diff --git a/src/components/common/PlayingIndicator.tsx b/src/components/common/PlayingIndicator.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..d3dddfe
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/components/common/PlayingIndicator.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,22 @@
+/*
+ * "Hopping bars" equalizer indicator (YTM-style) shown next to the currently
+ * playing track. `animate` controls whether the bars bounce (playback active)
+ * or sit frozen at full height (paused). Reusable across track lists.
+ */
+interface Props {
+  animate?: boolean;
+  className?: string;
+}
+
+export function PlayingIndicator({ animate = true, className }: Props) {
+  return (
+    <span
+      className={`playing-bars${animate ? '' : ' paused'}${className ? ` ${className}` : ''}`}
+      aria-hidden="true"
+    >
+      <span />
+      <span />
+      <span />
+    </span>
+  );
+}
diff --git a/src/components/player/QueuePanel.tsx b/src/components/player/QueuePanel.tsx
index 9dc0892..4a85153 100644
--- a/src/components/player/QueuePanel.tsx
+++ b/src/components/player/QueuePanel.tsx
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ import { Slider, Badge } from '@olly/modern-sk';
 import { useTranslation } from 'react-i18next';
 import { Icon } from '../common/Icon';
 import { ArtTile } from '../common/ArtTile';
+import { PlayingIndicator } from '../common/PlayingIndicator';
 import { useAppDispatch, useAppSelector } from '../../hooks/useAppDispatch';
 import {
   goToIndex,
@@ -18,21 +19,10 @@ export function QueuePanel() {
   const { t } = useTranslation();
   const dispatch = useAppDispatch();
   const queue = useAppSelector((s) => s.queue);
-  const token = useAppSelector((s) => s.auth.accessToken);
+  const isPlaying = useAppSelector((s) => s.player.isPlaying);
   const isOpen = useAppSelector((s) => s.player.isQueueOpen);
 
-  const nowEntry =
-    queue.currentIndex >= 0 ? queue.entries[queue.currentIndex] : undefined;
-  const now = useResolvedQueueEntry(nowEntry);
-  const nowArtUrl = now
-    ? (getCoverUrl(now.albumArtUrl) ??
-      (token && now.hasCover
-        ? getTrackCoverUrl(now.trackId, token, true)
-        : undefined))
-    : undefined;
-  const upNext = queue.entries
-    .map((entry, index) => ({ entry, index }))
-    .filter(({ index }) => index > queue.currentIndex);
+  const hasEntries = queue.entries.length > 0;
   const isRadio = queue.source === 'radio';
   const sourceLabel = queue.sourceName ?? queue.source;
 
@@ -76,35 +66,8 @@ export function QueuePanel() {
         </div>
 
         <div className="qd-scroll">
-          {now ? (
+          {hasEntries ? (
             <>
-              <span
-                className="msk-label"
-                style={{ display: 'block', marginBottom: 8 }}
-              >
-                {t('queue.nowPlaying')}
-              </span>
-              <div className="qd-now">
-                <ArtTile
-                  seed={now.albumTitle}
-                  size={44}
-                  label={now.albumTitle}
-                  src={nowArtUrl}
-                />
-                <div className="qt">
-                  <div className="t">{now.title}</div>
-                  <div className="r">{now.artistName}</div>
-                </div>
-                <button
-                  type="button"
-                  className="iconbtn sm"
-                  onClick={() => dispatch(openTrackInfo(now.trackId))}
-                  title={t('trackInfo.open')}
-                >
-                  <Icon name="info" />
-                </button>
-              </div>
-
               {isRadio && (
                 <div className="qd-radio">
                   <div className="row">
@@ -142,18 +105,16 @@ export function QueuePanel() {
               >
                 {t('queue.nextUp')}
               </span>
-              {upNext.length === 0 ? (
-                <div className="qd-empty">{t('queue.nothingNext')}</div>
-              ) : (
-                upNext.map(({ entry, index }) => (
-                  <QueueRow
-                    key={`${entry.trackId}-${index}`}
-                    entry={entry}
-                    onPlay={() => dispatch(goToIndex(index))}
-                    onRemove={() => dispatch(removeFromQueue(index))}
-                  />
-                ))
-              )}
+              {queue.entries.map((entry, index) => (
+                <QueueRow
+                  key={`${entry.trackId}-${index}`}
+                  entry={entry}
+                  isCurrent={index === queue.currentIndex}
+                  isPlaying={isPlaying}
+                  onPlay={() => dispatch(goToIndex(index))}
+                  onRemove={() => dispatch(removeFromQueue(index))}
+                />
+              ))}
 
               {isRadio && (
                 <div className="qd-loadmore">{t('queue.loadingMore')}</div>
@@ -168,18 +129,24 @@ export function QueuePanel() {
   );
 }
 
-/** An "up next" row, resolving its display fields against the live Track cache
- * (same read-through as the now-playing entry) so enrichment updates show. */
+/** A queue row, resolving its display fields against the live Track cache so
+ * enrichment updates show. The currently-playing entry is outlined and shows
+ * a playing-bars indicator in place of the drag grip. */
 function QueueRow({
   entry,
+  isCurrent,
+  isPlaying,
   onPlay,
   onRemove,
 }: {
   entry: QueueEntry;
+  isCurrent: boolean;
+  isPlaying: boolean;
   onPlay: () => void;
   onRemove: () => void;
 }) {
   const { t } = useTranslation();
+  const dispatch = useAppDispatch();
   const token = useAppSelector((s) => s.auth.accessToken);
   const resolved = useResolvedQueueEntry(entry);
   const albumTitle = resolved?.albumTitle ?? entry.albumTitle;
@@ -191,18 +158,32 @@ function QueueRow({
 
   return (
     <div
-      className="qrow"
+      className={`qrow${isCurrent ? ' current' : ''}`}
       onDoubleClick={onPlay}
       title={t('queue.doubleClickPlay')}
     >
-      <span className="grip">
-        <Icon name="dots-six-vertical" />
-      </span>
+      {isCurrent ? (
+        <PlayingIndicator animate={isPlaying} />
+      ) : (
+        <span className="grip">
+          <Icon name="dots-six-vertical" />
+        </span>
+      )}
       <ArtTile seed={albumTitle} size={36} label={albumTitle} src={artUrl} />
       <div className="qt">
         <div className="t">{resolved?.title ?? entry.title}</div>
         <div className="r">{resolved?.artistName ?? entry.artistName}</div>
       </div>
+      {isCurrent && (
+        <button
+          type="button"
+          className="iconbtn sm"
+          onClick={() => dispatch(openTrackInfo(entry.trackId))}
+          title={t('trackInfo.open')}
+        >
+          <Icon name="info" />
+        </button>
+      )}
       <button
         type="button"
         className="iconbtn sm"
diff --git a/src/i18n/locales/en.ts b/src/i18n/locales/en.ts
index 50e4427..0af765d 100644
--- a/src/i18n/locales/en.ts
+++ b/src/i18n/locales/en.ts
@@ -138,9 +138,7 @@ const en = {
     close: 'Close',
     from: 'From {{source}}',
     radio: 'Radio · {{source}}',
-    nowPlaying: 'Now playing',
     nextUp: 'Next up',
-    nothingNext: 'Nothing queued next',
     empty: 'Queue is empty',
     radioActive: 'Radio active',
     mixing: '∞ mixing',
diff --git a/src/i18n/locales/ru.ts b/src/i18n/locales/ru.ts
index 8a0e170..6731b5a 100644
--- a/src/i18n/locales/ru.ts
+++ b/src/i18n/locales/ru.ts
@@ -140,9 +140,7 @@ const ru: Translations = {
     close: 'Закрыть',
     from: 'Из: {{source}}',
     radio: 'Радио · {{source}}',
-    nowPlaying: 'Сейчас играет',
     nextUp: 'Далее',
-    nothingNext: 'Очередь пуста',
     empty: 'Очередь пуста',
     radioActive: 'Радио активно',
     mixing: '∞ микс',
diff --git a/src/styles/shell.css b/src/styles/shell.css
index 3e5cdc2..e80ed23 100644
--- a/src/styles/shell.css
+++ b/src/styles/shell.css
@@ -404,6 +404,47 @@
   font-size: 10px;
 }
 
+/* ---- playing indicator ("hopping bars" equalizer, YTM-style) ---- */
+.playing-bars {
+  display: inline-flex;
+  align-items: flex-end;
+  justify-content: center;
+  gap: 2px;
+  width: 14px;
+  height: 14px;
+  flex-shrink: 0;
+}
+.playing-bars span {
+  display: block;
+  width: 3px;
+  background: var(--lime);
+  border-radius: 1px;
+  height: 30%;
+  animation: playing-bar-bounce 1s ease-in-out infinite;
+}
+.playing-bars span:nth-child(1) {
+  animation-delay: -0.9s;
+}
+.playing-bars span:nth-child(2) {
+  animation-delay: -0.3s;
+}
+.playing-bars span:nth-child(3) {
+  animation-delay: -0.6s;
+}
+.playing-bars.paused span {
+  animation-play-state: paused;
+  height: 100%;
+}
+@keyframes playing-bar-bounce {
+  0%,
+  100% {
+    height: 30%;
+  }
+  50% {
+    height: 100%;
+  }
+}
+
 /* ============================================================
    PLAYER BAR
    ============================================================ */
@@ -604,36 +645,6 @@
   overflow-y: auto;
   padding: 12px 12px 18px;
 }
-.qd-now {
-  display: flex;
-  gap: 11px;
-  align-items: center;
-  padding: 10px;
-  border-radius: var(--r-md);
-  background: linear-gradient(
-    180deg,
-    rgba(190, 242, 100, 0.13),
-    rgba(190, 242, 100, 0.05)
-  );
-  border: 1px solid rgba(190, 242, 100, 0.2);
-  margin-bottom: 14px;
-}
-.qd-now .qt {
-  min-width: 0;
-  flex: 1;
-}
-.qd-now .qt .t {
-  font-size: 13px;
-  font-weight: 600;
-  color: var(--fg-1);
-  white-space: nowrap;
-  overflow: hidden;
-  text-overflow: ellipsis;
-}
-.qd-now .qt .r {
-  font-size: 11px;
-  color: var(--fg-3);
-}
 .qrow {
   display: flex;
   gap: 11px;
@@ -649,6 +660,18 @@
 .qrow:hover {
   background: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.04);
 }
+.qrow.current {
+  background: linear-gradient(
+    180deg,
+    rgba(190, 242, 100, 0.13),
+    rgba(190, 242, 100, 0.05)
+  );
+  box-shadow: 0 0 0 1px rgba(190, 242, 100, 0.35) inset;
+}
+.qrow.current .qt .t {
+  color: var(--lime);
+  font-weight: 600;
+}
 .qrow .grip {
   color: var(--fg-3);
   font-size: 15px;