diff --git a/src-tauri/src/commands_v2.rs b/src-tauri/src/commands_v2.rs
index 241fd1d04..796e8f14b 100644
--- a/src-tauri/src/commands_v2.rs
+++ b/src-tauri/src/commands_v2.rs
@@ -4437,6 +4437,28 @@ pub async fn v2_reco_get_forgotten_favorites(
     .await
 }
 
+/// Get user's top genres by play count
+#[tauri::command]
+pub async fn v2_reco_get_top_genres(
+    limit: Option<u32>,
+    reco_state: State<'_, RecoState>,
+) -> Result<Vec<TopGenre>, String> {
+    let guard = reco_state.db.lock().await;
+    let db = guard.as_ref().ok_or("No active session")?;
+    let genres = db.get_top_genre_ids(limit.unwrap_or(5))?;
+    Ok(genres
+        .into_iter()
+        .map(|(id, name)| TopGenre { id, name })
+        .collect())
+}
+
+#[derive(Debug, Clone, serde::Serialize)]
+#[serde(rename_all = "camelCase")]
+pub struct TopGenre {
+    pub id: u64,
+    pub name: String,
+}
+
 #[derive(Debug, Clone, serde::Serialize)]
 #[serde(rename_all = "camelCase")]
 pub struct V2LibraryCacheStats {
diff --git a/src-tauri/src/lib.rs b/src-tauri/src/lib.rs
index dd353ffce..631f70495 100644
--- a/src-tauri/src/lib.rs
+++ b/src-tauri/src/lib.rs
@@ -1387,6 +1387,7 @@ pub fn run() {
             commands_v2::v2_reco_get_home_resolved,
             commands_v2::v2_get_album_suggestions,
             commands_v2::v2_reco_get_forgotten_favorites,
+            commands_v2::v2_reco_get_top_genres,
             commands_v2::v2_library_get_cache_stats,
             commands_v2::v2_library_get_stats,
             commands_v2::v2_library_get_albums,
diff --git a/src-tauri/src/reco_store/db.rs b/src-tauri/src/reco_store/db.rs
index 4df5669ad..9fa54263c 100644
--- a/src-tauri/src/reco_store/db.rs
+++ b/src-tauri/src/reco_store/db.rs
@@ -425,6 +425,36 @@ impl RecoStoreDb {
         Ok(albums)
     }
 
+    /// Get the user's most-played genres by event count
+    pub fn get_top_genre_ids(&self, limit: u32) -> Result<Vec<(u64, String)>, String> {
+        let mut stmt = self
+            .conn
+            .prepare(
+                r#"
+                SELECT e.genre_id, COALESCE(m.genre_name, ''), COUNT(*) AS play_count
+                FROM reco_events e
+                LEFT JOIN reco_album_meta m ON e.album_id = m.album_id
+                WHERE e.genre_id IS NOT NULL AND e.genre_id > 0
+                GROUP BY e.genre_id
+                ORDER BY play_count DESC
+                LIMIT ?
+                "#,
+            )
+            .map_err(|e| format!("Failed to prepare top genres query: {}", e))?;
+
+        let rows = stmt
+            .query_map(params![limit], |row| {
+                Ok((row.get::<_, u64>(0)?, row.get::<_, String>(1)?))
+            })
+            .map_err(|e| format!("Failed to query top genres: {}", e))?;
+
+        let mut genres = Vec::new();
+        for row in rows {
+            genres.push(row.map_err(|e| format!("Failed to read genre row: {}", e))?);
+        }
+        Ok(genres)
+    }
+
     pub fn get_favorite_track_ids(&self, limit: u32) -> Result<Vec<u64>, String> {
         let mut stmt = self
             .conn
diff --git a/src/lib/components/views/ForYouTab.svelte b/src/lib/components/views/ForYouTab.svelte
index be2f8cf6b..3c147b195 100644
--- a/src/lib/components/views/ForYouTab.svelte
+++ b/src/lib/components/views/ForYouTab.svelte
@@ -175,6 +175,11 @@
   let forgottenAlbums = $state<AlbumCardData[]>([]);
   let loadingForgottenAlbums = $state(false);
 
+  // Phase 3: Essentials [Genre]
+  let essentialsGenreName = $state('');
+  let essentialsAlbums = $state<AlbumCardData[]>([]);
+  let loadingEssentials = $state(false);
+
   // Radio Stations: use recent albums as radio seeds
   // Take first 8 recent albums as potential radio stations
   const radioAlbums = $derived(recentAlbums.slice(0, 8));
@@ -187,6 +192,7 @@
       loadSpotlight();
       loadSimilarAlbums();
       loadForgottenFavorites();
+      loadEssentials();
     }
   });
 
@@ -330,6 +336,52 @@
     }
   }
 
+  interface TopGenre {
+    id: number;
+    name: string;
+  }
+
+  async function loadEssentials() {
+    loadingEssentials = true;
+
+    try {
+      // Get user's top genres
+      const genres = await invoke<TopGenre[]>('v2_reco_get_top_genres', { limit: 3 });
+      if (genres.length === 0) return;
+
+      // Use the top genre for essentials
+      const topGenre = genres[0];
+      essentialsGenreName = topGenre.name;
+
+      // Fetch essential/ideal discography albums for that genre
+      const result = await invoke<{ items: AlbumSuggestResult[]; total: number }>('v2_get_featured_albums', {
+        featuredType: 'ideal-discography',
+        limit: 12,
+        offset: 0,
+        genreId: topGenre.id
+      });
+
+      essentialsAlbums = (result.items || []).map(album => ({
+        id: album.id,
+        artwork: album.image?.large || album.image?.small || '',
+        title: album.title,
+        artist: album.artist?.name || '',
+        artistId: album.artist?.id,
+        genre: album.genre?.name || '',
+        quality: formatQuality(
+          album.hires,
+          album.maximum_bit_depth,
+          album.maximum_sampling_rate
+        ),
+        releaseDate: album.release_date_original
+      }));
+    } catch (err) {
+      console.error('Failed to load essentials:', err);
+    } finally {
+      loadingEssentials = false;
+    }
+  }
+
   async function handleFollowArtist(artistId: number) {
     const idx = suggestedArtists.findIndex(a => a.id === artistId);
     if (idx === -1) return;
@@ -472,7 +524,8 @@
     topArtists.length > 0 ||
     favoriteAlbums.length > 0 ||
     similarAlbums.length > 0 ||
-    forgottenAlbums.length > 0
+    forgottenAlbums.length > 0 ||
+    essentialsAlbums.length > 0
   );
 
   const anyLoading = $derived(
@@ -843,6 +896,48 @@
   </HorizontalScrollRow>
 {/if}
 
+<!-- Essentials [Genre] -->
+{#if loadingEssentials}
+  <div class="skeleton-section">
+    <div class="skeleton-title"></div>
+    <div class="skeleton-row">
+      {#each { length: 6 } as _}<div class="skeleton-card"></div>{/each}
+    </div>
+  </div>
+{:else if essentialsAlbums.length > 0}
+  <HorizontalScrollRow title={$t('home.essentials', { values: { genre: essentialsGenreName } })}>
+    {#snippet children()}
+      {#each essentialsAlbums as album}
+        <AlbumCard
+          albumId={album.id}
+          artwork={album.artwork}
+          title={album.title}
+          artist={album.artist}
+          artistId={album.artistId}
+          onArtistClick={onArtistClick}
+          genre={album.genre}
+          releaseDate={album.releaseDate}
+          size="large"
+          quality={album.quality}
+          onPlay={onAlbumPlay ? () => onAlbumPlay(album.id) : undefined}
+          onPlayNext={onAlbumPlayNext ? () => onAlbumPlayNext(album.id) : undefined}
+          onPlayLater={onAlbumPlayLater ? () => onAlbumPlayLater(album.id) : undefined}
+          onAddAlbumToPlaylist={onAddAlbumToPlaylist ? () => onAddAlbumToPlaylist(album.id) : undefined}
+          onShareQobuz={onAlbumShareQobuz ? () => onAlbumShareQobuz(album.id) : undefined}
+          onShareSonglink={onAlbumShareSonglink ? () => onAlbumShareSonglink(album.id) : undefined}
+          onDownload={onAlbumDownload ? () => onAlbumDownload(album.id) : undefined}
+          isAlbumFullyDownloaded={isAlbumDownloaded(album.id)}
+          onOpenContainingFolder={onOpenAlbumFolder ? () => onOpenAlbumFolder(album.id) : undefined}
+          onReDownloadAlbum={onReDownloadAlbum ? () => onReDownloadAlbum(album.id) : undefined}
+          {downloadStateVersion}
+          onclick={() => { onAlbumClick?.(album.id); loadAlbumDownloadStatus(album.id); }}
+        />
+      {/each}
+      <div class="spacer"></div>
+    {/snippet}
+  </HorizontalScrollRow>
+{/if}
+
 <!-- Artists to Follow -->
 {#if loadingSuggestedArtists}
   <div class="skeleton-section">