diff --git a/internal/api/types.go b/internal/api/types.go
index 565a5257..44444203 100644
--- a/internal/api/types.go
+++ b/internal/api/types.go
@@ -24,3 +24,71 @@ type UserView struct {
 	Username string      `json:"username"`
 	IsAdmin  bool        `json:"is_admin"`
 }
+
+// Page is the generic pagination envelope used by list and search endpoints.
+// Items is always non-nil at JSON encode time — handlers must initialize
+// empty slices explicitly so absent results render as [] rather than null.
+type Page[T any] struct {
+	Items  []T `json:"items"`
+	Total  int `json:"total"`
+	Limit  int `json:"limit"`
+	Offset int `json:"offset"`
+}
+
+// ArtistRef is the lightweight artist shape used in lists and search results.
+type ArtistRef struct {
+	ID         string `json:"id"`
+	Name       string `json:"name"`
+	AlbumCount int    `json:"album_count"`
+}
+
+// AlbumRef is the lightweight album shape used in lists, artist details,
+// and search results. CoverURL points to /api/albums/{id}/cover which
+// Plan 3 implements.
+type AlbumRef struct {
+	ID          string `json:"id"`
+	Title       string `json:"title"`
+	ArtistID    string `json:"artist_id"`
+	ArtistName  string `json:"artist_name"`
+	Year        int    `json:"year,omitempty"`
+	TrackCount  int    `json:"track_count"`
+	DurationSec int    `json:"duration_sec"`
+	CoverURL    string `json:"cover_url"`
+}
+
+// TrackRef is the lightweight track shape used in album details and search.
+// StreamURL points to /api/tracks/{id}/stream which Plan 3 implements.
+type TrackRef struct {
+	ID          string `json:"id"`
+	Title       string `json:"title"`
+	AlbumID     string `json:"album_id"`
+	AlbumTitle  string `json:"album_title"`
+	ArtistID    string `json:"artist_id"`
+	ArtistName  string `json:"artist_name"`
+	TrackNumber int    `json:"track_number,omitempty"`
+	DiscNumber  int    `json:"disc_number,omitempty"`
+	DurationSec int    `json:"duration_sec"`
+	StreamURL   string `json:"stream_url"`
+}
+
+// ArtistDetail is the response body of GET /api/artists/{id}. Embeds the ref
+// so callers read id/name/album_count from the same path as list entries.
+type ArtistDetail struct {
+	ArtistRef
+	Albums []AlbumRef `json:"albums"`
+}
+
+// AlbumDetail is the response body of GET /api/albums/{id}.
+type AlbumDetail struct {
+	AlbumRef
+	Tracks []TrackRef `json:"tracks"`
+}
+
+// SearchResponse is the body of GET /api/search. Each facet carries its own
+// total + limit + offset; the client sends one shared limit/offset and the
+// server applies it uniformly to each facet's LIMIT/OFFSET query.
+type SearchResponse struct {
+	Artists Page[ArtistRef] `json:"artists"`
+	Albums  Page[AlbumRef]  `json:"albums"`
+	Tracks  Page[TrackRef]  `json:"tracks"`
+}