diff --git a/frontend/src/api.rs b/frontend/src/api.rs
index 77f59be..195726e 100644
--- a/frontend/src/api.rs
+++ b/frontend/src/api.rs
@@ -176,6 +176,11 @@ pub async fn add_album(
     post_json(&format!("{BASE}/albums"), &body).await
 }
 
+pub async fn watch_track(title: &str, mbid: &str) -> Result<WatchTrackResponse, ApiError> {
+    let body = serde_json::json!({"title": title, "mbid": mbid}).to_string();
+    post_json(&format!("{BASE}/tracks/watch"), &body).await
+}
+
 // --- Downloads ---
 pub async fn get_downloads(status: Option<&str>) -> Result<Vec<DownloadItem>, ApiError> {
     let mut url = format!("{BASE}/downloads/queue");
diff --git a/frontend/src/pages/album.rs b/frontend/src/pages/album.rs
index a3e9255..b98e1cc 100644
--- a/frontend/src/pages/album.rs
+++ b/frontend/src/pages/album.rs
@@ -80,7 +80,7 @@ pub fn album_page(props: &Props) -> Html {
                         </tr>
                     </thead>
                     <tbody>
-                        { for d.tracks.iter().map(|t| {
+                        { for d.tracks.iter().enumerate().map(|(idx, t)| {
                             let duration = t.duration_ms
                                 .map(&fmt_duration)
                                 .unwrap_or_default();
@@ -88,6 +88,7 @@ pub fn album_page(props: &Props) -> Html {
                             let track_key = t.recording_mbid.clone();
                             let is_active = active_lyrics.as_ref() == Some(&track_key);
                             let cached = lyrics_cache.get(&track_key).cloned();
+                            let has_status = t.status.is_some();
 
                             let on_lyrics_click = {
                                 let active = active_lyrics.clone();
@@ -117,6 +118,29 @@ pub fn album_page(props: &Props) -> Html {
                                 })
                             };
 
+                            let on_watch_click = {
+                                let detail = detail.clone();
+                                let title = t.title.clone();
+                                let mbid = t.recording_mbid.clone();
+                                Callback::from(move |_: MouseEvent| {
+                                    let detail = detail.clone();
+                                    let title = title.clone();
+                                    let mbid = mbid.clone();
+                                    let idx = idx;
+                                    wasm_bindgen_futures::spawn_local(async move {
+                                        if let Ok(resp) = api::watch_track(&title, &mbid).await {
+                                            if let Some(ref d) = *detail {
+                                                let mut updated = d.clone();
+                                                if let Some(track) = updated.tracks.get_mut(idx) {
+                                                    track.status = Some(resp.status);
+                                                }
+                                                detail.set(Some(updated));
+                                            }
+                                        }
+                                    });
+                                })
+                            };
+
                             html! {
                                 <>
                                 <tr>
@@ -130,7 +154,13 @@ pub fn album_page(props: &Props) -> Html {
                                             <span class="text-muted text-sm">{ "\u{2014}" }</span>
                                         }
                                     </td>
-                                    <td>
+                                    <td class="actions">
+                                        if !has_status {
+                                            <button class="btn btn-sm"
+                                                onclick={on_watch_click}>
+                                                { "Watch" }
+                                            </button>
+                                        }
                                         <button class="btn btn-sm btn-secondary"
                                             onclick={on_lyrics_click}>
                                             { if is_active { "Hide" } else { "Lyrics" } }
diff --git a/frontend/src/types.rs b/frontend/src/types.rs
index 55450b7..f885cc9 100644
--- a/frontend/src/types.rs
+++ b/frontend/src/types.rs
@@ -282,6 +282,14 @@ pub struct AddSummary {
     pub errors: u64,
 }
 
+#[derive(Debug, Clone, PartialEq, Deserialize)]
+pub struct WatchTrackResponse {
+    pub id: i32,
+    pub status: String,
+    pub name: String,
+    pub artist_name: Option<String>,
+}
+
 #[derive(Debug, Clone, PartialEq, Deserialize)]
 pub struct SyncStats {
     pub found: u64,
diff --git a/src/routes/tracks.rs b/src/routes/tracks.rs
index 8d26acd..fce5d57 100644
--- a/src/routes/tracks.rs
+++ b/src/routes/tracks.rs
@@ -21,8 +21,16 @@ pub struct SearchParams {
     offset: u64,
 }
 
+#[derive(Deserialize)]
+pub struct WatchTrackRequest {
+    artist: Option<String>,
+    title: Option<String>,
+    mbid: Option<String>,
+}
+
 pub fn configure(cfg: &mut web::ServiceConfig) {
-    cfg.service(web::resource("/tracks").route(web::get().to(list_tracks)))
+    cfg.service(web::resource("/tracks/watch").route(web::post().to(watch_track)))
+        .service(web::resource("/tracks").route(web::get().to(list_tracks)))
         .service(web::resource("/tracks/{id}").route(web::get().to(get_track)));
 }
 
@@ -50,3 +58,32 @@ async fn get_track(
     let track = queries::tracks::get_by_id(state.db.conn(), id).await?;
     Ok(HttpResponse::Ok().json(track))
 }
+
+async fn watch_track(
+    state: web::Data<AppState>,
+    session: Session,
+    body: web::Json<WatchTrackRequest>,
+) -> Result<HttpResponse, ApiError> {
+    let (user_id, _, _) = auth::require_auth(&session)?;
+    if body.title.is_none() && body.mbid.is_none() {
+        return Err(ApiError::BadRequest(
+            "provide title or recording mbid".into(),
+        ));
+    }
+    let entry = shanty_watch::add_track(
+        state.db.conn(),
+        body.artist.as_deref(),
+        body.title.as_deref(),
+        body.mbid.as_deref(),
+        &state.mb_client,
+        Some(user_id),
+    )
+    .await?;
+
+    Ok(HttpResponse::Ok().json(serde_json::json!({
+        "id": entry.id,
+        "status": entry.status,
+        "name": entry.name,
+        "artist_name": entry.artist_name,
+    })))
+}