diff --git a/larigira/audiogen_mpdrandom.py b/larigira/audiogen_mpdrandom.py
index dd50197..3ec5521 100644
--- a/larigira/audiogen_mpdrandom.py
+++ b/larigira/audiogen_mpdrandom.py
@@ -9,8 +9,7 @@ log = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
 
 def generate_by_artist(spec):
-    """choose HOWMANY random artists, and for each one choose a random song"""
-
+    """Choose HOWMANY random artists, and for each one choose a random song."""
     spec.setdefault("howmany", 1)
     prefix = spec.get("prefix", "").rstrip("/")
     log.info("generating")
@@ -19,7 +18,8 @@ def generate_by_artist(spec):
     c.connect(conf["MPD_HOST"], conf["MPD_PORT"])
 
     if prefix:
-        # TODO: listallinfo is discouraged. how else could we achieve the same result?
+        # TODO: listallinfo is discouraged.
+        #       how else could we achieve the same result?
         artists = list(
             {r["artist"] for r in c.listallinfo(prefix) if "artist" in r}
         )
@@ -29,6 +29,9 @@ def generate_by_artist(spec):
         raise ValueError("no artists in your mpd database")
     for _ in range(spec["howmany"]):
         artist = random.choice(artists)  # pick one artist
+        if type(artist) is not str:
+            # different mpd library versions have different behavior
+            artist = artist['artist']
         # pick one song from that artist
         artist_songs = (res["file"] for res in c.find("artist", artist))
         if prefix: