diff --git a/cleanup.py b/cleanup.py
index 3012914..326ff6a 100644
--- a/cleanup.py
+++ b/cleanup.py
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 import re
 import utilities
-from doreah import tsv
+from doreah import tsv, settings
 
 # need to do this as a class so it can retain loaded settings from file
 # apparently this is not true
@@ -52,6 +52,9 @@ class CleanerAgent:
 
 	def parseArtists(self,a):
 
+		if a.strip() in settings.get_settings("INVALID_ARTISTS"):
+			return []
+
 		if a.strip() == "":
 			return []
 
diff --git a/database.py b/database.py
index cfcd54c..fe44ba7 100644
--- a/database.py
+++ b/database.py
@@ -111,6 +111,10 @@ def get_track_dict(o):
 
 
 def createScrobble(artists,title,time,volatile=False):
+
+	if len(artists) == 0 or title == "":
+		return {}
+
 	dblock.acquire()
 
 	i = getTrackID(artists,title)
diff --git a/settings/default.ini b/settings/default.ini
index 30be3a2..b795299 100644
--- a/settings/default.ini
+++ b/settings/default.ini
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ TRACK_SEARCH_PROVIDER = None
 [Database]
 
 DB_CACHE_SIZE = 8192		# how many MB on disk each database cache should have available.
+INVALID_ARTISTS = ["[Unknown Artist]","Unknown Artist"]
 
 [Local Images]