diff --git a/app/workflows/__tests__/backfillTrackStep.test.ts b/app/workflows/__tests__/backfillTrackStep.test.ts
index ebe77370..6c211ed6 100644
--- a/app/workflows/__tests__/backfillTrackStep.test.ts
+++ b/app/workflows/__tests__/backfillTrackStep.test.ts
@@ -1,12 +1,14 @@
 import { describe, it, expect, vi, beforeEach } from "vitest";
 import { backfillTrackStep } from "../backfillTrackStep";
 
-import { fetchSongstats } from "@/lib/songstats/fetchSongstats";
+import { fetchSongstatsWithBackoff } from "@/lib/songstats/fetchSongstatsWithBackoff";
 import { upsertSongMeasurements } from "@/lib/supabase/song_measurements/upsertSongMeasurements";
 import { insertSongstatsQuotaLedger } from "@/lib/supabase/songstats_quota_ledger/insertSongstatsQuotaLedger";
 import { updateSongstatsBackfillQueue } from "@/lib/supabase/songstats_backfill_queue/updateSongstatsBackfillQueue";
 
-vi.mock("@/lib/songstats/fetchSongstats", () => ({ fetchSongstats: vi.fn() }));
+vi.mock("@/lib/songstats/fetchSongstatsWithBackoff", () => ({
+  fetchSongstatsWithBackoff: vi.fn(),
+}));
 vi.mock("@/lib/supabase/song_measurements/upsertSongMeasurements", () => ({
   upsertSongMeasurements: vi.fn(),
 }));
@@ -22,22 +24,20 @@ const ROW = { id: "q1", song: "USA2P2015959" } as never;
 describe("backfillTrackStep", () => {
   beforeEach(() => {
     vi.clearAllMocks();
+    vi.spyOn(console, "log").mockImplementation(() => {});
     vi.mocked(upsertSongMeasurements).mockResolvedValue([] as never);
   });
 
-  it("writes the historic series as songstats measurements, records spend, marks done", async () => {
-    vi.mocked(fetchSongstats).mockResolvedValue({
+  it("writes the historic series, records the spend, marks done on 200", async () => {
+    vi.mocked(fetchSongstatsWithBackoff).mockResolvedValue({
       status: 200,
+      attempts: 1,
+      retriesExhausted: false,
       data: {
         stats: [
           {
             source: "spotify",
-            data: {
-              history: [
-                { date: "2025-01-01", streams_total: 1008736324 },
-                { date: "2026-01-01", streams_total: 1330251464 },
-              ],
-            },
+            data: { history: [{ date: "2025-01-01", streams_total: 1008736324 }] },
           },
         ],
       },
@@ -45,10 +45,11 @@ describe("backfillTrackStep", () => {
 
     const result = await backfillTrackStep(ROW);
 
-    expect(fetchSongstats).toHaveBeenCalledWith("tracks/historic_stats", {
+    expect(fetchSongstatsWithBackoff).toHaveBeenCalledWith("tracks/historic_stats", {
       isrc: "USA2P2015959",
       source: "spotify",
     });
+    // exact transformation: each history point → a permanent songstats measurement
     expect(upsertSongMeasurements).toHaveBeenCalledWith([
       {
         song: "USA2P2015959",
@@ -59,74 +60,65 @@ describe("backfillTrackStep", () => {
         data_source: "songstats",
         raw_ref: "songstats-backfill",
       },
-      {
-        song: "USA2P2015959",
-        platform: "spotify",
-        metric: "platform_displayed_play_count",
-        value: 1330251464,
-        captured_at: "2026-01-01T00:00:00.000Z",
-        data_source: "songstats",
-        raw_ref: "songstats-backfill",
-      },
     ]);
     expect(insertSongstatsQuotaLedger).toHaveBeenCalledWith({
       hits: 1,
       purpose: "backfill USA2P2015959",
     });
-    expect(updateSongstatsBackfillQueue).toHaveBeenCalledWith("q1", { status: "done" });
+    expect(updateSongstatsBackfillQueue).toHaveBeenCalledWith(["q1"], { status: "done" });
     expect(result).toEqual({ ok: true, hitsSpent: 1 });
   });
 
-  it("marks a transient upstream error (429) as failed (reclaimable) and records the spend", async () => {
-    vi.mocked(fetchSongstats).mockResolvedValue({ status: 429, data: {} });
-
-    const result = await backfillTrackStep(ROW);
-
-    // transient -> 'failed' so the daily reclaim sweep returns it to 'pending'
-    expect(updateSongstatsBackfillQueue).toHaveBeenCalledWith("q1", { status: "failed" });
-    expect(insertSongstatsQuotaLedger).toHaveBeenCalledWith({
-      hits: 1,
-      purpose: "backfill USA2P2015959 (failed 429)",
+  it("DEFERS (pending, no quota hit, signals stop) when backoff is exhausted on 429", async () => {
+    vi.mocked(fetchSongstatsWithBackoff).mockResolvedValue({
+      status: 429,
+      attempts: 6,
+      retriesExhausted: true,
+      data: {},
     });
-    expect(upsertSongMeasurements).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
-    expect(result).toEqual({ ok: false, hitsSpent: 1 });
-  });
-
-  it("marks a transient 5xx as failed (reclaimable)", async () => {
-    vi.mocked(fetchSongstats).mockResolvedValue({ status: 504, data: {} });
 
     const result = await backfillTrackStep(ROW);
 
-    expect(updateSongstatsBackfillQueue).toHaveBeenCalledWith("q1", { status: "failed" });
-    expect(result).toEqual({ ok: false, hitsSpent: 1 });
+    // left pending for the next drain; NO ledger hit (Songstats consumed nothing)
+    expect(updateSongstatsBackfillQueue).toHaveBeenCalledWith(["q1"], { status: "pending" });
+    expect(insertSongstatsQuotaLedger).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+    expect(upsertSongMeasurements).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+    expect(result).toEqual({ ok: false, hitsSpent: 0, deferred: true });
   });
 
-  it("marks a permanent client error (403) as done so reclaim never recycles it", async () => {
-    vi.mocked(fetchSongstats).mockResolvedValue({ status: 403, data: {} });
+  it("marks a definitive 404 (no history) as done and records the spend", async () => {
+    vi.mocked(fetchSongstatsWithBackoff).mockResolvedValue({
+      status: 404,
+      attempts: 1,
+      retriesExhausted: false,
+      data: {},
+    });
 
     const result = await backfillTrackStep(ROW);
 
-    // non-retryable 4xx (not 408/429) is terminal -> 'done', not 'failed'
-    expect(updateSongstatsBackfillQueue).toHaveBeenCalledWith("q1", { status: "done" });
+    expect(updateSongstatsBackfillQueue).toHaveBeenCalledWith(["q1"], { status: "done" });
     expect(insertSongstatsQuotaLedger).toHaveBeenCalledWith({
       hits: 1,
-      purpose: "backfill USA2P2015959 (terminal 403)",
+      purpose: "backfill USA2P2015959 (no data 404)",
     });
     expect(result).toEqual({ ok: false, hitsSpent: 1 });
   });
 
-  it("marks a definitive 404 (no history exists) as done so it is never retried", async () => {
-    vi.mocked(fetchSongstats).mockResolvedValue({ status: 404, data: {} });
+  it("marks a permanent 4xx (403) as done (terminal) and records the spend", async () => {
+    vi.mocked(fetchSongstatsWithBackoff).mockResolvedValue({
+      status: 403,
+      attempts: 1,
+      retriesExhausted: false,
+      data: {},
+    });
 
     const result = await backfillTrackStep(ROW);
 
-    // terminal no-data -> 'done', not 'failed' — the reclaim sweep must not resurrect it
-    expect(updateSongstatsBackfillQueue).toHaveBeenCalledWith("q1", { status: "done" });
+    expect(updateSongstatsBackfillQueue).toHaveBeenCalledWith(["q1"], { status: "done" });
     expect(insertSongstatsQuotaLedger).toHaveBeenCalledWith({
       hits: 1,
-      purpose: "backfill USA2P2015959 (no data 404)",
+      purpose: "backfill USA2P2015959 (terminal 403)",
     });
-    expect(upsertSongMeasurements).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
     expect(result).toEqual({ ok: false, hitsSpent: 1 });
   });
 });
diff --git a/app/workflows/__tests__/songstatsBackfillWorkflow.test.ts b/app/workflows/__tests__/songstatsBackfillWorkflow.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..cc435558
--- /dev/null
+++ b/app/workflows/__tests__/songstatsBackfillWorkflow.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,61 @@
+import { describe, it, expect, vi, beforeEach } from "vitest";
+import { songstatsBackfillWorkflow } from "../songstatsBackfillWorkflow";
+
+import { getBackfillBudgetStep } from "../getBackfillBudgetStep";
+import { claimBackfillRowsStep } from "../claimBackfillRowsStep";
+import { backfillTrackStep } from "../backfillTrackStep";
+import { releaseClaimedRowsStep } from "../releaseClaimedRowsStep";
+
+vi.mock("../getBackfillBudgetStep", () => ({ getBackfillBudgetStep: vi.fn() }));
+vi.mock("../claimBackfillRowsStep", () => ({ claimBackfillRowsStep: vi.fn() }));
+vi.mock("../backfillTrackStep", () => ({ backfillTrackStep: vi.fn() }));
+vi.mock("../releaseClaimedRowsStep", () => ({ releaseClaimedRowsStep: vi.fn() }));
+
+const row = (id: string) => ({ id, song: id }) as never;
+
+describe("songstatsBackfillWorkflow", () => {
+  beforeEach(() => {
+    vi.clearAllMocks();
+    vi.spyOn(console, "log").mockImplementation(() => {});
+    vi.mocked(releaseClaimedRowsStep).mockResolvedValue(undefined);
+  });
+
+  it("releases the rest of the claimed batch to pending when a track defers", async () => {
+    vi.mocked(getBackfillBudgetStep).mockResolvedValue(100);
+    vi.mocked(claimBackfillRowsStep).mockResolvedValue([row("r1"), row("r2"), row("r3")]);
+    vi.mocked(backfillTrackStep)
+      .mockResolvedValueOnce({ ok: true, hitsSpent: 1 }) // r1
+      .mockResolvedValueOnce({ ok: false, hitsSpent: 0, deferred: true }); // r2 defers
+
+    const result = await songstatsBackfillWorkflow();
+
+    // r2 is set pending by the step itself; the unprocessed remainder (r3) is released here
+    expect(releaseClaimedRowsStep).toHaveBeenCalledWith(["r3"]);
+    expect(backfillTrackStep).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(2); // stopped at the defer, never reached r3
+    expect(result).toEqual({ backfilled: 1, failed: 0, deferred: true });
+  });
+
+  it("drains until the queue is empty and never releases when nothing defers", async () => {
+    vi.mocked(getBackfillBudgetStep).mockResolvedValue(100);
+    vi.mocked(claimBackfillRowsStep)
+      .mockResolvedValueOnce([row("a"), row("b")])
+      .mockResolvedValueOnce([]); // queue drained
+    vi.mocked(backfillTrackStep)
+      .mockResolvedValueOnce({ ok: true, hitsSpent: 1 })
+      .mockResolvedValueOnce({ ok: false, hitsSpent: 1 }); // terminal (e.g. 404)
+
+    const result = await songstatsBackfillWorkflow();
+
+    expect(releaseClaimedRowsStep).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+    expect(result).toEqual({ backfilled: 1, failed: 1, deferred: false });
+  });
+
+  it("does not drain when there is no budget", async () => {
+    vi.mocked(getBackfillBudgetStep).mockResolvedValue(0);
+
+    const result = await songstatsBackfillWorkflow();
+
+    expect(claimBackfillRowsStep).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+    expect(result).toEqual({ backfilled: 0, failed: 0, deferred: false });
+  });
+});
diff --git a/app/workflows/backfillTrackStep.ts b/app/workflows/backfillTrackStep.ts
index 3247ff4c..fd394743 100644
--- a/app/workflows/backfillTrackStep.ts
+++ b/app/workflows/backfillTrackStep.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import { fetchSongstats } from "@/lib/songstats/fetchSongstats";
+import { fetchSongstatsWithBackoff } from "@/lib/songstats/fetchSongstatsWithBackoff";
 import { upsertSongMeasurements } from "@/lib/supabase/song_measurements/upsertSongMeasurements";
 import { insertSongstatsQuotaLedger } from "@/lib/supabase/songstats_quota_ledger/insertSongstatsQuotaLedger";
 import { updateSongstatsBackfillQueue } from "@/lib/supabase/songstats_backfill_queue/updateSongstatsBackfillQueue";
@@ -8,40 +8,48 @@ import { Tables } from "@/types/database.types";
 const METRIC = "platform_displayed_play_count";
 
 /**
- * Backfill one claimed queue row: fetch the track's Songstats historic series
- * (one quota hit — recorded win or lose), write each point as a permanent
- * `songstats`-labeled measurement, and close the row. Failures mark the row
- * failed without failing the run — the next row may still succeed.
+ * Backfill one claimed queue row, with bounded exponential backoff on Songstats'
+ * rate limit (Songstats is the rate authority — see chat#1797):
+ * - **200** → write each history point as a permanent `songstats` measurement,
+ *   record the spend, mark `done`.
+ * - **404 / other 4xx** → a real request with a definitive answer; terminal, so
+ *   mark `done` (404 = no history) and record the spend.
+ * - **backoff exhausted** (still 429/5xx after retries) → **defer**: leave the row
+ *   `pending` for the next drain, consume no quota, and signal the workflow to
+ *   stop (`deferred`) — Songstats is saturated right now.
  *
  * @param row - The claimed queue row (already in_progress)
- * @returns ok + hits spent (always 1; the hit is consumed even on failure)
+ * @returns ok + hitsSpent (0 when deferred) + `deferred` when Songstats is saturated
  */
 export async function backfillTrackStep(
   row: Tables<"songstats_backfill_queue">,
-): Promise<{ ok: boolean; hitsSpent: number }> {
+): Promise<{ ok: boolean; hitsSpent: number; deferred?: boolean }> {
   "use step";
-  const result = await fetchSongstats("tracks/historic_stats", {
+  const result = await fetchSongstatsWithBackoff("tracks/historic_stats", {
     isrc: row.song,
     source: "spotify",
   });
 
-  if (result.status !== 200) {
-    const status = result.status;
-    const isNoData = status === 404;
-    // Only transient errors are retryable: 408 (timeout), 429 (quota), any 5xx.
-    const isRetryable = status === 408 || status === 429 || status >= 500;
-
-    // `failed` is reclaimable (the daily sweep returns it to `pending`, bounded
-    // by the rolling-window budget). 404 no-data and other permanent 4xx are
-    // terminal → `done`, so reclaim never recycles a track that can't succeed.
-    const nextStatus = isRetryable ? "failed" : "done";
-
-    let outcome = `terminal ${status}`;
-    if (isNoData) outcome = "no data 404";
-    else if (isRetryable) outcome = `failed ${status}`;
+  if (result.retriesExhausted) {
+    // Still retryable (429 throttle / 408 / gateway 5xx) past the backoff bound —
+    // leave it for the next run, spend nothing.
+    console.log(
+      `[backfill] ${row.song} deferred (retryable ${result.status} after ${result.attempts} tries)`,
+    );
+    await updateSongstatsBackfillQueue([row.id], { status: "pending" });
+    return { ok: false, hitsSpent: 0, deferred: true };
+  }
 
-    await insertSongstatsQuotaLedger({ hits: 1, purpose: `backfill ${row.song} (${outcome})` });
-    await updateSongstatsBackfillQueue(row.id, { status: nextStatus });
+  if (result.status !== 200) {
+    const noData = result.status === 404;
+    console.log(
+      `[backfill] ${row.song} done (${noData ? "no data 404" : `terminal ${result.status}`})`,
+    );
+    await insertSongstatsQuotaLedger({
+      hits: 1,
+      purpose: `backfill ${row.song} (${noData ? "no data 404" : `terminal ${result.status}`})`,
+    });
+    await updateSongstatsBackfillQueue([row.id], { status: "done" });
     return { ok: false, hitsSpent: 1 };
   }
 
@@ -67,7 +75,8 @@ export async function backfillTrackStep(
   });
   await upsertSongMeasurements(rows);
 
+  console.log(`[backfill] ${row.song} done (${rows.length} points written)`);
   await insertSongstatsQuotaLedger({ hits: 1, purpose: `backfill ${row.song}` });
-  await updateSongstatsBackfillQueue(row.id, { status: "done" });
+  await updateSongstatsBackfillQueue([row.id], { status: "done" });
   return { ok: true, hitsSpent: 1 };
 }
diff --git a/app/workflows/releaseClaimedRowsStep.ts b/app/workflows/releaseClaimedRowsStep.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..788d752a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/app/workflows/releaseClaimedRowsStep.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+import { updateSongstatsBackfillQueue } from "@/lib/supabase/songstats_backfill_queue/updateSongstatsBackfillQueue";
+
+/**
+ * Durable step: return unprocessed claimed rows to `pending` when the drain
+ * stops early on a defer, so the next run retries them immediately instead of
+ * waiting on the stale-reclaim sweep.
+ *
+ * @param ids - Queue row ids still `in_progress` from the aborted batch.
+ */
+export async function releaseClaimedRowsStep(ids: string[]): Promise<void> {
+  "use step";
+  if (ids.length === 0) return;
+  await updateSongstatsBackfillQueue(ids, { status: "pending" });
+  console.log(`[songstats-backfill] released ${ids.length} claimed rows back to pending`);
+}
diff --git a/app/workflows/songstatsBackfillWorkflow.ts b/app/workflows/songstatsBackfillWorkflow.ts
index 0a1960bf..f94c0223 100644
--- a/app/workflows/songstatsBackfillWorkflow.ts
+++ b/app/workflows/songstatsBackfillWorkflow.ts
@@ -1,15 +1,20 @@
 import { getBackfillBudgetStep } from "@/app/workflows/getBackfillBudgetStep";
 import { claimBackfillRowsStep } from "@/app/workflows/claimBackfillRowsStep";
 import { backfillTrackStep } from "@/app/workflows/backfillTrackStep";
+import { releaseClaimedRowsStep } from "@/app/workflows/releaseClaimedRowsStep";
 
 const BATCH_SIZE = 25;
 
 /**
- * Durable Songstats backfill drain (recoupable/chat#1791 write path): check
- * the rolling-window budget, claim value-ranked rows via the SKIP LOCKED RPC,
- * backfill each track's historic series into the measurement store, and stop
- * when the queue or the budget is dry. Every quota hit converts into
- * permanent owned data (fetch-once: captured history is never refetched).
+ * Durable Songstats backfill drain (recoupable/chat#1791 write path): claim
+ * value-ranked rows via the SKIP LOCKED RPC and backfill each track's historic
+ * series, with per-track exponential backoff handling Songstats' rate limit
+ * (chat#1797). **Stops as soon as a track defers** — Songstats still
+ * rate-limiting it past the backoff bound — releasing the rest of the claimed
+ * batch back to `pending` (so the next drain retries them immediately rather
+ * than waiting on stale-reclaim) instead of hammering a saturated API. Every
+ * successful hit converts into permanent owned data (fetch-once: captured
+ * history is never refetched).
  */
 export async function songstatsBackfillWorkflow() {
   "use workflow";
@@ -17,13 +22,23 @@ export async function songstatsBackfillWorkflow() {
   let budget = await getBackfillBudgetStep();
   let backfilled = 0;
   let failed = 0;
+  let deferred = false;
 
-  while (budget > 0) {
+  drain: while (budget > 0) {
     const rows = await claimBackfillRowsStep(Math.min(budget, BATCH_SIZE));
     if (rows.length === 0) break;
+    console.log(`[songstats-backfill] claimed ${rows.length} rows`);
 
-    for (const row of rows) {
-      const result = await backfillTrackStep(row);
+    for (let i = 0; i < rows.length; i += 1) {
+      const result = await backfillTrackStep(rows[i]);
+      if (result.deferred) {
+        // Songstats is saturated — stop now. The deferred row is already back to
+        // `pending`; release the rest of this claimed batch too so they don't sit
+        // `in_progress` until stale-reclaim.
+        deferred = true;
+        await releaseClaimedRowsStep(rows.slice(i + 1).map(r => r.id));
+        break drain;
+      }
       budget -= result.hitsSpent;
       if (result.ok) backfilled += 1;
       else failed += 1;
@@ -31,6 +46,9 @@ export async function songstatsBackfillWorkflow() {
     }
   }
 
-  console.log(`[songstats-backfill] done: ${backfilled} backfilled, ${failed} failed`);
-  return { backfilled, failed };
+  console.log(
+    `[songstats-backfill] done: ${backfilled} backfilled, ${failed} terminal` +
+      (deferred ? ", deferred (rate-limited)" : ""),
+  );
+  return { backfilled, failed, deferred };
 }
diff --git a/lib/songstats/__tests__/fetchSongstatsWithBackoff.test.ts b/lib/songstats/__tests__/fetchSongstatsWithBackoff.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..21015ef1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/songstats/__tests__/fetchSongstatsWithBackoff.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,91 @@
+import { describe, it, expect, vi, beforeEach } from "vitest";
+import { fetchSongstatsWithBackoff } from "../fetchSongstatsWithBackoff";
+import { fetchSongstats } from "../fetchSongstats";
+
+vi.mock("../fetchSongstats", () => ({ fetchSongstats: vi.fn() }));
+
+const noSleep = vi.fn().mockResolvedValue(undefined);
+
+describe("fetchSongstatsWithBackoff", () => {
+  beforeEach(() => vi.clearAllMocks());
+
+  it("returns immediately on 200 with no retries or sleeps", async () => {
+    vi.mocked(fetchSongstats).mockResolvedValue({ status: 200, data: { ok: true } });
+
+    const r = await fetchSongstatsWithBackoff(
+      "tracks/historic_stats",
+      { isrc: "I" },
+      { sleep: noSleep },
+    );
+
+    expect(fetchSongstats).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
+    expect(noSleep).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+    expect(r).toMatchObject({ status: 200, attempts: 1, retriesExhausted: false });
+  });
+
+  it("does NOT retry a non-retryable status (404)", async () => {
+    vi.mocked(fetchSongstats).mockResolvedValue({ status: 404, data: {} });
+
+    const r = await fetchSongstatsWithBackoff("p", undefined, { sleep: noSleep });
+
+    expect(fetchSongstats).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
+    expect(r).toMatchObject({ status: 404, retriesExhausted: false });
+  });
+
+  it("backs off and retries on 429, succeeding on a later attempt", async () => {
+    vi.mocked(fetchSongstats)
+      .mockResolvedValueOnce({ status: 429, data: {} })
+      .mockResolvedValueOnce({ status: 429, data: {} })
+      .mockResolvedValueOnce({ status: 200, data: { ok: true } });
+
+    const r = await fetchSongstatsWithBackoff("p", undefined, { sleep: noSleep, baseMs: 100 });
+
+    expect(fetchSongstats).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(3);
+    expect(noSleep).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(2);
+    // exponential: 100 then 200
+    expect(noSleep).toHaveBeenNthCalledWith(1, 100);
+    expect(noSleep).toHaveBeenNthCalledWith(2, 200);
+    expect(r).toMatchObject({ status: 200, attempts: 3, retriesExhausted: false });
+  });
+
+  it("gives up after maxRetries on persistent 429 and flags retriesExhausted", async () => {
+    vi.mocked(fetchSongstats).mockResolvedValue({ status: 429, data: {} });
+
+    const r = await fetchSongstatsWithBackoff("p", undefined, { sleep: noSleep, maxRetries: 3 });
+
+    expect(fetchSongstats).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(4); // 1 initial + 3 retries
+    expect(noSleep).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(3);
+    expect(r).toMatchObject({ status: 429, retriesExhausted: true });
+  });
+
+  it("treats transient gateway 5xx (503) and 408 as retryable", async () => {
+    vi.mocked(fetchSongstats)
+      .mockResolvedValueOnce({ status: 503, data: {} })
+      .mockResolvedValueOnce({ status: 200, data: {} });
+    const r = await fetchSongstatsWithBackoff("p", undefined, { sleep: noSleep, maxRetries: 2 });
+    expect(fetchSongstats).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(2);
+    expect(r).toMatchObject({ status: 200, retriesExhausted: false });
+  });
+
+  it("does NOT retry a 500 (fetchSongstats maps missing key / fetch failure to 500)", async () => {
+    vi.mocked(fetchSongstats).mockResolvedValue({ status: 500, data: {} });
+
+    const r = await fetchSongstatsWithBackoff("p", undefined, { sleep: noSleep });
+
+    expect(fetchSongstats).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
+    expect(noSleep).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+    expect(r).toMatchObject({ status: 500, retriesExhausted: false });
+  });
+
+  it("caps the backoff at maxMs", async () => {
+    vi.mocked(fetchSongstats).mockResolvedValue({ status: 429, data: {} });
+    await fetchSongstatsWithBackoff("p", undefined, {
+      sleep: noSleep,
+      baseMs: 1000,
+      maxMs: 1500,
+      maxRetries: 3,
+    });
+    // 1000, 2000->capped 1500, 4000->capped 1500
+    expect(noSleep.mock.calls.map(c => c[0])).toEqual([1000, 1500, 1500]);
+  });
+});
diff --git a/lib/songstats/__tests__/isRetryableStatus.test.ts b/lib/songstats/__tests__/isRetryableStatus.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..a1b707f0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/songstats/__tests__/isRetryableStatus.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,26 @@
+import { describe, it, expect } from "vitest";
+import { isRetryableStatus } from "../isRetryableStatus";
+
+describe("isRetryableStatus", () => {
+  it("retries transient throttling/timeouts: 408, 429", () => {
+    expect(isRetryableStatus(408)).toBe(true);
+    expect(isRetryableStatus(429)).toBe(true);
+  });
+
+  it("retries transient gateway 5xx: 502, 503, 504", () => {
+    expect(isRetryableStatus(502)).toBe(true);
+    expect(isRetryableStatus(503)).toBe(true);
+    expect(isRetryableStatus(504)).toBe(true);
+  });
+
+  it("does NOT retry 500/501 (fetchSongstats maps missing key + fetch failures to 500)", () => {
+    expect(isRetryableStatus(500)).toBe(false);
+    expect(isRetryableStatus(501)).toBe(false);
+  });
+
+  it("does NOT retry definitive responses: 200, 404, 403", () => {
+    expect(isRetryableStatus(200)).toBe(false);
+    expect(isRetryableStatus(404)).toBe(false);
+    expect(isRetryableStatus(403)).toBe(false);
+  });
+});
diff --git a/lib/songstats/fetchSongstatsWithBackoff.ts b/lib/songstats/fetchSongstatsWithBackoff.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..8b3a4b09
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/songstats/fetchSongstatsWithBackoff.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,61 @@
+import { fetchSongstats } from "@/lib/songstats/fetchSongstats";
+import { isRetryableStatus } from "@/lib/songstats/isRetryableStatus";
+import { delay } from "@/lib/time/delay";
+import type { ProxyResult } from "@/lib/research/ProxyResult";
+
+// Short, in-step backoff for Songstats' per-second rate limit. The default
+// budget is 1+2+4+8 = 15s of waits (base 1s, doubling, capped at 8s, 4 retries),
+// well within a workflow step's duration. Persistent rejection defers the row to
+// the next drain run rather than sleeping for minutes inside one invocation.
+const DEFAULT_MAX_RETRIES = 4;
+const DEFAULT_BASE_MS = 1000;
+const DEFAULT_MAX_MS = 8_000;
+
+export type FetchSongstatsBackoffOptions = {
+  maxRetries?: number;
+  baseMs?: number;
+  maxMs?: number;
+  /** Injectable for tests; defaults to a real timer. */
+  sleep?: (ms: number) => Promise<void>;
+};
+
+export type BackoffResult = ProxyResult & {
+  /** Total attempts made (1 + retries). */
+  attempts: number;
+  /** True when the final result is still retryable after exhausting retries. */
+  retriesExhausted: boolean;
+};
+
+/**
+ * Call Songstats with bounded exponential backoff on transient rejections
+ * (429 rate limit, 408, 5xx). Retries the **same** request up to `maxRetries`
+ * with `min(maxMs, baseMs * 2^attempt)` waits; a 200 or any non-retryable status
+ * (e.g. 404) returns immediately. When backoff is exhausted and the call is
+ * still being rejected, `retriesExhausted` is true so the caller can defer the
+ * work (leave it `pending`) rather than burn it — Songstats is the rate
+ * authority, not a local quota ledger.
+ *
+ * @param path - Songstats enterprise path (e.g. `tracks/historic_stats`).
+ * @param queryParams - Query params forwarded to Songstats.
+ * @param options - Backoff tuning + an injectable `sleep`.
+ */
+export async function fetchSongstatsWithBackoff(
+  path: string,
+  queryParams?: Record<string, string>,
+  options: FetchSongstatsBackoffOptions = {},
+): Promise<BackoffResult> {
+  const maxRetries = options.maxRetries ?? DEFAULT_MAX_RETRIES;
+  const baseMs = options.baseMs ?? DEFAULT_BASE_MS;
+  const maxMs = options.maxMs ?? DEFAULT_MAX_MS;
+  const sleep = options.sleep ?? delay;
+
+  let result = await fetchSongstats(path, queryParams);
+  let retries = 0;
+  while (isRetryableStatus(result.status) && retries < maxRetries) {
+    await sleep(Math.min(maxMs, baseMs * 2 ** retries));
+    result = await fetchSongstats(path, queryParams);
+    retries += 1;
+  }
+
+  return { ...result, attempts: retries + 1, retriesExhausted: isRetryableStatus(result.status) };
+}
diff --git a/lib/songstats/isRetryableStatus.ts b/lib/songstats/isRetryableStatus.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..eb0004ee
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/songstats/isRetryableStatus.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,14 @@
+/**
+ * Whether a Songstats response status is worth retrying with backoff.
+ *
+ * Transient: 408 (request timeout), 429 (rate limit), and the gateway 5xx
+ * 502/503/504 (bad gateway / unavailable / gateway timeout). Deliberately
+ * **excludes** 500/501 — `fetchSongstats` maps a missing API key and any
+ * non-HTTP fetch failure to 500, which are permanent for that request, so
+ * retrying them just burns the backoff budget before the row defers.
+ *
+ * @param status - HTTP status from `fetchSongstats`.
+ */
+export function isRetryableStatus(status: number): boolean {
+  return status === 408 || status === 429 || status === 502 || status === 503 || status === 504;
+}
diff --git a/lib/supabase/songstats_backfill_queue/__tests__/updateSongstatsBackfillQueue.test.ts b/lib/supabase/songstats_backfill_queue/__tests__/updateSongstatsBackfillQueue.test.ts
index eb8d0230..73be7347 100644
--- a/lib/supabase/songstats_backfill_queue/__tests__/updateSongstatsBackfillQueue.test.ts
+++ b/lib/supabase/songstats_backfill_queue/__tests__/updateSongstatsBackfillQueue.test.ts
@@ -14,24 +14,40 @@ vi.mock("../../serverClient", () => {
 describe("updateSongstatsBackfillQueue", () => {
   beforeEach(() => vi.clearAllMocks());
 
-  it("updates a queue row's status by id", async () => {
-    const eq = vi.fn().mockResolvedValue({ error: null });
-    const update = vi.fn().mockReturnValue({ eq });
+  it("updates a single row by id (one-element array)", async () => {
+    const inFn = vi.fn().mockResolvedValue({ error: null });
+    const update = vi.fn().mockReturnValue({ in: inFn });
     vi.mocked(supabase.from).mockReturnValue({ update } as never);
 
-    await updateSongstatsBackfillQueue("q1", { status: "done" });
+    await updateSongstatsBackfillQueue(["q1"], { status: "done" });
 
     expect(supabase.from).toHaveBeenCalledWith("songstats_backfill_queue");
     expect(update).toHaveBeenCalledWith({ status: "done" });
-    expect(eq).toHaveBeenCalledWith("id", "q1");
+    expect(inFn).toHaveBeenCalledWith("id", ["q1"]);
+  });
+
+  it("bulk-updates many rows in one call (e.g. releasing a claimed batch)", async () => {
+    const inFn = vi.fn().mockResolvedValue({ error: null });
+    const update = vi.fn().mockReturnValue({ in: inFn });
+    vi.mocked(supabase.from).mockReturnValue({ update } as never);
+
+    await updateSongstatsBackfillQueue(["q1", "q2"], { status: "pending" });
+
+    expect(update).toHaveBeenCalledWith({ status: "pending" });
+    expect(inFn).toHaveBeenCalledWith("id", ["q1", "q2"]);
+  });
+
+  it("is a no-op on an empty id list (no DB call)", async () => {
+    await updateSongstatsBackfillQueue([], { status: "pending" });
+    expect(supabase.from).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
   });
 
   it("throws on update error", async () => {
-    const eq = vi.fn().mockResolvedValue({ error: { message: "boom" } });
-    const update = vi.fn().mockReturnValue({ eq });
+    const inFn = vi.fn().mockResolvedValue({ error: { message: "boom" } });
+    const update = vi.fn().mockReturnValue({ in: inFn });
     vi.mocked(supabase.from).mockReturnValue({ update } as never);
 
-    await expect(updateSongstatsBackfillQueue("q1", { status: "failed" })).rejects.toThrow(
+    await expect(updateSongstatsBackfillQueue(["q1"], { status: "failed" })).rejects.toThrow(
       "Failed to update songstats backfill queue: boom",
     );
   });
diff --git a/lib/supabase/songstats_backfill_queue/updateSongstatsBackfillQueue.ts b/lib/supabase/songstats_backfill_queue/updateSongstatsBackfillQueue.ts
index b462381a..d2469412 100644
--- a/lib/supabase/songstats_backfill_queue/updateSongstatsBackfillQueue.ts
+++ b/lib/supabase/songstats_backfill_queue/updateSongstatsBackfillQueue.ts
@@ -2,17 +2,22 @@ import supabase from "../serverClient";
 import { TablesUpdate } from "@/types/database.types";
 
 /**
- * Update a backfill queue row (mark done/failed after a claim).
+ * Update one or more backfill queue rows by id in a single round trip. Handles
+ * both the per-row status flip after a claim (`[row.id]`) and the bulk release
+ * of a claimed batch back to `pending` when the drain stops early (`.in` works
+ * for one id or many). No-op on an empty id list.
  *
- * @param id - The queue row id
- * @param fields - Fields to update
+ * @param ids - Queue row ids to update
+ * @param fields - Fields to set (e.g. `{ status: "done" }`)
  * @throws Error if the update fails
  */
 export async function updateSongstatsBackfillQueue(
-  id: string,
+  ids: string[],
   fields: TablesUpdate<"songstats_backfill_queue">,
 ): Promise<void> {
-  const { error } = await supabase.from("songstats_backfill_queue").update(fields).eq("id", id);
+  if (ids.length === 0) return;
+
+  const { error } = await supabase.from("songstats_backfill_queue").update(fields).in("id", ids);
 
   if (error) {
     throw new Error(`Failed to update songstats backfill queue: ${error.message}`);