diff --git a/ytaudio/ytaudio.py b/ytaudio/ytaudio.py
index f3f8935..4b25cda 100644
--- a/ytaudio/ytaudio.py
+++ b/ytaudio/ytaudio.py
@@ -75,38 +75,58 @@ class QueuedTrack:
 
 
 class GuildPlayer:
-    """Per-guild queue + player-loop state. One per guild."""
+    """Per-guild queue + player-loop state. One per guild.
+
+    The queue model is explicit and always inspectable:
+      * ``pending`` is the list of tracks waiting to play (index 0 is next).
+      * ``current`` is the track playing right now (or None).
+    Commands read these directly, so nowplaying/queue always reflect reality.
+    """
 
     def __init__(self, cog: "YTAudio", guild_id: int):
         self.cog = cog
         self.guild_id = guild_id
-        self.queue: "asyncio.Queue[Optional[QueuedTrack]]" = asyncio.Queue()
+        self.pending: List[QueuedTrack] = []
         self.current: Optional[QueuedTrack] = None
         self.task: Optional[asyncio.Task] = None
-        self.next_event = asyncio.Event()
+        self.next_event = asyncio.Event()   # fired when the current track ends
+        self.wakeup = asyncio.Event()       # fired when a track is added
         self.volume = 100
 
     def start(self):
         if self.task is None or self.task.done():
             self.task = asyncio.create_task(self._player_loop())
 
+    def enqueue(self, track: "QueuedTrack"):
+        self.pending.append(track)
+        self.wakeup.set()
+
+    def clear_pending(self):
+        cleared = self.pending
+        self.pending = []
+        for t in cleared:
+            self.cog._cleanup_file(t)
+
     async def _player_loop(self):
         while True:
+            if not self.pending:
+                self.wakeup.clear()
+                if not self.pending:
+                    try:
+                        await self.wakeup.wait()
+                    except asyncio.CancelledError:
+                        return
+                continue
+
+            track = self.pending.pop(0)
+            self.current = track
             self.next_event.clear()
-            try:
-                track = await self.queue.get()
-            except asyncio.CancelledError:
-                return
-            if track is None:  # shutdown sentinel
-                return
-
-            self.current = track
             try:
                 await self.cog._play_track(self.guild_id, track, self.next_event)
-                # Wait until the track-end handler fires next_event
                 await self.next_event.wait()
             except asyncio.CancelledError:
                 self.cog._cleanup_file(track)
+                self.current = None
                 return
             except Exception:
                 log.exception("Error playing track in guild %s", self.guild_id)
@@ -348,23 +368,26 @@ class YTAudio(commands.Cog):
         gp = self._get_gp(ctx.guild.id)
         gp.volume = await self.config.guild(ctx.guild).volume()
         track = QueuedTrack(query, ctx.author, ctx.channel)
-        already_active = gp.current is not None or not gp.queue.empty()
-        await gp.queue.put(track)
+        already_active = gp.current is not None or bool(gp.pending)
+        gp.enqueue(track)
         if already_active:
-            await ctx.send("Added to queue: {}".format(query))
+            position = len(gp.pending)
+            await ctx.send("Added to queue (position {}): {}".format(position, query))
 
     @commands.command()
     @commands.guild_only()
     async def skip(self, ctx: commands.Context):
         """Skip the current track."""
+        gp = self.players.get(ctx.guild.id)
+        if gp is None or gp.current is None:
+            return await ctx.send("Nothing is playing.")
         try:
             player = lavalink.get_player(ctx.guild.id)
         except Exception:
             return await ctx.send("Nothing is playing.")
+        # Stopping fires TRACK_END, which the event handler uses to advance
+        # the queue. Do not set next_event here or it would skip two tracks.
         await player.stop()
-        gp = self.players.get(ctx.guild.id)
-        if gp:
-            gp.next_event.set()
         await ctx.send("Skipped.")
 
     @commands.command()
@@ -373,12 +396,7 @@ class YTAudio(commands.Cog):
         """Stop playback and clear the queue."""
         gp = self.players.get(ctx.guild.id)
         if gp:
-            while not gp.queue.empty():
-                try:
-                    t = gp.queue.get_nowait()
-                    self._cleanup_file(t)
-                except asyncio.QueueEmpty:
-                    break
+            gp.clear_pending()
             gp.next_event.set()
         try:
             player = lavalink.get_player(ctx.guild.id)
@@ -409,20 +427,27 @@ class YTAudio(commands.Cog):
         await player.pause(False)
         await ctx.send("Resumed.")
 
-    @commands.command(name="queue")
+    @commands.command(name="queue", aliases=["q"])
     @commands.guild_only()
     async def queue_cmd(self, ctx: commands.Context):
-        """Show the queue."""
+        """Show the current track and the queue."""
         gp = self.players.get(ctx.guild.id)
-        if not gp or (gp.current is None and gp.queue.empty()):
+        if not gp or (gp.current is None and not gp.pending):
             return await ctx.send("The queue is empty.")
         lines = []
         if gp.current:
             lines.append("Now playing: {}".format(gp.current.title or gp.current.query))
-        pending: List[QueuedTrack] = list(gp.queue._queue)  # snapshot
-        for i, t in enumerate(pending, 1):
-            lines.append(f"{i}. {t.title or t.query}")
-        await ctx.send("\n".join(lines[:20]))
+        if gp.pending:
+            lines.append("Up next:")
+            for i, t in enumerate(gp.pending, 1):
+                lines.append("{}. {}".format(i, t.title or t.query))
+        else:
+            lines.append("Queue is empty.")
+        # Keep within Discord message limits.
+        out = "\n".join(lines)
+        if len(out) > 1900:
+            out = out[:1900] + "\n..."
+        await ctx.send(out)
 
     @commands.command(name="nowplaying", aliases=["np"])
     @commands.guild_only()
@@ -462,11 +487,7 @@ class YTAudio(commands.Cog):
         """Leave the voice channel and clear state."""
         gp = self.players.get(ctx.guild.id)
         if gp:
-            while not gp.queue.empty():
-                try:
-                    self._cleanup_file(gp.queue.get_nowait())
-                except asyncio.QueueEmpty:
-                    break
+            gp.clear_pending()
             gp.next_event.set()
         try:
             player = lavalink.get_player(ctx.guild.id)