                 logger.error(f"Error searching tracks via Spotify: {e}")
                 # Fall through to fallback
 
+        # No-creds Spotify (SpotipyFree) before the iTunes/Deezer fallback —
+        # only when official Spotify is unavailable (no auth / rate-limited).
+        if allow_fallback and self._free_active():
+            try:
+                objs = [Track.from_spotify_track(t)
+                        for t in self._free_meta.search_tracks(query, effective_limit)]
+                if objs:
+                    return objs
+            except Exception as e:
+                logger.debug("SpotipyFree track search failed: %s", e)
+
         # Fallback (iTunes or Deezer — configured in settings)
         if allow_fallback:
             logger.debug(f"Using {self._fallback_source} fallback for track search: {query}")
@@ -1336,6 +1402,21 @@ class SpotifyClient:
                 logger.error(f"Error searching artists via Spotify: {e}")
                 # Fall through to iTunes fallback
 
+        # No-creds Spotify (SpotipyFree): keep Spotify catalog/matching when
+        # official Spotify can't serve us (no auth / rate-limited), before the
+        # iTunes/Deezer fallback. Gated by _free_active() so it never runs while
+        # auth is healthy.
+        if allow_fallback and self._free_active():
+            try:
+                objs = [Artist.from_spotify_artist(a)
+                        for a in self._free_meta.search_artists(query, limit)]
+                if objs:
+                    query_lower = query.lower().strip()
+                    objs.sort(key=lambda a: (0 if a.name.lower().strip() == query_lower else 1))
+                    return objs
+            except Exception as e:
+                logger.debug("SpotipyFree artist search failed: %s", e)
+
         # Fallback (iTunes or Deezer)
         if allow_fallback:
             logger.debug(f"Using {self._fallback_source} fallback for artist search: {query}")
@@ -1437,6 +1518,13 @@ class SpotifyClient:
                 logger.error(f"Error fetching track details via Spotify: {e}")
                 # Fall through to iTunes fallback
 
+        # No-creds Spotify (SpotipyFree) for a real Spotify track id when
+        # official Spotify is unavailable (no auth / rate-limited).
+        if allow_fallback and self._free_active() and not self._is_itunes_id(track_id):
+            free = self._free_meta.get_track_details(track_id)
+            if free:
+                return free
+
         # Fallback - only if ID is numeric (non-Spotify format)
         if allow_fallback and self._is_itunes_id(track_id):
             logger.debug(f"Using {fallback_src} fallback for track details: {track_id}")
@@ -1528,6 +1616,13 @@ class SpotifyClient:
                 logger.error(f"Error fetching album via Spotify: {e}")
                 # Fall through to fallback
 
+        # No-creds Spotify (SpotipyFree) for a real Spotify album id when
+        # official Spotify is unavailable (no auth / rate-limited).
+        if allow_fallback and self._free_active() and not self._is_itunes_id(album_id):
+            free = self._free_meta.get_album(album_id)
+            if free:
+                return free
+
         # Fallback - only if ID is numeric (non-Spotify format)
         if allow_fallback and self._is_itunes_id(album_id):
             logger.debug(f"Using {fallback_src} fallback for album: {album_id}")
@@ -1605,6 +1700,13 @@ class SpotifyClient:
                 logger.error(f"Error fetching album tracks via Spotify: {e}")
                 # Fall through to iTunes fallback
 
+        # No-creds Spotify (SpotipyFree) for a real Spotify album id when
+        # official Spotify is unavailable (no auth / rate-limited).
+        if allow_fallback and self._free_active() and not self._is_itunes_id(album_id):
+            free = self._free_meta.get_album_tracks(album_id)
+            if free:
+                return free
+
         # Fallback - only if ID is numeric (non-Spotify format)
         if allow_fallback and self._is_itunes_id(album_id):
             logger.debug(f"Using {fallback_src} fallback for album tracks: {album_id}")
@@ -1691,6 +1793,18 @@ class SpotifyClient:
                 logger.error(f"Error fetching artist albums via Spotify: {e}")
                 # Fall through to iTunes fallback
 
+        # No-creds Spotify (SpotipyFree) for a real Spotify artist id when
+        # official Spotify is unavailable (no auth / rate-limited). The free
+        # discography is already album-shaped — project to Album dataclasses.
+        if allow_fallback and self._free_active() and not self._is_itunes_id(artist_id):
+            try:
+                free = [Album.from_spotify_album(a)
+                        for a in self._free_meta.get_artist_albums_list(artist_id, limit)]
+                if free:
+                    return free
+            except Exception as e:
+                logger.debug("SpotipyFree artist albums failed: %s", e)
+
         # Fallback - only if ID is numeric (non-Spotify format)
         if allow_fallback and self._is_itunes_id(artist_id):
             logger.debug(f"Using {fallback_src} fallback for artist albums: {artist_id}")
@@ -1745,6 +1859,13 @@ class SpotifyClient:
                 logger.error(f"Error fetching artist via Spotify: {e}")
                 # Fall through to iTunes fallback
 
+        # No-creds Spotify (SpotipyFree) for a real Spotify artist id when
+        # official Spotify is unavailable (no auth / rate-limited).
+        if allow_fallback and self._free_active() and not self._is_itunes_id(artist_id):
+            free = self._free_meta.get_artist(artist_id)
+            if free:
+                return free
+
         # Fallback - only if ID is numeric (non-Spotify format)
         if allow_fallback and self._is_itunes_id(artist_id):
             logger.debug(f"Using {fallback_src} fallback for artist: {artist_id}")
diff --git a/core/spotify_free_metadata.py b/core/spotify_free_metadata.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..87df34f2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/core/spotify_free_metadata.py
@@ -0,0 +1,210 @@
+"""PROTOTYPE — no-credentials Spotify metadata via SpotipyFree / spotapi.
+
+Goal: stand in as a READ-ONLY Spotify metadata source when the user has no
+Spotify auth (or is rate-limited), mapping SpotipyFree's outputs onto the same
+Spotify-compatible shapes the rest of SoulSync already consumes
+(see core/spotify_client.py + core/search/sources.py).
+
+Unofficial / web-player scraping — best-effort, fragile, and NOT a substitute
+for the user-account features (those need a real login).
+
+Capabilities (verified live, 2026-06):
+  search_tracks          ✅ SpotipyFree.search (already official-shaped)
+  search_artists         ✅ spotapi.Public().artist_search (normalized here)
+  search_albums          ❌ no album-name search exists upstream → returns []
+  get_album              ✅ SpotipyFree.album (already official-shaped)
+  get_artist_albums_list ✅ SpotipyFree.artist_albums (already official-shaped)
+  get_track_details      ✅ SpotipyFree.track (already official-shaped)
+  get_artist             ✅ SpotipyFree.artist (RAW GraphQL → normalized here)
+  get_artist_top_tracks  ❌ unavailable
+  audio_features         ❌ unavailable (Spotify deprecated it anyway)
+
+This module is import-safe even when SpotipyFree isn't installed — it
+soft-imports inside the client factory.
+"""
+
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+import importlib.util
+import logging
+from typing import Any, Optional
+
+logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
+
+_installed_cache: Optional[bool] = None
+
+
+def spotify_free_installed() -> bool:
+    """Cheap, cached check: is the optional SpotipyFree package importable?
+
+    Used by the availability gates — never constructs a client or hits the
+    network. Absence just means we degrade to the iTunes/Deezer fallback.
+    """
+    global _installed_cache
+    if _installed_cache is None:
+        _installed_cache = importlib.util.find_spec('SpotipyFree') is not None
+    return _installed_cache
+
+
+def should_use_free_fallback(authenticated: bool, rate_limited: bool) -> bool:
+    """The per-request gate: the no-creds SpotipyFree source may serve a request
+    ONLY when official Spotify can't — i.e. the user has no Spotify auth, or
+    we're currently rate-limited. When authed AND healthy the official path
+    returns before any fallback, so this never opens.
+    """
+    return (not authenticated) or rate_limited
+
+
+def should_offer_spotify_metadata(authenticated: bool, free_available: bool) -> bool:
+    """The availability gate: SoulSync can serve *some* Spotify metadata when
+    either real auth is present, or the no-creds fallback is available. The
+    upstream gates (search resolve, enrichment worker, watchlist) use this so
+    the fallback is actually reachable — without changing what
+    ``is_spotify_authenticated()`` means anywhere.
+    """
+    return authenticated or free_available
+
+
+# --------------------------------------------------------------------------
+# Normalizers (pure — unit-testable against captured fixtures)
+# --------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+def normalize_artist(raw: dict) -> dict:
+    """Map a raw SpotipyFree/spotapi artist object (from ``artist()`` or an
+    ``artist_search`` item's ``data``) onto the Spotify-compatible artist dict
+    SoulSync expects: ``{id, name, images, genres, followers, external_urls}``.
+
+    Artist-search items carry no usable image (only color swatches), so
+    ``images`` may be empty there — SoulSync lazy-loads artist art separately.
+    Genres aren't provided by the web player at all.
+    """
+    raw = raw or {}
+    profile = raw.get('profile') or {}
+    uri = raw.get('uri') or ''
+    artist_id = raw.get('id') or (uri.split(':')[-1] if uri else '')
+    name = profile.get('name') or raw.get('name') or ''
+
+    images = []
+    avatar = (raw.get('visuals') or {}).get('avatarImage') or {}
+    for src in (avatar.get('sources') or []):
+        if src.get('url'):
+            images.append({
+                'url': src['url'],
+                'height': src.get('height'),
+                'width': src.get('width'),
+            })
+
+    followers = (raw.get('stats') or {}).get('followers')
+
+    return {
+        'id': str(artist_id),
+        'name': name,
+        'images': images,
+        'genres': [],  # web player doesn't expose genres
+        'followers': {'total': followers or 0},
+        'external_urls': (
+            {'spotify': f'https://open.spotify.com/artist/{artist_id}'}
+            if artist_id else {}
+        ),
+    }
+
+
+# --------------------------------------------------------------------------
+# Client
+# --------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+class SpotifyFreeMetadataClient:
+    """Read-only Spotify metadata via SpotipyFree, normalized to SoulSync's
+    Spotify-compatible shapes. Methods mirror the metadata-source interface."""
+
+    def __init__(self):
+        self._sf = None       # SpotipyFree.Spotify instance
+        self._public = None   # spotapi.Public() for artist_search
+
+    # -- lazy clients (soft import; absence is not fatal) ------------------
+    def _sf_client(self):
+        if self._sf is None:
+            from SpotipyFree import Spotify  # optional, user-installed
+            self._sf = Spotify()
+        return self._sf
+
+    def _public_client(self):
+        if self._public is None:
+            import spotapi
+            self._public = spotapi.Public()
+        return self._public
+
+    def is_available(self) -> bool:
+        try:
+            self._sf_client()
+            return True
+        except Exception as e:
+            logger.debug(f"SpotipyFree unavailable: {e}")
+            return False
+
+    # -- search -----------------------------------------------------------
+    def search_tracks(self, query: str, limit: int = 10) -> list[dict]:
+        try:
+            res = self._sf_client().search(query, limit=limit) or {}
+            items = ((res.get('tracks') or {}).get('items')) or []
+            return items[:limit]
+        except Exception as e:
+            logger.debug(f"SpotipyFree search_tracks failed: {e}")
+            return []
+
+    def search_artists(self, query: str, limit: int = 10) -> list[dict]:
+        try:
+            pages = self._public_client().artist_search(query)
+            first = next(iter(pages), [])
+            out = []
+            for item in first[:limit]:
+                data = item.get('data') if isinstance(item, dict) else None
+                if data:
+                    out.append(normalize_artist(data))
+            return out
+        except Exception as e:
+            logger.debug(f"SpotipyFree search_artists failed: {e}")
+            return []
+
+    def search_albums(self, query: str, limit: int = 10) -> list[dict]:
+        # No album-name search exists in SpotipyFree/spotapi. Albums are only
+        # reachable by id or via an artist's discography.
+        return []
+
+    # -- entity lookups ---------------------------------------------------
+    def get_album(self, album_id: str, include_tracks: bool = True) -> Optional[dict]:
+        try:
+            return self._sf_client().album(album_id)
+        except Exception as e:
+            logger.debug(f"SpotipyFree get_album({album_id}) failed: {e}")
+            return None
+
+    def get_track_details(self, track_id: str) -> Optional[dict]:
+        try:
+            return self._sf_client().track(track_id)
+        except Exception as e:
+            logger.debug(f"SpotipyFree get_track_details({track_id}) failed: {e}")
+            return None
+
+    def get_album_tracks(self, album_id: str) -> Optional[dict]:
+        try:
+            return self._sf_client().album_tracks(album_id)
+        except Exception as e:
+            logger.debug(f"SpotipyFree get_album_tracks({album_id}) failed: {e}")
+            return None
+
+    def get_artist(self, artist_id: str) -> Optional[dict]:
+        try:
+            raw = self._sf_client().artist(artist_id)
+            return normalize_artist(raw) if raw else None
+        except Exception as e:
+            logger.debug(f"SpotipyFree get_artist({artist_id}) failed: {e}")
+            return None
+
+    def get_artist_albums_list(self, artist_id: str, limit: int = 50) -> list[dict]:
+        try:
+            res = self._sf_client().artist_albums(artist_id) or {}
+            return (res.get('items') or [])[:limit]
+        except Exception as e:
+            logger.debug(f"SpotipyFree get_artist_albums_list({artist_id}) failed: {e}")
+            return []
diff --git a/core/spotify_worker.py b/core/spotify_worker.py
index 2b113a8a..844b9eb3 100644
--- a/core/spotify_worker.py
+++ b/core/spotify_worker.py
@@ -215,10 +215,12 @@ class SpotifyWorker:
                 # We intentionally avoid calling is_spotify_authenticated() here
                 # because it makes an API probe that can re-trigger rate limits
                 # and lock users in an infinite rate-limit loop.
-                if not self.client.is_spotify_authenticated():
+                # Available = real auth OR the no-creds SpotipyFree fallback
+                # (enrichment is metadata-only, so the free source can serve it).
+                if not self.client.is_spotify_metadata_available():
                     self.client.reload_config()
-                    if not self.client.is_spotify_authenticated():
-                        logger.debug("Spotify not authenticated, sleeping 30s...")
+                    if not self.client.is_spotify_metadata_available():
+                        logger.debug("Spotify metadata unavailable, sleeping 30s...")
                         interruptible_sleep(self._stop_event, 30)
                         continue
 
diff --git a/core/watchlist_scanner.py b/core/watchlist_scanner.py
index 9fdb967b..c330de4c 100644
--- a/core/watchlist_scanner.py
+++ b/core/watchlist_scanner.py
@@ -489,12 +489,16 @@ class WatchlistScanner:
         self._spotify_disabled_reason = reason
 
     def _spotify_available_for_run(self) -> bool:
-        """Check if Spotify should be used for this run."""
+        """Check if Spotify should be used for this run.
+
+        Available = real auth OR the no-creds SpotipyFree fallback (new-release
+        detection is metadata-only — get_artist_albums — so the free source can
+        serve it; the client routes internally when auth is missing/limited)."""
         if self._spotify_disabled_for_run:
             return False
         if not self.spotify_client:
             return False
-        return self.spotify_client.is_spotify_authenticated()
+        return self.spotify_client.is_spotify_metadata_available()
 
     def _spotify_is_primary_source(self) -> bool:
         """Check if Spotify is both authenticated and the configured primary metadata source.
diff --git a/tests/search/test_search_orchestrator.py b/tests/search/test_search_orchestrator.py
index 02766746..951b1303 100644
--- a/tests/search/test_search_orchestrator.py
+++ b/tests/search/test_search_orchestrator.py
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@ class _Track:
 
 class _Client:
     def __init__(self, *, name='fake', artists=None, albums=None, tracks=None,
-                 fail_search=False, authed=True, connected=True):
+                 fail_search=False, authed=True, connected=True, meta_available=None):
         self.name = name
         self._artists = artists or []
         self._albums = albums or []
@@ -58,6 +58,10 @@ class _Client:
         self._fail = fail_search
         self._authed = authed
         self._connected = connected
+        # When unset, metadata availability tracks auth (the common case). Set
+        # explicitly to model the no-creds SpotipyFree fallback: not authed but
+        # metadata still available.
+        self._meta_available = meta_available
 
     def search_artists(self, q, limit=10):
         if self._fail:
@@ -77,6 +81,9 @@ class _Client:
     def is_spotify_authenticated(self):
         return self._authed
 
+    def is_spotify_metadata_available(self):
+        return self._authed if self._meta_available is None else self._meta_available
+
     def is_connected(self):
         return self._connected
 
@@ -157,12 +164,22 @@ def test_resolve_spotify_authed_returns_client():
 
 
 def test_resolve_spotify_unauthed_returns_none():
-    deps = _build_deps(spotify_client=_Client(authed=False))
+    # No auth AND no free fallback available → Spotify source unavailable.
+    deps = _build_deps(spotify_client=_Client(authed=False, meta_available=False))
     client, ok = orchestrator.resolve_client('spotify', deps)
     assert client is None
     assert ok is False
 
 
+def test_resolve_spotify_unauthed_but_free_available_returns_client():
+    # #798: no Spotify auth but the no-creds SpotipyFree fallback is available →
+    # the Spotify source stays usable (the client routes to free internally).
+    deps = _build_deps(spotify_client=_Client(authed=False, meta_available=True))
+    client, ok = orchestrator.resolve_client('spotify', deps)
+    assert client is deps.spotify_client
+    assert ok is True
+
+
 def test_resolve_spotify_missing_returns_none():
     deps = _build_deps(spotify_client=None)
     client, ok = orchestrator.resolve_client('spotify', deps)
diff --git a/tests/test_spotify_free_metadata.py b/tests/test_spotify_free_metadata.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..a69f3355
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/test_spotify_free_metadata.py
@@ -0,0 +1,135 @@
+"""Tests for core/spotify_free_metadata.py — the no-creds Spotify fallback.
+
+Pure-unit only: the live SpotipyFree calls hit the network and can't run in CI,
+but the two things that actually need pinning are pure — the activation gate and
+the artist normalizer (the one shape SpotipyFree returns raw). Fixtures below
+are trimmed from real captured responses (2026-06).
+"""
+
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+from core.spotify_free_metadata import (
+    normalize_artist,
+    should_offer_spotify_metadata,
+    should_use_free_fallback,
+    spotify_free_installed,
+)
+
+
+# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+# should_use_free_fallback — the activation gate
+# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+def test_gate_open_when_no_auth():
+    assert should_use_free_fallback(authenticated=False, rate_limited=False) is True
+
+
+def test_gate_open_when_rate_limited_even_if_authed():
+    assert should_use_free_fallback(authenticated=True, rate_limited=True) is True
+
+
+def test_gate_closed_when_authed_and_healthy():
+    # The critical guarantee: with working Spotify auth and no rate limit, the
+    # free source must NEVER activate.
+    assert should_use_free_fallback(authenticated=True, rate_limited=False) is False
+
+
+def test_gate_open_when_no_auth_and_rate_limited():
+    assert should_use_free_fallback(authenticated=False, rate_limited=True) is True
+
+
+# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+# should_offer_spotify_metadata — the availability gate the callers use
+# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+def test_offer_when_authed_even_if_no_free():
+    assert should_offer_spotify_metadata(authenticated=True, free_available=False) is True
+
+
+def test_offer_when_free_available_even_if_no_auth():
+    # The whole point: no auth but free available → Spotify source stays usable.
+    assert should_offer_spotify_metadata(authenticated=False, free_available=True) is True
+
+
+def test_not_offered_when_neither():
+    assert should_offer_spotify_metadata(authenticated=False, free_available=False) is False
+
+
+def test_full_composition_authed_healthy_never_uses_free():
+    # The critical no-regression guarantee end to end: authed + healthy →
+    # offered (official), and the per-request gate stays CLOSED.
+    assert should_offer_spotify_metadata(authenticated=True, free_available=True) is True
+    assert should_use_free_fallback(authenticated=True, rate_limited=False) is False
+
+
+def test_spotify_free_installed_returns_bool():
+    # Whatever the env, it's a cached bool and doesn't raise / hit network.
+    assert isinstance(spotify_free_installed(), bool)
+
+
+# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+# normalize_artist — raw web-player GraphQL → Spotify-compatible artist dict
+# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+# Trimmed from a real `SpotipyFree.artist()` response.
+_RAW_ARTIST = {
+    '__typename': 'Artist',
+    'id': '4Z8W4fKeB5YxbusRsdQVPb',
+    'uri': 'spotify:artist:4Z8W4fKeB5YxbusRsdQVPb',
+    'profile': {'name': 'Radiohead', 'biography': {'text': '...'}},
+    'stats': {'followers': 16239336, 'monthlyListeners': 45139421},
+    'visuals': {
+        'avatarImage': {
+            'sources': [
+                {'height': 640, 'width': 640, 'url': 'https://i.scdn.co/image/big'},
+                {'height': 160, 'width': 160, 'url': 'https://i.scdn.co/image/small'},
+            ]
+        }
+    },
+}
+
+# Trimmed from a real `artist_search` item's `data` (no usable image — only
+# color swatches under visualIdentity; SoulSync lazy-loads art separately).
+_RAW_SEARCH_ARTIST = {
+    '__typename': 'Artist',
+    'uri': 'spotify:artist:1dfeR4HaWDbWqFHLkxsg1d',
+    'profile': {'name': 'Queen'},
+    'visualIdentity': {'squareCoverImage': {'extractedColorSet': {}}},
+}
+
+
+def test_normalize_artist_full_shape():
+    out = normalize_artist(_RAW_ARTIST)
+    assert out['id'] == '4Z8W4fKeB5YxbusRsdQVPb'
+    assert out['name'] == 'Radiohead'
+    assert out['followers'] == {'total': 16239336}
+    assert out['images'][0]['url'] == 'https://i.scdn.co/image/big'
+    assert len(out['images']) == 2
+    assert out['external_urls'] == {
+        'spotify': 'https://open.spotify.com/artist/4Z8W4fKeB5YxbusRsdQVPb'
+    }
+    assert out['genres'] == []  # web player doesn't provide genres
+
+
+def test_normalize_artist_id_from_uri_when_no_id_field():
+    out = normalize_artist(_RAW_SEARCH_ARTIST)
+    assert out['id'] == '1dfeR4HaWDbWqFHLkxsg1d'
+    assert out['name'] == 'Queen'
+    assert out['images'] == []  # search items carry no usable image
+    assert out['external_urls']['spotify'].endswith('1dfeR4HaWDbWqFHLkxsg1d')
+
+
+def test_normalize_artist_handles_empty_and_none():
+    for bad in (None, {}, {'profile': None, 'stats': None, 'visuals': None}):
+        out = normalize_artist(bad)
+        assert out['name'] == ''
+        assert out['images'] == []
+        assert out['followers'] == {'total': 0}
+        assert out['external_urls'] == {}
+
+
+def test_normalize_artist_skips_imageless_sources():
+    raw = {'uri': 'spotify:artist:x', 'profile': {'name': 'A'},
+           'visuals': {'avatarImage': {'sources': [{'height': 1}, {'url': 'u'}]}}}
+    out = normalize_artist(raw)
+    assert out['images'] == [{'url': 'u', 'height': None, 'width': None}]