diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 08f8a24..f990e73 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ A simple terminal UI player for [di.fm Premium](http://di.fm)
 
 ![App Screenshot](https://user-images.githubusercontent.com/3331648/81481515-bb668400-91fe-11ea-8a7c-39e1bb76c55d.png)
 
-# Dependencies 
+# Dependencies
 
 ## PulseAudio
 
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ ln -s $(brew info pulseaudio | grep "/usr/local/Cellar" | awk '{print $1}')//hom
 brew services start pulseaudio
 ```
 
-### Linux 
+### Linux
 
 `apt install pulseaudio`
 
@@ -42,16 +42,22 @@ If your `$GOPATH` is not set, see https://github.com/golang/go/wiki/SettingGOPAT
 
 # Authenticate
 
-There are two authentication options 
+There are two authentication options
 
 - Enter your username and password directly into `di-tui`
 - If you're justifiably uncomfortable with entering your username/password into this application, copy your "Listen Key" from (https://www.di.fm/settings) and create the following file:
 
-## ~/.config/di-tui/config.yml 
+## ~/.config/di-tui/config.yml
 ```yml
 token: <YOUR LISTEN KEY>
+album_art: <BOOLEAN>
 ```
 
+| key | description |
+| --- | ----------- |
+| token | Your di.fm authentication "Listen Key" found at https://www.di.fm/settings |
+| album_art | Turn album art on or off |
+
 # Run
 
 `di-tui`
diff --git a/app/app.go b/app/app.go
index dd4f3cd..1564689 100644
--- a/app/app.go
+++ b/app/app.go
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ import (
 	"reflect"
 
 	"github.com/acaloiaro/di-tui/components"
+	"github.com/acaloiaro/di-tui/config"
 	"github.com/acaloiaro/di-tui/context"
 	"github.com/acaloiaro/di-tui/difm"
 	"github.com/michiwend/gomusicbrainz"
@@ -21,12 +22,16 @@ import (
 // Art fetches album art for the given track, converts it to ASCII, and return the ASCII stringified album art
 func Art(artist, track string) (art string) {
 
+	if !config.AlbumArt() {
+		return
+	}
+
 	// create a new WS2Client.
 	client, err := gomusicbrainz.NewWS2Client(
 		"https://musicbrainz.org/ws/2",
 		"di-tui",
 		"0.0.1",
-		"http://github.com/acaloiaro/di-tui")
+		"https://github.com/acaloiaro/di-tui")
 
 	if err != nil {
 		return
@@ -36,7 +41,7 @@ func Art(artist, track string) (art string) {
 	searchString := fmt.Sprintf(`artist:"%s" release:"%s"`, artist, track)
 	mbResp, _ := client.SearchRelease(searchString, 1, -1)
 	if len(mbResp.Releases) == 0 {
-		err = fmt.Errorf("no releases foudn for the artist (%s) and track (%s)", artist, track)
+		err = fmt.Errorf("no releases found for the artist (%s) and track (%s)", artist, track)
 		return
 	}
 
@@ -132,15 +137,21 @@ func TogglePause(ctx *context.AppContext) {
 	ctx.IsPlaying = !ctx.IsPlaying
 }
 
-// UpdateNowPlaying updates the application's now playing view with the currently playing channel
+// UpdateNowPlaying updates the application's now playing view with the currently playing channel and album art
+// Artist and track information are fetched separately from album art, allowing for a more responsive UI
 func UpdateNowPlaying(chn *components.ChannelItem, ctx *context.AppContext) {
-	ctx.CurrentChannel = chn
-	cp := difm.GetCurrentlyPlaying(ctx)
-	albumArt := Art(cp.Track.Artist, cp.Track.Title)
-
-	ctx.View.App.QueueUpdateDraw(func() {
-		ctx.View.NowPlaying.Channel = chn
-		ctx.View.NowPlaying.Track = cp.Track
-		ctx.View.NowPlaying.Art = albumArt
-	})
+	go func() {
+		ctx.CurrentChannel = chn
+		cp := difm.GetCurrentlyPlaying(ctx)
+
+		ctx.View.App.QueueUpdateDraw(func() {
+			ctx.View.NowPlaying.Channel = chn
+			ctx.View.NowPlaying.Track = cp.Track
+		})
+
+		albumArt := Art(cp.Track.Artist, cp.Track.Title)
+		ctx.View.App.QueueUpdateDraw(func() {
+			ctx.View.NowPlaying.Art = albumArt
+		})
+	}()
 }
diff --git a/config/config.go b/config/config.go
index c217052..d7ef6c9 100644
--- a/config/config.go
+++ b/config/config.go
@@ -14,12 +14,25 @@ func init() {
 	viper.AddConfigPath("$HOME/.config/di-tui")
 	viper.AddConfigPath("$HOME/.di-tui/")
 	viper.AddConfigPath(".")
+
+	viper.SetDefault("album_art", true)
+
 	err := viper.ReadInConfig()
 	if err != nil {
 		saveConfig()
 	}
 }
 
+// AlbumArt returns true if album art should be fetched when a new song begins playing
+func AlbumArt() bool {
+	return viper.GetBool("album_art")
+}
+
+// GetToken returns the di.fm API token if one is available
+func GetToken() (token string) {
+	return viper.GetString("token")
+}
+
 // SaveToken persists the di.fm API token to disk
 func SaveToken(token string) {
 	viper.Set("username", "")
@@ -29,11 +42,6 @@ func SaveToken(token string) {
 	saveConfig()
 }
 
-// GetToken returns the di.fm API token if one is available
-func GetToken() (token string) {
-	return viper.GetString("token")
-}
-
 func saveConfig() {
 	viper.SetConfigFile(configFilePath())
 	viper.SetConfigType("yaml")