diff --git a/docs/conf.py b/docs/conf.py
index 5ae600c1a..ee067fd29 100644
--- a/docs/conf.py
+++ b/docs/conf.py
@@ -1,8 +1,4 @@
-# -*- coding: utf-8 -*-
-
-from __future__ import division, absolute_import, print_function
-
-AUTHOR = u'Adrian Sampson'
+AUTHOR = 'Adrian Sampson'
 
 # General configuration
 
@@ -12,8 +8,8 @@ exclude_patterns = ['_build']
 source_suffix = '.rst'
 master_doc = 'index'
 
-project = u'beets'
-copyright = u'2016, Adrian Sampson'
+project = 'beets'
+copyright = '2016, Adrian Sampson'
 
 version = '1.5'
 release = '1.5.1'
@@ -41,14 +37,14 @@ htmlhelp_basename = 'beetsdoc'
 
 # Options for LaTeX output
 latex_documents = [
-    ('index', 'beets.tex', u'beets Documentation',
+    ('index', 'beets.tex', 'beets Documentation',
      AUTHOR, 'manual'),
 ]
 
 # Options for manual page output
 man_pages = [
-    ('reference/cli', 'beet', u'music tagger and library organizer',
+    ('reference/cli', 'beet', 'music tagger and library organizer',
      [AUTHOR], 1),
-    ('reference/config', 'beetsconfig', u'beets configuration file',
+    ('reference/config', 'beetsconfig', 'beets configuration file',
      [AUTHOR], 5),
 ]
diff --git a/extra/release.py b/extra/release.py
index 65153a9bc..0309f0bb0 100755
--- a/extra/release.py
+++ b/extra/release.py
@@ -1,5 +1,4 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env python3
-# -*- coding: utf-8 -*-
 
 """A utility script for automating the beets release process.
 """
@@ -110,14 +109,14 @@ def bump_version(version):
                     out_lines.append(line)
 
             if not found:
-                print("No pattern found in {}".format(filename))
+                print(f"No pattern found in {filename}")
 
         # Write the file back.
         with open(filename, 'w') as f:
             f.write(''.join(out_lines))
 
     # Generate bits to insert into changelog.
-    header_line = '{} (in development)'.format(version)
+    header_line = f'{version} (in development)'
     header = '\n\n' + header_line + '\n' + '-' * len(header_line) + '\n\n'
     header += 'Changelog goes here!\n'
 
@@ -277,7 +276,7 @@ def prep():
     cur_version = get_version()
 
     # Tag.
-    subprocess.check_output(['git', 'tag', 'v{}'.format(cur_version)])
+    subprocess.check_output(['git', 'tag', f'v{cur_version}'])
 
     # Build.
     with chdir(BASE):
@@ -292,7 +291,7 @@ def prep():
     # FIXME It should be possible to specify this as an argument.
     version_parts = [int(n) for n in cur_version.split('.')]
     version_parts[-1] += 1
-    next_version = u'.'.join(map(str, version_parts))
+    next_version = '.'.join(map(str, version_parts))
     bump_version(next_version)
 
 
@@ -311,7 +310,7 @@ def publish():
         subprocess.check_call(['git', 'push', '--tags'])
 
     # Upload to PyPI.
-    path = os.path.join(BASE, 'dist', 'beets-{}.tar.gz'.format(version))
+    path = os.path.join(BASE, 'dist', f'beets-{version}.tar.gz')
     subprocess.check_call(['twine', 'upload', path])
 
 
@@ -335,12 +334,12 @@ def ghrelease():
         'github-release', 'release',
         '-u', GITHUB_USER, '-r', GITHUB_REPO,
         '--tag', tag,
-        '--name', '{} {}'.format(GITHUB_REPO, version),
+        '--name', f'{GITHUB_REPO} {version}',
         '--description', cl_md,
     ])
 
     # Attach the release tarball.
-    tarball = os.path.join(BASE, 'dist', 'beets-{}.tar.gz'.format(version))
+    tarball = os.path.join(BASE, 'dist', f'beets-{version}.tar.gz')
     subprocess.check_call([
         'github-release', 'upload',
         '-u', GITHUB_USER, '-r', GITHUB_REPO,
diff --git a/test/rsrc/beetsplug/test.py b/test/rsrc/beetsplug/test.py
index 6dedd0e33..c57d3f517 100644
--- a/test/rsrc/beetsplug/test.py
+++ b/test/rsrc/beetsplug/test.py
@@ -1,14 +1,10 @@
-# -*- coding: utf-8 -*-
-
-from __future__ import division, absolute_import, print_function
-
 from beets.plugins import BeetsPlugin
 from beets import ui
 
 
 class TestPlugin(BeetsPlugin):
     def __init__(self):
-        super(TestPlugin, self).__init__()
+        super().__init__()
         self.is_test_plugin = True
 
     def commands(self):
@@ -16,7 +12,7 @@ class TestPlugin(BeetsPlugin):
         test.func = lambda *args: None
 
         # Used in CompletionTest
-        test.parser.add_option(u'-o', u'--option', dest='my_opt')
+        test.parser.add_option('-o', '--option', dest='my_opt')
 
         plugin = ui.Subcommand('plugin')
         plugin.func = lambda *args: None
diff --git a/test/rsrc/convert_stub.py b/test/rsrc/convert_stub.py
index cb42692d7..28dbfffc5 100755
--- a/test/rsrc/convert_stub.py
+++ b/test/rsrc/convert_stub.py
@@ -1,11 +1,9 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env python
-# -*- coding: utf-8 -*-
 
 """A tiny tool used to test the `convert` plugin. It copies a file and appends
 a specified text tag.
 """
 
-from __future__ import division, absolute_import, print_function
 import sys
 import platform
 import locale