diff --git a/app/api/songs/route.ts b/app/api/songs/route.ts
index ea8236b..b49421a 100644
--- a/app/api/songs/route.ts
+++ b/app/api/songs/route.ts
@@ -214,6 +214,7 @@ export async function POST(request: Request) {
 
         // Validate and extract metadata from file
         let metadata;
+        let releaseYear: number | null = null;
         let validationInfo = {
             isValid: true,
             hasCover: false,
@@ -244,6 +245,11 @@ export async function POST(request: Request) {
                 artist = metadata.common.albumartist;
             }
 
+            // Try to extract release year from tags (preferred over external APIs)
+            if (typeof metadata.common.year === 'number') {
+                releaseYear = metadata.common.year;
+            }
+
             // Validation info
             validationInfo.hasCover = !!metadata.common.picture?.[0];
             validationInfo.format = metadata.format.container || 'unknown';
@@ -338,17 +344,19 @@ export async function POST(request: Request) {
             console.error('Failed to extract cover image:', e);
         }
 
-        // Fetch release year from iTunes
-        let releaseYear = null;
-        try {
-            const { getReleaseYearFromItunes } = await import('@/lib/itunes');
-            releaseYear = await getReleaseYearFromItunes(artist, title);
+        // Fetch release year from iTunes only if not already present from tags
+        if (releaseYear == null) {
+            try {
+                const { getReleaseYearFromItunes } = await import('@/lib/itunes');
+                const fetchedYear = await getReleaseYearFromItunes(artist, title);
 
-            if (releaseYear) {
-                console.log(`Fetched release year ${releaseYear} from iTunes for "${title}" by "${artist}"`);
+                if (fetchedYear) {
+                    releaseYear = fetchedYear;
+                    console.log(`Fetched release year ${releaseYear} from iTunes for "${title}" by "${artist}"`);
+                }
+            } catch (e) {
+                console.error('Failed to fetch release year:', e);
             }
-        } catch (e) {
-            console.error('Failed to fetch release year:', e);
         }
 
         const song = await prisma.song.create({