diff --git a/core/genius_client.py b/core/genius_client.py
index f255a2a3..08431926 100644
--- a/core/genius_client.py
+++ b/core/genius_client.py
@@ -16,8 +16,24 @@ _rate_limit_backoff = 0  # Extra backoff seconds after 429
 _rate_limit_until = 0    # Timestamp until which all calls should wait
 
 
+class GeniusRateLimitedError(requests.exceptions.RequestException):
+    """Raised IMMEDIATELY while Genius is inside a 429 backoff window.
+
+    Subclasses RequestException so every existing caller (the import
+    pipeline's source lookups, the enrichment worker's per-item guards)
+    already treats it as a plain network failure: log one line, skip
+    Genius, move on. Lyrics/metadata garnish — nothing is allowed to WAIT
+    for it."""
+
+
 def rate_limited(func):
-    """Decorator to enforce rate limiting on Genius API calls with exponential backoff on 429"""
+    """Decorator to enforce rate limiting on Genius API calls.
+
+    The 429 backoff is a fail-fast GATE, not a sleep. The old version
+    slept the backoff in the calling thread — while HOLDING the API lock,
+    so every other Genius caller queued behind it — and then re-raised
+    anyway. The import pipeline measurably napped 2x120s per track
+    ("Genius track lookup took 242.4s") for lookups that still failed."""
     @wraps(func)
     def wrapper(*args, **kwargs):
         global _last_api_call_time, _rate_limit_backoff, _rate_limit_until
@@ -25,11 +41,12 @@ def rate_limited(func):
         with _api_call_lock:
             current_time = time.time()
 
-            # If in backoff period from a previous 429, wait it out
+            # Inside a backoff window: fail fast, never wait.
             if current_time < _rate_limit_until:
-                wait = _rate_limit_until - current_time
-                logger.debug(f"Genius rate limit backoff: waiting {wait:.1f}s")
-                time.sleep(wait)
+                remaining = _rate_limit_until - current_time
+                raise GeniusRateLimitedError(
+                    f"Genius in 429 backoff for another {remaining:.0f}s — skipping"
+                )
 
             time_since_last_call = time.time() - _last_api_call_time
             if time_since_last_call < MIN_API_INTERVAL:
@@ -48,11 +65,11 @@ def rate_limited(func):
             return result
         except Exception as e:
             if "429" in str(e) or "rate limit" in str(e).lower():
-                # Exponential backoff: 30s → 60s → 120s (cap at 120s)
+                # Open the gate: 30s → 60s → 120s (cap). Callers fail fast
+                # against it instead of sleeping here.
                 _rate_limit_backoff = min(120, max(30, _rate_limit_backoff * 2) if _rate_limit_backoff else 30)
                 _rate_limit_until = time.time() + _rate_limit_backoff
-                logger.warning(f"Genius 429 rate limit — backing off {_rate_limit_backoff}s")
-                time.sleep(_rate_limit_backoff)
+                logger.warning(f"Genius 429 rate limit — gating calls for {_rate_limit_backoff}s")
             raise e
     return wrapper
 
diff --git a/tests/test_genius_backoff.py b/tests/test_genius_backoff.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..c187535a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/test_genius_backoff.py
@@ -0,0 +1,77 @@
+"""Genius 429 backoff must be a fail-fast gate, never a sleep.
+
+The old wrapper slept the backoff (30-120s) in the calling thread — while
+holding the global API lock, serializing every other Genius caller behind
+it — and then re-raised anyway. The import pipeline measurably napped
+2x120s per track ("Genius track lookup took 242.4s") for lookups that
+still failed.
+"""
+
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+import time
+
+import pytest
+import requests
+
+import core.genius_client as gc
+
+
+def _fresh(monkeypatch):
+    monkeypatch.setattr(gc, '_rate_limit_until', 0)
+    monkeypatch.setattr(gc, '_rate_limit_backoff', 0)
+    monkeypatch.setattr(gc, '_last_api_call_time', 0)
+
+
+def test_backoff_window_fails_fast_without_sleeping(monkeypatch):
+    _fresh(monkeypatch)
+    monkeypatch.setattr(gc, '_rate_limit_until', time.time() + 120)
+
+    @gc.rate_limited
+    def call():
+        raise AssertionError('must not reach the API during a backoff window')
+
+    started = time.time()
+    with pytest.raises(gc.GeniusRateLimitedError):
+        call()
+    assert time.time() - started < 0.5  # the old code slept the full window here
+
+
+def test_429_opens_the_gate_without_sleeping_and_escalates(monkeypatch):
+    _fresh(monkeypatch)
+
+    @gc.rate_limited
+    def call():
+        raise requests.exceptions.HTTPError('429 Client Error: Too Many Requests')
+
+    started = time.time()
+    with pytest.raises(requests.exceptions.HTTPError):
+        call()
+    assert time.time() - started < 0.5            # old code slept 30s+ here
+    assert gc._rate_limit_until > time.time()      # the gate is open
+    assert gc._rate_limit_backoff == 30
+
+    # Next 429 (after the window expires) doubles the gate: 30 -> 60
+    monkeypatch.setattr(gc, '_rate_limit_until', 0)
+    monkeypatch.setattr(gc, '_last_api_call_time', 0)
+    with pytest.raises(requests.exceptions.HTTPError):
+        call()
+    assert gc._rate_limit_backoff == 60
+
+
+def test_rate_limited_error_is_a_request_exception():
+    # The design hinge: existing callers (import source lookups, worker item
+    # guards) catch RequestException and skip — no call-site changes needed.
+    assert issubclass(gc.GeniusRateLimitedError, requests.RequestException)
+
+
+def test_success_decays_backoff(monkeypatch):
+    _fresh(monkeypatch)
+    monkeypatch.setattr(gc, '_rate_limit_backoff', 30)
+
+    @gc.rate_limited
+    def call():
+        return 'ok'
+
+    assert call() == 'ok'
+    assert gc._rate_limit_backoff == 25