diff --git a/docs/api/core.rst b/docs/api/core.rst
index 38cc0f0a..21ff79f5 100644
--- a/docs/api/core.rst
+++ b/docs/api/core.rst
@@ -37,6 +37,15 @@ Manages everything related to the tracks we are currently playing.
     :members:
 
 
+History controller
+==================
+
+Keeps record of what tracks have been played.
+
+.. autoclass:: mopidy.core.HistoryController
+    :members:
+
+
 Playlists controller
 ====================
 
diff --git a/docs/changelog.rst b/docs/changelog.rst
index cbaced98..f27ca8cd 100644
--- a/docs/changelog.rst
+++ b/docs/changelog.rst
@@ -10,6 +10,9 @@ v0.20.0 (UNRELEASED)
 
 **Core API**
 
+- Added :class:`mopidy.core.HistoryController` which keeps track of what
+  tracks have been played. (Fixes: :issue:`423`, PR: :issue:`803`)
+
 - Removed ``clear_current_track`` keyword argument to
   :meth:`mopidy.core.Playback.stop`. It was a leaky internal abstraction,
   which was never intended to be used externally.
diff --git a/mopidy/core/__init__.py b/mopidy/core/__init__.py
index f49bbbe7..019034fc 100644
--- a/mopidy/core/__init__.py
+++ b/mopidy/core/__init__.py
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ from __future__ import unicode_literals
 
 # flake8: noqa
 from .actor import Core
+from .history import HistoryController
 from .library import LibraryController
 from .listener import CoreListener
 from .playback import PlaybackController, PlaybackState
diff --git a/mopidy/core/actor.py b/mopidy/core/actor.py
index 66f2aa82..edf13679 100644
--- a/mopidy/core/actor.py
+++ b/mopidy/core/actor.py
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ import pykka
 
 from mopidy import audio, backend, mixer
 from mopidy.audio import PlaybackState
+from mopidy.core.history import HistoryController
 from mopidy.core.library import LibraryController
 from mopidy.core.listener import CoreListener
 from mopidy.core.playback import PlaybackController
@@ -23,6 +24,10 @@ class Core(
     """The library controller. An instance of
     :class:`mopidy.core.LibraryController`."""
 
+    history = None
+    """The playback history controller. An instance of
+    :class:`mopidy.core.HistoryController`."""
+
     playback = None
     """The playback controller. An instance of
     :class:`mopidy.core.PlaybackController`."""
@@ -42,6 +47,8 @@ class Core(
 
         self.library = LibraryController(backends=self.backends, core=self)
 
+        self.history = HistoryController()
+
         self.playback = PlaybackController(
             mixer=mixer, backends=self.backends, core=self)
 
diff --git a/mopidy/core/history.py b/mopidy/core/history.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..6711bcf4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/mopidy/core/history.py
@@ -0,0 +1,54 @@
+from __future__ import unicode_literals
+
+import copy
+import logging
+import time
+
+from mopidy import models
+
+
+logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
+
+
+class HistoryController(object):
+
+    def __init__(self):
+        self._history = []
+
+    def add(self, track):
+        """Add track to the playback history.
+
+        :param track: track to add
+        :type track: :class:`mopidy.models.Track`
+        """
+        if not isinstance(track, models.Track):
+            raise TypeError('Only Track objects can be added to the history')
+
+        timestamp = int(time.time() * 1000)
+
+        name_parts = []
+        if track.artists:
+            name_parts.append(
+                ', '.join([artist.name for artist in track.artists]))
+        if track.name is not None:
+            name_parts.append(track.name)
+        name = ' - '.join(name_parts)
+        ref = models.Ref.track(uri=track.uri, name=name)
+
+        self._history.insert(0, (timestamp, ref))
+
+    def get_length(self):
+        """Get the number of tracks in the history.
+
+        :returns: the history length
+        :rtype: int
+        """
+        return len(self._history)
+
+    def get_history(self):
+        """Get the track history.
+
+        :returns: the track history
+        :rtype: list of (timestamp, mopidy.models.Ref) tuples
+        """
+        return copy.copy(self._history)
diff --git a/mopidy/core/playback.py b/mopidy/core/playback.py
index 5cd2b65f..8d5f05da 100644
--- a/mopidy/core/playback.py
+++ b/mopidy/core/playback.py
@@ -250,6 +250,7 @@ class PlaybackController(object):
 
         if success:
             self.core.tracklist.mark_playing(tl_track)
+            self.core.history.add(tl_track.track)
             # TODO: replace with stream-changed
             self._trigger_track_playback_started()
         else:
diff --git a/mopidy/http/handlers.py b/mopidy/http/handlers.py
index 3ef10c3b..3bfc1eff 100644
--- a/mopidy/http/handlers.py
+++ b/mopidy/http/handlers.py
@@ -41,6 +41,7 @@ def make_jsonrpc_wrapper(core_actor):
         objects={
             'core.get_uri_schemes': core.Core.get_uri_schemes,
             'core.get_version': core.Core.get_version,
+            'core.history': core.HistoryController,
             'core.library': core.LibraryController,
             'core.playback': core.PlaybackController,
             'core.playlists': core.PlaylistsController,
@@ -51,6 +52,7 @@ def make_jsonrpc_wrapper(core_actor):
             'core.describe': inspector.describe,
             'core.get_uri_schemes': core_actor.get_uri_schemes,
             'core.get_version': core_actor.get_version,
+            'core.history': core_actor.history,
             'core.library': core_actor.library,
             'core.playback': core_actor.playback,
             'core.playlists': core_actor.playlists,
diff --git a/tests/core/test_history.py b/tests/core/test_history.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..75b4dc76
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/core/test_history.py
@@ -0,0 +1,47 @@
+from __future__ import unicode_literals
+
+import unittest
+
+from mopidy.core import HistoryController
+from mopidy.models import Artist, Track
+
+
+class PlaybackHistoryTest(unittest.TestCase):
+
+    def setUp(self):
+        self.tracks = [
+            Track(uri='dummy1:a', name='foo',
+                  artists=[Artist(name='foober'), Artist(name='barber')]),
+            Track(uri='dummy2:a', name='foo'),
+            Track(uri='dummy3:a', name='bar')
+        ]
+        self.history = HistoryController()
+
+    def test_add_track(self):
+        self.history.add(self.tracks[0])
+        self.assertEqual(self.history.get_length(), 1)
+
+        self.history.add(self.tracks[1])
+        self.assertEqual(self.history.get_length(), 2)
+
+        self.history.add(self.tracks[2])
+        self.assertEqual(self.history.get_length(), 3)
+
+    def test_non_tracks_are_rejected(self):
+        with self.assertRaises(TypeError):
+            self.history.add(object())
+
+        self.assertEqual(self.history.get_length(), 0)
+
+    def test_history_entry_contents(self):
+        track = self.tracks[0]
+        self.history.add(track)
+
+        result = self.history.get_history()
+        (timestamp, ref) = result[0]
+
+        self.assertIsInstance(timestamp, int)
+        self.assertEqual(track.uri, ref.uri)
+        self.assertIn(track.name, ref.name)
+        for artist in track.artists:
+            self.assertIn(artist.name, ref.name)