diff --git a/musicfetch b/musicfetch
index 5e3fbb3..1ecff2a 100755
--- a/musicfetch
+++ b/musicfetch
@@ -150,13 +150,15 @@ def _mb_artist_credit(credit) -> str:
 
 def musicbrainz_best_album(artist: str, track: str, timeout: int = 8) -> Optional[dict]:
     """Resolve 'artist - track' to its best studio album via MusicBrainz.
-    Returns {album_title, artist, year, rg_mbid} or None. Never raises."""
+    Prefers a studio album credited to the track's own artist (not a Various
+    Artists compilation). Returns {album_title, artist, year, rg_mbid} or None.
+    Never raises."""
     query = f'artist:"{artist}" AND recording:"{track}"'
     try:
         _mb_rate_limit()
         resp = requests.get(
             f"{MUSICBRAINZ_URL}/recording",
-            params={"query": query, "fmt": "json", "limit": 10},
+            params={"query": query, "fmt": "json", "limit": 25},
             headers=MB_HEADERS, timeout=timeout,
         )
         resp.raise_for_status()
@@ -165,7 +167,7 @@ def musicbrainz_best_album(artist: str, track: str, timeout: int = 8) -> Optiona
         dbg(f"MusicBrainz lookup failed: {e}")
         return None
 
-    # candidate = (is_studio, date_sortkey, title, artist, year, mbid)
+    # candidate = (own_studio, is_studio, date_sortkey, title, artist, year, mbid)
     candidates = []
     for rec in data.get("recordings", []):
         rec_artist = _mb_artist_credit(rec.get("artist-credit"))
@@ -177,15 +179,21 @@ def musicbrainz_best_album(artist: str, track: str, timeout: int = 8) -> Optiona
             mbid = rg.get("id") or ""
             primary = rg.get("primary-type") or ""
             secondary = rg.get("secondary-types") or []
+            rel_artist = _mb_artist_credit(rel.get("artist-credit"))
             date = rel.get("date") or rg.get("first-release-date") or ""
             is_studio = primary == "Album" and not secondary
-            candidates.append((is_studio, date or "9999", title, rec_artist, date[:4], mbid))
+            own_studio = is_studio and (
+                not rel_artist or rel_artist.casefold() == rec_artist.casefold()
+            )
+            candidates.append((own_studio, is_studio, date or "9999", title, rec_artist, date[:4], mbid))
 
     if not candidates:
         return None
-    pool = [c for c in candidates if c[0]] or candidates
-    pool.sort(key=lambda c: c[1])  # earliest date first
-    _, _, title, art, year, mbid = pool[0]
+    pool = ([c for c in candidates if c[0]]
+            or [c for c in candidates if c[1]]
+            or candidates)
+    pool.sort(key=lambda c: c[2])  # earliest date first
+    _, _, _, title, art, year, mbid = pool[0]
     dbg(f"MusicBrainz resolved '{artist} - {track}' -> '{title}' ({year}) mbid={mbid}")
     return {"album_title": title, "artist": art or artist, "year": year, "rg_mbid": mbid}
 
diff --git a/tests/test_musicbrainz.py b/tests/test_musicbrainz.py
index 4cf3686..221b641 100644
--- a/tests/test_musicbrainz.py
+++ b/tests/test_musicbrainz.py
@@ -77,3 +77,20 @@ def test_first_artist_credit_only(monkeypatch):
     monkeypatch.setattr(mf.time, "sleep", lambda *_: None)
     out = mf.musicbrainz_best_album("SLVMLORD", "Under My Skin")
     assert out["artist"] == "SLVMLORD"
+
+
+def test_prefers_own_artist_studio_over_various_artists(monkeypatch):
+    # A studio-looking VA compilation dated earlier must NOT beat the artist's own album.
+    payload = {"recordings": [{"artist-credit": [{"name": "Daft Punk"}], "releases": [
+        {"date": "2001-10-26", "artist-credit": [{"name": "Various Artists"}],
+         "release-group": {"id": "va-mbid", "title": "All The Hits Now",
+                           "primary-type": "Album", "secondary-types": []}},
+        {"date": "2002", "artist-credit": [{"name": "Daft Punk"}],
+         "release-group": {"id": "48117b90-a16e-34ca-a514-19c702df1158", "title": "Discovery",
+                           "primary-type": "Album", "secondary-types": []}},
+    ]}]}
+    monkeypatch.setattr(mf.requests, "get", lambda *a, **k: _FakeResp(payload))
+    monkeypatch.setattr(mf.time, "sleep", lambda *_: None)
+    out = mf.musicbrainz_best_album("Daft Punk", "Harder Better Faster Stronger")
+    assert out["album_title"] == "Discovery"
+    assert out["rg_mbid"] == "48117b90-a16e-34ca-a514-19c702df1158"