diff --git a/backend/lib/metadata.js b/backend/lib/metadata.js
index b1130a5..8707c79 100644
--- a/backend/lib/metadata.js
+++ b/backend/lib/metadata.js
@@ -95,11 +95,13 @@ async function lookupItunesTrackMeta(artist, title) {
         res.on('end', () => { try { resolve(JSON.parse(d).results || []); } catch { reject(new Error('parse')); } });
       }).on('error', reject);
     });
-    const normT  = normalizeTitle(title);
-    const normA  = (artist || '').toLowerCase().trim();
+    const normT     = normalizeTitle(title);
+    const normA     = (artist || '').toLowerCase().trim();
+    // Split by space OR comma/semicolon/slash so "VXLLAIN, iGRES" → "vxllain" not "vxllain,"
+    const firstWord = s => (s || '').toLowerCase().split(/[\s,;/]/)[0];
     const match  = results.find(t =>
       normalizeTitle(t.trackName) === normT &&
-      (t.artistName || '').toLowerCase().trim().split(' ')[0] === normA.split(' ')[0]
+      firstWord(t.artistName) === firstWord(normA)
     );
     if (!match) return {};
     return {
diff --git a/backend/novasonic-server.js b/backend/novasonic-server.js
index 72e2ed7..352ca17 100644
--- a/backend/novasonic-server.js
+++ b/backend/novasonic-server.js
@@ -553,7 +553,9 @@ app.get('/api/musicbrainz/lookup', async (req, res) => {
   const { artist, title } = req.query;
   if (!artist || !title) return res.status(400).json({ error: 'artist and title required' });
   try {
-    const query = `recording:"${title.replace(/"/g, '')}" AND artist:"${artist.replace(/"/g, '')}"`;
+    // Use only the first artist — MB won't match "VXLLAIN, iGRES, ENXK" against "VXLLAIN feat. iGRES & ENXK"
+    const firstArtist = artist.split(/[,;&•]/)[0].trim().replace(/"/g, '');
+    const query = `recording:"${title.replace(/"/g, '')}" AND artistname:"${firstArtist}"`;
     const url = `https://musicbrainz.org/ws/2/recording/?query=${encodeURIComponent(query)}&fmt=json&limit=5`;
     const r = await fetch(url, { headers: { 'User-Agent': 'NovaSonic/1.0 (me_honeyy@proton.me)' }, signal: AbortSignal.timeout(10000) });
     if (!r.ok) return res.status(502).json({ error: `MusicBrainz ${r.status}` });