diff --git a/app/src/main/java/com/github/damontecres/wholphin/services/BackdropService.kt b/app/src/main/java/com/github/damontecres/wholphin/services/BackdropService.kt
index e0c48cca..832d4137 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/com/github/damontecres/wholphin/services/BackdropService.kt
+++ b/app/src/main/java/com/github/damontecres/wholphin/services/BackdropService.kt
@@ -114,7 +114,7 @@ class BackdropService
             }
         }
 
-        private suspend fun extractColorsFromBackdrop(imageUrl: String?): ExtractedColors =
+        suspend fun extractColorsFromBackdrop(imageUrl: String?): ExtractedColors =
             withContext(Dispatchers.IO) {
                 if (imageUrl.isNullOrBlank()) {
                     return@withContext ExtractedColors.DEFAULT
diff --git a/app/src/main/java/com/github/damontecres/wholphin/ui/detail/music/NowPlayingPage.kt b/app/src/main/java/com/github/damontecres/wholphin/ui/detail/music/NowPlayingPage.kt
index 17fddb0c..f4cb9a48 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/com/github/damontecres/wholphin/ui/detail/music/NowPlayingPage.kt
+++ b/app/src/main/java/com/github/damontecres/wholphin/ui/detail/music/NowPlayingPage.kt
@@ -54,6 +54,7 @@ import coil3.compose.AsyncImage
 import com.github.damontecres.wholphin.R
 import com.github.damontecres.wholphin.data.model.AudioItem
 import com.github.damontecres.wholphin.preferences.AppPreferences
+import com.github.damontecres.wholphin.preferences.BackdropStyle
 import com.github.damontecres.wholphin.preferences.UserPreferences
 import com.github.damontecres.wholphin.services.rememberQueue
 import com.github.damontecres.wholphin.ui.components.BasicDialog
@@ -61,6 +62,7 @@ import com.github.damontecres.wholphin.ui.components.DialogParams
 import com.github.damontecres.wholphin.ui.components.DialogPopup
 import com.github.damontecres.wholphin.ui.components.LoadingPage
 import com.github.damontecres.wholphin.ui.findActivity
+import com.github.damontecres.wholphin.ui.nav.Backdrop
 import com.github.damontecres.wholphin.ui.playback.BottomDialog
 import com.github.damontecres.wholphin.ui.playback.BottomDialogItem
 import com.github.damontecres.wholphin.ui.playback.PlaybackKeyHandler
@@ -159,6 +161,15 @@ fun NowPlayingPage(
         }
 
     Box(modifier) {
+        Backdrop(
+            backdrop = state.backdropResult,
+            drawerIsOpen = false,
+            backdropStyle = BackdropStyle.BACKDROP_DYNAMIC_COLOR,
+            modifier = Modifier.fillMaxSize(),
+            enableTopScrim = false,
+            useExistingImageAsPlaceholder = true,
+            crossfadeDuration = 1.5.seconds,
+        )
         Box(
             modifier =
                 Modifier
diff --git a/app/src/main/java/com/github/damontecres/wholphin/ui/detail/music/NowPlayingState.kt b/app/src/main/java/com/github/damontecres/wholphin/ui/detail/music/NowPlayingState.kt
index 39552c59..f6fe40e4 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/com/github/damontecres/wholphin/ui/detail/music/NowPlayingState.kt
+++ b/app/src/main/java/com/github/damontecres/wholphin/ui/detail/music/NowPlayingState.kt
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 package com.github.damontecres.wholphin.ui.detail.music
 
 import androidx.compose.runtime.Stable
+import com.github.damontecres.wholphin.services.BackdropResult
 import com.github.damontecres.wholphin.services.MusicServiceState
 import org.jellyfin.sdk.model.api.LyricDto
 
@@ -10,6 +11,7 @@ data class NowPlayingState(
     val lyrics: LyricDto? = null,
     val currentLyricIndex: Int? = null,
     val visualizerPermissions: Boolean = false,
+    val backdropResult: BackdropResult = BackdropResult.NONE,
 ) {
     val hasLyrics: Boolean get() = lyrics != null && lyrics.lyrics.isNotEmpty()
 }
diff --git a/app/src/main/java/com/github/damontecres/wholphin/ui/detail/music/NowPlayingViewModel.kt b/app/src/main/java/com/github/damontecres/wholphin/ui/detail/music/NowPlayingViewModel.kt
index 1b087bad..2ad7a58a 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/com/github/damontecres/wholphin/ui/detail/music/NowPlayingViewModel.kt
+++ b/app/src/main/java/com/github/damontecres/wholphin/ui/detail/music/NowPlayingViewModel.kt
@@ -16,7 +16,9 @@ import com.github.damontecres.wholphin.data.model.BaseItem
 import com.github.damontecres.wholphin.preferences.AppPreference
 import com.github.damontecres.wholphin.preferences.AppPreferences
 import com.github.damontecres.wholphin.preferences.updateMusicPreferences
+import com.github.damontecres.wholphin.services.BackdropResult
 import com.github.damontecres.wholphin.services.BackdropService
+import com.github.damontecres.wholphin.services.ImageUrlService
 import com.github.damontecres.wholphin.services.MusicService
 import com.github.damontecres.wholphin.services.NavigationManager
 import com.github.damontecres.wholphin.services.NowPlayingStatus
@@ -45,6 +47,7 @@ import kotlinx.coroutines.sync.withLock
 import org.jellyfin.sdk.api.client.ApiClient
 import org.jellyfin.sdk.api.client.extensions.lyricsApi
 import org.jellyfin.sdk.api.client.extensions.userLibraryApi
+import org.jellyfin.sdk.model.api.ImageType
 import org.jellyfin.sdk.model.api.LyricDto
 import org.jellyfin.sdk.model.extensions.ticks
 import timber.log.Timber
@@ -63,6 +66,7 @@ class NowPlayingViewModel
         private val api: ApiClient,
         private val musicService: MusicService,
         private val backdropService: BackdropService,
+        private val imageUrlService: ImageUrlService,
         private val preferencesDataStore: DataStore<AppPreferences>,
         val navigationManager: NavigationManager,
         val userPreferencesService: UserPreferencesService,
@@ -123,6 +127,7 @@ class NowPlayingViewModel
                 controllerViewState.pulseControls()
             }
             viewModelScope.launchDefault {
+                backdropService.clearBackdrop()
                 updateBackdrop(getCurrent())
             }
             playbackLoop()
@@ -230,19 +235,18 @@ class NowPlayingViewModel
                                     val backdropItem =
                                         getBackdropItemForAlbum(api, BaseItem(it, false))
                                     if (backdropItem != null) {
-                                        backdropService.submit(backdropItem)
+                                        doUpdateBackdrop(backdropItem)
                                     } else {
-                                        backdropService.clearBackdrop()
+                                        clearBackdrop()
                                     }
                                 }
                             } catch (ex: Exception) {
                                 Timber.e(ex, "Error fetching backdrop")
-                                backdropService.clearBackdrop()
+                                clearBackdrop()
                             }
                         } else {
-                            backdropService.clearBackdrop()
+                            clearBackdrop()
                         }
-                        // TODO needs smoother transition
                         delay(60.seconds)
                         try {
                             val index = Random.nextInt(state.value.musicServiceState.queueSize)
@@ -257,6 +261,27 @@ class NowPlayingViewModel
                 }
         }
 
+        private suspend fun doUpdateBackdrop(item: BaseItem) {
+            val imageUrl = imageUrlService.getItemImageUrl(item, ImageType.BACKDROP)
+            val (primaryColor, secondaryColor, tertiaryColor) =
+                backdropService.extractColorsFromBackdrop(
+                    imageUrl,
+                )
+            val backdropResult =
+                BackdropResult(
+                    itemId = item.id.toString(),
+                    imageUrl = imageUrl,
+                    primaryColor = primaryColor,
+                    secondaryColor = secondaryColor,
+                    tertiaryColor = tertiaryColor,
+                )
+            state.update { it.copy(backdropResult = backdropResult) }
+        }
+
+        private fun clearBackdrop() {
+            state.update { it.copy(backdropResult = BackdropResult.NONE) }
+        }
+
         fun moveQueue(
             index: Int,
             direction: MoveDirection,
diff --git a/app/src/main/java/com/github/damontecres/wholphin/ui/nav/Backdrop.kt b/app/src/main/java/com/github/damontecres/wholphin/ui/nav/Backdrop.kt
index 2402ce48..21520447 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/com/github/damontecres/wholphin/ui/nav/Backdrop.kt
+++ b/app/src/main/java/com/github/damontecres/wholphin/ui/nav/Backdrop.kt
@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
+@file:OptIn(ExperimentalCoilApi::class)
+
 package com.github.damontecres.wholphin.ui.nav
 
 import androidx.compose.animation.animateColorAsState
@@ -24,11 +26,15 @@ import androidx.compose.ui.platform.LocalContext
 import androidx.hilt.lifecycle.viewmodel.compose.hiltViewModel
 import androidx.lifecycle.compose.collectAsStateWithLifecycle
 import androidx.tv.material3.MaterialTheme
+import coil3.annotation.ExperimentalCoilApi
 import coil3.compose.AsyncImage
+import coil3.compose.useExistingImageAsPlaceholder
 import coil3.request.ImageRequest
 import coil3.request.transitionFactory
 import com.github.damontecres.wholphin.preferences.BackdropStyle
+import com.github.damontecres.wholphin.services.BackdropResult
 import com.github.damontecres.wholphin.ui.CrossFadeFactory
+import kotlin.time.Duration
 import kotlin.time.Duration.Companion.milliseconds
 
 @Composable
@@ -38,8 +44,31 @@ fun Backdrop(
     viewModel: ApplicationContentViewModel = hiltViewModel(),
     modifier: Modifier = Modifier,
     enableTopScrim: Boolean = true,
+    useExistingImageAsPlaceholder: Boolean = false,
+    crossfadeDuration: Duration = 800.milliseconds,
 ) {
     val backdrop by viewModel.backdropService.backdropFlow.collectAsStateWithLifecycle()
+    Backdrop(
+        backdrop = backdrop,
+        drawerIsOpen = drawerIsOpen,
+        backdropStyle = backdropStyle,
+        modifier = modifier,
+        enableTopScrim = enableTopScrim,
+        useExistingImageAsPlaceholder = useExistingImageAsPlaceholder,
+        crossfadeDuration = crossfadeDuration,
+    )
+}
+
+@Composable
+fun Backdrop(
+    backdrop: BackdropResult,
+    drawerIsOpen: Boolean,
+    backdropStyle: BackdropStyle,
+    modifier: Modifier = Modifier,
+    enableTopScrim: Boolean = true,
+    useExistingImageAsPlaceholder: Boolean = false,
+    crossfadeDuration: Duration = 800.milliseconds,
+) {
     val baseBackgroundColor = MaterialTheme.colorScheme.background
     if (backdrop.hasColors &&
         (backdropStyle == BackdropStyle.BACKDROP_DYNAMIC_COLOR || backdropStyle == BackdropStyle.UNRECOGNIZED)
@@ -117,7 +146,8 @@ fun Backdrop(
                     ImageRequest
                         .Builder(LocalContext.current)
                         .data(backdrop.imageUrl)
-                        .transitionFactory(CrossFadeFactory(800.milliseconds))
+                        .useExistingImageAsPlaceholder(useExistingImageAsPlaceholder)
+                        .transitionFactory(CrossFadeFactory(crossfadeDuration))
                         .build(),
                 contentDescription = null,
                 contentScale = ContentScale.Fit,