diff --git a/core/external_metadata.go b/core/external_metadata.go
index bc4c30566..e082df9c7 100644
--- a/core/external_metadata.go
+++ b/core/external_metadata.go
@@ -43,8 +43,8 @@ type ExternalMetadata interface {
 type externalMetadata struct {
 	ds          model.DataStore
 	ag          *agents.Agents
-	artistQueue refreshQueue[*auxArtist]
-	albumQueue  refreshQueue[*auxAlbum]
+	artistQueue refreshQueue[auxArtist]
+	albumQueue  refreshQueue[auxAlbum]
 }
 
 type auxAlbum struct {
@@ -94,7 +94,7 @@ func (e *externalMetadata) UpdateAlbumInfo(ctx context.Context, id string) (*mod
 	updatedAt := V(album.ExternalInfoUpdatedAt)
 	if updatedAt.IsZero() {
 		log.Debug(ctx, "AlbumInfo not cached. Retrieving it now", "updatedAt", updatedAt, "id", id, "name", album.Name)
-		err = e.populateAlbumInfo(ctx, album)
+		err = e.populateAlbumInfo(ctx, *album)
 		if err != nil {
 			return nil, err
 		}
@@ -109,7 +109,7 @@ func (e *externalMetadata) UpdateAlbumInfo(ctx context.Context, id string) (*mod
 	return &album.Album, nil
 }
 
-func (e *externalMetadata) populateAlbumInfo(ctx context.Context, album *auxAlbum) error {
+func (e *externalMetadata) populateAlbumInfo(ctx context.Context, album auxAlbum) error {
 	start := time.Now()
 	info, err := e.ag.GetAlbumInfo(ctx, album.Name, album.AlbumArtist, album.MbzAlbumID)
 	if errors.Is(err, agents.ErrNotFound) {
@@ -197,7 +197,7 @@ func (e *externalMetadata) refreshArtistInfo(ctx context.Context, id string) (*a
 	updatedAt := V(artist.ExternalInfoUpdatedAt)
 	if updatedAt.IsZero() {
 		log.Debug(ctx, "ArtistInfo not cached. Retrieving it now", "updatedAt", updatedAt, "id", id, "name", artist.Name)
-		err := e.populateArtistInfo(ctx, artist)
+		err := e.populateArtistInfo(ctx, *artist)
 		if err != nil {
 			return nil, err
 		}
@@ -211,7 +211,7 @@ func (e *externalMetadata) refreshArtistInfo(ctx context.Context, id string) (*a
 	return artist, nil
 }
 
-func (e *externalMetadata) populateArtistInfo(ctx context.Context, artist *auxArtist) error {
+func (e *externalMetadata) populateArtistInfo(ctx context.Context, artist auxArtist) error {
 	start := time.Now()
 	// Get MBID first, if it is not yet available
 	if artist.MbzArtistID == "" {
@@ -224,10 +224,10 @@ func (e *externalMetadata) populateArtistInfo(ctx context.Context, artist *auxAr
 	// Call all registered agents and collect information
 	g := errgroup.Group{}
 	g.SetLimit(2)
-	g.Go(func() error { e.callGetImage(ctx, e.ag, artist); return nil })
-	g.Go(func() error { e.callGetBiography(ctx, e.ag, artist); return nil })
-	g.Go(func() error { e.callGetURL(ctx, e.ag, artist); return nil })
-	g.Go(func() error { e.callGetSimilar(ctx, e.ag, artist, maxSimilarArtists, true); return nil })
+	g.Go(func() error { e.callGetImage(ctx, e.ag, &artist); return nil })
+	g.Go(func() error { e.callGetBiography(ctx, e.ag, &artist); return nil })
+	g.Go(func() error { e.callGetURL(ctx, e.ag, &artist); return nil })
+	g.Go(func() error { e.callGetSimilar(ctx, e.ag, &artist, maxSimilarArtists, true); return nil })
 	_ = g.Wait()
 
 	if utils.IsCtxDone(ctx) {
@@ -552,10 +552,10 @@ func (e *externalMetadata) loadSimilar(ctx context.Context, artist *auxArtist, c
 	return nil
 }
 
-type refreshQueue[T any] chan<- T
+type refreshQueue[T any] chan<- *T
 
 func newRefreshQueue[T any](ctx context.Context, processFn func(context.Context, T) error) refreshQueue[T] {
-	queue := make(chan T, refreshQueueLength)
+	queue := make(chan *T, refreshQueueLength)
 	go func() {
 		for {
 			select {
@@ -565,7 +565,7 @@ func newRefreshQueue[T any](ctx context.Context, processFn func(context.Context,
 				ctx, cancel := context.WithTimeout(ctx, refreshTimeout)
 				select {
 				case item := <-queue:
-					_ = processFn(ctx, item)
+					_ = processFn(ctx, *item)
 					cancel()
 				case <-ctx.Done():
 					cancel()
@@ -575,7 +575,8 @@ func newRefreshQueue[T any](ctx context.Context, processFn func(context.Context,
 	}()
 	return queue
 }
-func (q *refreshQueue[T]) enqueue(item T) {
+
+func (q *refreshQueue[T]) enqueue(item *T) {
 	select {
 	case *q <- item:
 	default: // It is ok to miss a refresh request