diff --git a/core/spotify_client.py b/core/spotify_client.py
index 2017dfa4..bf86048e 100644
--- a/core/spotify_client.py
+++ b/core/spotify_client.py
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ logger = get_logger("spotify_client")
 # Global rate limiting variables
 _last_api_call_time = 0
 _api_call_lock = threading.Lock()
-MIN_API_INTERVAL = 0.35  # Default: 350ms between API calls (~171/min, under Spotify's ~180/min limit)
+MIN_API_INTERVAL = 0.70  # Default: 350ms between API calls (~171/min, under Spotify's ~180/min limit)
 
 def _get_min_api_interval():
     """Get configurable API interval from settings, falling back to default."""
diff --git a/core/spotify_worker.py b/core/spotify_worker.py
index 17342528..ff7ac832 100644
--- a/core/spotify_worker.py
+++ b/core/spotify_worker.py
@@ -491,13 +491,14 @@ class SpotifyWorker:
         spotify_artist_id = item['spotify_artist_id']
         artist_name = item['artist_name']
 
-        # Fetch albums with pagination cap — Spotify returns 10/page, so max_pages=5
-        # gives 50 albums (newest first). Avoids 20+ paginated calls for prolific artists
-        # (e.g., 217 albums = 22 API calls without cap, vs 5 with cap)
+        # Fetch albums with pagination cap — Spotify returns 10/page, so max_pages=2
+        # gives 20 albums (newest first). Most libraries have <20 albums per artist.
+        # Reduced from max_pages=5 to avoid Spotify's undocumented hourly rate limits
+        # which trigger after ~50 paginated calls (10 artists × 5 pages = 50 calls).
         try:
             spotify_albums = self.client.get_artist_albums(
                 spotify_artist_id, album_type='album,single,compilation', limit=50,
-                max_pages=5
+                max_pages=2
             )
         except Exception as e:
             logger.error(f"Failed to get Spotify albums for artist '{artist_name}': {e}")