diff --git a/docs/changes.rst b/docs/changes.rst
index 7f67973d..de447dee 100644
--- a/docs/changes.rst
+++ b/docs/changes.rst
@@ -73,6 +73,9 @@ v0.8 (in development)
 
 - Fixed crash on lookup of unknown path when using local backend.
 
+- Support tracks with only release year, and not a full release date, like e.g.
+  Spotify tracks.
+
 
 v0.7.3 (2012-08-11)
 ===================
diff --git a/mopidy/backends/spotify/translator.py b/mopidy/backends/spotify/translator.py
index 2f47a42b..1a8f048d 100644
--- a/mopidy/backends/spotify/translator.py
+++ b/mopidy/backends/spotify/translator.py
@@ -1,4 +1,3 @@
-import datetime as dt
 import logging
 
 from spotify import Link, SpotifyError
@@ -31,9 +30,8 @@ class SpotifyTranslator(object):
         if not spotify_track.is_loaded():
             return Track(uri=uri, name=u'[loading...]')
         spotify_album = spotify_track.album()
-        if (spotify_album is not None and spotify_album.is_loaded()
-                and dt.MINYEAR <= int(spotify_album.year()) <= dt.MAXYEAR):
-            date = dt.date(spotify_album.year(), 1, 1)
+        if spotify_album is not None and spotify_album.is_loaded():
+            date = spotify_album.year()
         else:
             date = None
         return Track(
diff --git a/mopidy/frontends/mpd/protocol/music_db.py b/mopidy/frontends/mpd/protocol/music_db.py
index 3cf20c5d..d0128a1e 100644
--- a/mopidy/frontends/mpd/protocol/music_db.py
+++ b/mopidy/frontends/mpd/protocol/music_db.py
@@ -242,7 +242,7 @@ def _list_date(context, query):
     playlist = context.backend.library.find_exact(**query).get()
     for track in playlist.tracks:
         if track.date is not None:
-            dates.add((u'Date', track.date.strftime('%Y-%m-%d')))
+            dates.add((u'Date', track.date))
     return dates
 
 @handle_request(r'^listall "(?P<uri>[^"]+)"')
diff --git a/mopidy/models.py b/mopidy/models.py
index 3363a429..6a2af914 100644
--- a/mopidy/models.py
+++ b/mopidy/models.py
@@ -157,8 +157,8 @@ class Track(ImmutableObject):
     :type album: :class:`Album`
     :param track_no: track number in album
     :type track_no: integer
-    :param date: track release date
-    :type date: :class:`datetime.date`
+    :param date: track release date (YYYY or YYYY-MM-DD)
+    :type date: string
     :param length: track length in milliseconds
     :type length: integer
     :param bitrate: bitrate in kbit/s
diff --git a/tests/models_test.py b/tests/models_test.py
index 231587e4..af90c5bd 100644
--- a/tests/models_test.py
+++ b/tests/models_test.py
@@ -338,7 +338,7 @@ class TrackTest(unittest.TestCase):
         self.assertRaises(AttributeError, setattr, track, 'track_no', None)
 
     def test_date(self):
-        date = datetime.date(1977, 1, 1)
+        date = '1977-01-01'
         track = Track(date=date)
         self.assertEqual(track.date, date)
         self.assertRaises(AttributeError, setattr, track, 'date', None)
@@ -434,7 +434,7 @@ class TrackTest(unittest.TestCase):
         self.assertEqual(hash(track1), hash(track2))
 
     def test_eq_date(self):
-        date = datetime.date.today()
+        date = '1977-01-01'
         track1 = Track(date=date)
         track2 = Track(date=date)
         self.assertEqual(track1, track2)
@@ -459,7 +459,7 @@ class TrackTest(unittest.TestCase):
         self.assertEqual(hash(track1), hash(track2))
 
     def test_eq(self):
-        date = datetime.date.today()
+        date = '1977-01-01'
         artists = [Artist()]
         album = Album()
         track1 = Track(uri=u'uri', name=u'name', artists=artists, album=album,
@@ -508,8 +508,8 @@ class TrackTest(unittest.TestCase):
         self.assertNotEqual(hash(track1), hash(track2))
 
     def test_ne_date(self):
-        track1 = Track(date=datetime.date.today())
-        track2 = Track(date=datetime.date.today()-datetime.timedelta(days=1))
+        track1 = Track(date='1977-01-01')
+        track2 = Track(date='1977-01-02')
         self.assertNotEqual(track1, track2)
         self.assertNotEqual(hash(track1), hash(track2))
 
@@ -534,12 +534,12 @@ class TrackTest(unittest.TestCase):
     def test_ne(self):
         track1 = Track(uri=u'uri1', name=u'name1',
             artists=[Artist(name=u'name1')], album=Album(name=u'name1'),
-            track_no=1, date=datetime.date.today(), length=100, bitrate=100,
+            track_no=1, date='1977-01-01', length=100, bitrate=100,
             musicbrainz_id='id1')
         track2 = Track(uri=u'uri2', name=u'name2',
             artists=[Artist(name=u'name2')], album=Album(name=u'name2'),
-            track_no=2, date=datetime.date.today()-datetime.timedelta(days=1),
-            length=200, bitrate=200, musicbrainz_id='id2')
+            track_no=2, date='1977-01-02', length=200, bitrate=200,
+            musicbrainz_id='id2')
         self.assertNotEqual(track1, track2)
         self.assertNotEqual(hash(track1), hash(track2))