diff --git a/docs/changelog.rst b/docs/changelog.rst
index 0fdcaa16..5d68143d 100644
--- a/docs/changelog.rst
+++ b/docs/changelog.rst
@@ -94,7 +94,7 @@ v1.0.0 (UNRELEASED)
   :attr:`mopidy.backend.PlaylistsProvider.playlists`. This is potentially
   backwards incompatible. (PR: :issue:`1046`)
 
-- Changed the API for :class:`mopidy.backend.PlaybackProvider`, note that this
+- Changed the API for :class:`mopidy.backend.PlaybackProvider`. Note that this
   change is **not** backwards compatible for certain backends. These changes
   are crucial to adding gapless in one of the upcoming releases.
   (Fixes: :issue:`1052`, PR: :issue:`1064`)
@@ -113,6 +113,16 @@ v1.0.0 (UNRELEASED)
 
   - :meth:`mopidy.backend.PlaybackProvider.prepare_change` has been added.
 
+- Changed the API for :class:`mopidy.backend.PlaylistsProvider`. Note that this
+  change is **not** backwards compatible. These changes are important to reduce
+  the Mopidy startup time. (Fixes: :issue:`1057`, PR: :issue:`1075`)
+
+  - Add :meth:`mopidy.backend.PlaylistsProvider.as_list`.
+
+  - Add :meth:`mopidy.backend.PlaylistsProvider.get_items`.
+
+  - Remove :attr:`mopidy.backend.PlaylistsProvider.playlists` property.
+
 **Commands**
 
 - Make the ``mopidy`` command print a friendly error message if the
diff --git a/mopidy/backend.py b/mopidy/backend.py
index c1554c7f..02a624d9 100644
--- a/mopidy/backend.py
+++ b/mopidy/backend.py
@@ -300,24 +300,6 @@ class PlaylistsProvider(object):
     def __init__(self, backend):
         self.backend = backend
 
-    # TODO Replace playlists property with a get_playlists() method which
-    # returns playlist Ref's instead of the gigantic data structures we
-    # currently make available. lookup() should be used for getting full
-    # playlists with all details.
-
-    @property
-    def playlists(self):
-        """
-        Currently available playlists.
-
-        Read/write. List of :class:`mopidy.models.Playlist`.
-        """
-        return []
-
-    @playlists.setter  # noqa
-    def playlists(self, playlists):
-        raise NotImplementedError
-
     def as_list(self):
         """
         Get a list of the currently available playlists.
diff --git a/tests/backend/test_backend.py b/tests/backend/test_backend.py
index 23cfedd5..e6aac76f 100644
--- a/tests/backend/test_backend.py
+++ b/tests/backend/test_backend.py
@@ -36,12 +36,6 @@ class PlaylistsTest(unittest.TestCase):
     def setUp(self):  # noqa: N802
         self.provider = backend.PlaylistsProvider(backend=None)
 
-    def test_playlists_default_impl(self):
-        self.assertEqual(self.provider.playlists, [])
-
-        with self.assertRaises(NotImplementedError):
-            self.provider.playlists = []
-
     def test_as_list_default_impl(self):
         with self.assertRaises(NotImplementedError):
             self.provider.as_list()