diff --git a/internal/scrobble/listenbrainz/client.go b/internal/scrobble/listenbrainz/client.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..949cae5b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/internal/scrobble/listenbrainz/client.go
@@ -0,0 +1,182 @@
+// Package listenbrainz is the pure HTTP client for the ListenBrainz
+// submit-listens endpoint. No DB, no worker plumbing — just types and one
+// method. Errors are typed (ErrAuth, ErrPermanent, ErrTransient,
+// *RetryAfterError) so callers can branch on response semantics.
+package listenbrainz
+
+import (
+	"bytes"
+	"context"
+	"encoding/json"
+	"errors"
+	"fmt"
+	"net/http"
+	"strconv"
+	"time"
+)
+
+const defaultBaseURL = "https://api.listenbrainz.org"
+
+// Listen is one row sent to ListenBrainz.
+type Listen struct {
+	ListenedAt int64 // unix seconds
+	Track      Track
+}
+
+// Track is the per-listen metadata. Optional fields are omitted from the
+// payload when zero-valued.
+type Track struct {
+	ArtistName    string
+	TrackName     string
+	ReleaseName   string
+	DurationMs    int
+	RecordingMBID string
+	ArtistMBIDs   []string
+	ReleaseMBID   string
+}
+
+// Client posts to the LB submit-listens endpoint.
+type Client struct {
+	BaseURL string
+	HTTP    *http.Client
+}
+
+// NewClient returns a default-configured client (LB production base URL,
+// 30s timeout).
+func NewClient() *Client {
+	return &Client{
+		BaseURL: defaultBaseURL,
+		HTTP:    &http.Client{Timeout: 30 * time.Second},
+	}
+}
+
+// Sentinel errors. The worker branches on these to decide retry vs fail.
+var (
+	ErrAuth      = errors.New("listenbrainz: auth rejected")
+	ErrPermanent = errors.New("listenbrainz: permanent error")
+	ErrTransient = errors.New("listenbrainz: transient error")
+)
+
+// RetryAfterError carries the LB-supplied wait duration for 429 responses.
+type RetryAfterError struct{ Wait time.Duration }
+
+func (e *RetryAfterError) Error() string {
+	return fmt.Sprintf("listenbrainz: retry after %v", e.Wait)
+}
+
+// SubmitListens posts the given listens. payload_type is "single" for one
+// listen, "import" for batches.
+func (c *Client) SubmitListens(ctx context.Context, token string, listens []Listen) error {
+	if len(listens) == 0 {
+		return nil
+	}
+
+	listenType := "import"
+	if len(listens) == 1 {
+		listenType = "single"
+	}
+
+	body, err := json.Marshal(buildPayload(listenType, listens))
+	if err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("listenbrainz: marshal: %w", err)
+	}
+
+	base := c.BaseURL
+	if base == "" {
+		base = defaultBaseURL
+	}
+	req, err := http.NewRequestWithContext(ctx, http.MethodPost, base+"/1/submit-listens", bytes.NewReader(body))
+	if err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("listenbrainz: build request: %w", err)
+	}
+	req.Header.Set("Content-Type", "application/json")
+	req.Header.Set("Authorization", "Token "+token)
+
+	httpClient := c.HTTP
+	if httpClient == nil {
+		httpClient = http.DefaultClient
+	}
+	resp, err := httpClient.Do(req)
+	if err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("%w: %v", ErrTransient, err)
+	}
+	defer func() { _ = resp.Body.Close() }()
+
+	switch {
+	case resp.StatusCode >= 200 && resp.StatusCode < 300:
+		return nil
+	case resp.StatusCode == http.StatusUnauthorized:
+		return ErrAuth
+	case resp.StatusCode == http.StatusTooManyRequests:
+		wait := parseRetryAfter(resp.Header.Get("Retry-After"))
+		return &RetryAfterError{Wait: wait}
+	case resp.StatusCode >= 500:
+		return fmt.Errorf("%w: status %d", ErrTransient, resp.StatusCode)
+	default:
+		return fmt.Errorf("%w: status %d", ErrPermanent, resp.StatusCode)
+	}
+}
+
+func parseRetryAfter(header string) time.Duration {
+	if header == "" {
+		return 60 * time.Second // sensible default
+	}
+	if secs, err := strconv.Atoi(header); err == nil {
+		return time.Duration(secs) * time.Second
+	}
+	if t, err := http.ParseTime(header); err == nil {
+		d := time.Until(t)
+		if d < 0 {
+			return 60 * time.Second
+		}
+		return d
+	}
+	return 60 * time.Second
+}
+
+// payload mirrors the LB submit-listens body. Optional MBID fields use
+// `omitempty` so empty strings/slices don't appear in the JSON.
+type payload struct {
+	ListenType string         `json:"listen_type"`
+	Payload    []payloadEntry `json:"payload"`
+}
+
+type payloadEntry struct {
+	ListenedAt    int64         `json:"listened_at"`
+	TrackMetadata trackMetadata `json:"track_metadata"`
+}
+
+type trackMetadata struct {
+	ArtistName     string         `json:"artist_name"`
+	TrackName      string         `json:"track_name"`
+	ReleaseName    string         `json:"release_name,omitempty"`
+	AdditionalInfo additionalInfo `json:"additional_info,omitempty"`
+}
+
+type additionalInfo struct {
+	DurationMs    int      `json:"duration_ms,omitempty"`
+	RecordingMBID string   `json:"recording_mbid,omitempty"`
+	ArtistMBIDs   []string `json:"artist_mbids,omitempty"`
+	ReleaseMBID   string   `json:"release_mbid,omitempty"`
+}
+
+func buildPayload(listenType string, listens []Listen) payload {
+	entries := make([]payloadEntry, 0, len(listens))
+	for _, l := range listens {
+		entries = append(entries, payloadEntry{
+			ListenedAt: l.ListenedAt,
+			TrackMetadata: trackMetadata{
+				ArtistName:  l.Track.ArtistName,
+				TrackName:   l.Track.TrackName,
+				ReleaseName: l.Track.ReleaseName,
+				AdditionalInfo: additionalInfo{
+					DurationMs:    l.Track.DurationMs,
+					RecordingMBID: l.Track.RecordingMBID,
+					ArtistMBIDs:   l.Track.ArtistMBIDs,
+					ReleaseMBID:   l.Track.ReleaseMBID,
+				},
+			},
+		})
+	}
+	return payload{ListenType: listenType, Payload: entries}
+}
diff --git a/internal/scrobble/listenbrainz/client_test.go b/internal/scrobble/listenbrainz/client_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..0bca4639
--- /dev/null
+++ b/internal/scrobble/listenbrainz/client_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,164 @@
+package listenbrainz
+
+import (
+	"context"
+	"errors"
+	"net/http"
+	"net/http/httptest"
+	"strings"
+	"testing"
+	"time"
+)
+
+func newTestClient(handler http.HandlerFunc) (*Client, *httptest.Server) {
+	srv := httptest.NewServer(handler)
+	return &Client{BaseURL: srv.URL, HTTP: srv.Client()}, srv
+}
+
+func TestClient_SubmitListens_Success(t *testing.T) {
+	var seenPath, seenAuth, seenBody string
+	c, srv := newTestClient(func(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
+		seenPath = r.URL.Path
+		seenAuth = r.Header.Get("Authorization")
+		buf := make([]byte, 4096)
+		n, _ := r.Body.Read(buf)
+		seenBody = string(buf[:n])
+		w.WriteHeader(http.StatusOK)
+		_, _ = w.Write([]byte(`{"status":"ok"}`))
+	})
+	defer srv.Close()
+
+	listens := []Listen{{
+		ListenedAt: 1700000000,
+		Track: Track{
+			ArtistName:  "Miles Davis",
+			TrackName:   "So What",
+			ReleaseName: "Kind of Blue",
+			DurationMs:  545000,
+		},
+	}}
+	if err := c.SubmitListens(context.Background(), "tk", listens); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("err: %v", err)
+	}
+	if seenPath != "/1/submit-listens" {
+		t.Errorf("path = %q, want /1/submit-listens", seenPath)
+	}
+	if seenAuth != "Token tk" {
+		t.Errorf("auth = %q, want %q", seenAuth, "Token tk")
+	}
+	if !strings.Contains(seenBody, `"track_name":"So What"`) {
+		t.Errorf("body missing track_name: %s", seenBody)
+	}
+	if !strings.Contains(seenBody, `"artist_name":"Miles Davis"`) {
+		t.Errorf("body missing artist_name: %s", seenBody)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestClient_SubmitListens_401_ReturnsErrAuth(t *testing.T) {
+	c, srv := newTestClient(func(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
+		w.WriteHeader(http.StatusUnauthorized)
+	})
+	defer srv.Close()
+	err := c.SubmitListens(context.Background(), "bad", []Listen{{}})
+	if !errors.Is(err, ErrAuth) {
+		t.Errorf("err = %v, want ErrAuth", err)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestClient_SubmitListens_400_ReturnsErrPermanent(t *testing.T) {
+	c, srv := newTestClient(func(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
+		w.WriteHeader(http.StatusBadRequest)
+	})
+	defer srv.Close()
+	err := c.SubmitListens(context.Background(), "tk", []Listen{{}})
+	if !errors.Is(err, ErrPermanent) {
+		t.Errorf("err = %v, want ErrPermanent", err)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestClient_SubmitListens_503_ReturnsErrTransient(t *testing.T) {
+	c, srv := newTestClient(func(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
+		w.WriteHeader(http.StatusServiceUnavailable)
+	})
+	defer srv.Close()
+	err := c.SubmitListens(context.Background(), "tk", []Listen{{}})
+	if !errors.Is(err, ErrTransient) {
+		t.Errorf("err = %v, want ErrTransient", err)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestClient_SubmitListens_429_ReturnsRetryAfter(t *testing.T) {
+	c, srv := newTestClient(func(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
+		w.Header().Set("Retry-After", "60")
+		w.WriteHeader(http.StatusTooManyRequests)
+	})
+	defer srv.Close()
+	err := c.SubmitListens(context.Background(), "tk", []Listen{{}})
+	var ra *RetryAfterError
+	if !errors.As(err, &ra) {
+		t.Fatalf("err = %v, want *RetryAfterError", err)
+	}
+	if ra.Wait != 60*time.Second {
+		t.Errorf("Wait = %v, want 60s", ra.Wait)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestClient_SubmitListens_NetworkFailure_ReturnsErrTransient(t *testing.T) {
+	c := &Client{BaseURL: "http://127.0.0.1:1", HTTP: &http.Client{Timeout: 100 * time.Millisecond}}
+	err := c.SubmitListens(context.Background(), "tk", []Listen{{}})
+	if !errors.Is(err, ErrTransient) {
+		t.Errorf("err = %v, want ErrTransient", err)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestClient_SubmitListens_PayloadTypeImportForBatch(t *testing.T) {
+	var seenBody string
+	c, srv := newTestClient(func(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
+		buf := make([]byte, 4096)
+		n, _ := r.Body.Read(buf)
+		seenBody = string(buf[:n])
+		w.WriteHeader(http.StatusOK)
+	})
+	defer srv.Close()
+	_ = c.SubmitListens(context.Background(), "tk", []Listen{
+		{ListenedAt: 1, Track: Track{ArtistName: "A", TrackName: "X"}},
+		{ListenedAt: 2, Track: Track{ArtistName: "B", TrackName: "Y"}},
+	})
+	if !strings.Contains(seenBody, `"listen_type":"import"`) {
+		t.Errorf("batch body missing listen_type=import: %s", seenBody)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestClient_SubmitListens_PayloadTypeSingleForOne(t *testing.T) {
+	var seenBody string
+	c, srv := newTestClient(func(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
+		buf := make([]byte, 4096)
+		n, _ := r.Body.Read(buf)
+		seenBody = string(buf[:n])
+		w.WriteHeader(http.StatusOK)
+	})
+	defer srv.Close()
+	_ = c.SubmitListens(context.Background(), "tk", []Listen{
+		{ListenedAt: 1, Track: Track{ArtistName: "A", TrackName: "X"}},
+	})
+	if !strings.Contains(seenBody, `"listen_type":"single"`) {
+		t.Errorf("single body missing listen_type=single: %s", seenBody)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestClient_SubmitListens_OmitsEmptyMBIDs(t *testing.T) {
+	var seenBody string
+	c, srv := newTestClient(func(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
+		buf := make([]byte, 4096)
+		n, _ := r.Body.Read(buf)
+		seenBody = string(buf[:n])
+		w.WriteHeader(http.StatusOK)
+	})
+	defer srv.Close()
+	_ = c.SubmitListens(context.Background(), "tk", []Listen{
+		{ListenedAt: 1, Track: Track{ArtistName: "A", TrackName: "X"}},
+	})
+	if strings.Contains(seenBody, "recording_mbid") {
+		t.Errorf("body should omit empty recording_mbid: %s", seenBody)
+	}
+}