diff --git a/beets/art.py b/beets/art.py
index 7a65a2b80..b13de14d6 100644
--- a/beets/art.py
+++ b/beets/art.py
@@ -126,13 +126,13 @@ def check_art_similarity(log, item, imagepath, compare_threshold):
             # Converting images to grayscale tends to minimize the weight
             # of colors in the diff score.
             convert_proc = subprocess.Popen(
-                [b'convert', syspath(imagepath), syspath(art),
-                 b'-colorspace', b'gray', b'MIFF:-'],
+                ['convert', syspath(imagepath), syspath(art),
+                 '-colorspace', 'gray', 'MIFF:-'],
                 stdout=subprocess.PIPE,
                 close_fds=not is_windows,
             )
             compare_proc = subprocess.Popen(
-                [b'compare', b'-metric', b'PHASH', b'-', b'null:'],
+                ['compare', '-metric', 'PHASH', '-', 'null:'],
                 stdin=convert_proc.stdout,
                 stdout=subprocess.PIPE,
                 stderr=subprocess.PIPE,
diff --git a/beets/util/__init__.py b/beets/util/__init__.py
index 2e4c4de15..6ee24eb4d 100644
--- a/beets/util/__init__.py
+++ b/beets/util/__init__.py
@@ -661,7 +661,7 @@ def cpu_count():
             num = 0
     elif sys.platform == 'darwin':
         try:
-            num = int(command_output([b'/usr/sbin/sysctl', b'-n', b'hw.ncpu']))
+            num = int(command_output(['/usr/sbin/sysctl', '-n', 'hw.ncpu']))
         except (ValueError, OSError, subprocess.CalledProcessError):
             num = 0
     else:
diff --git a/beets/util/artresizer.py b/beets/util/artresizer.py
index 6970a7da1..50f6d7df1 100644
--- a/beets/util/artresizer.py
+++ b/beets/util/artresizer.py
@@ -91,8 +91,8 @@ def im_resize(maxwidth, path_in, path_out=None):
     # compatibility.
     try:
         util.command_output([
-            b'convert', util.syspath(path_in, prefix=False),
-            b'-resize', b'{0}x^>'.format(maxwidth),
+            'convert', util.syspath(path_in, prefix=False),
+            '-resize', '{0}x^>'.format(maxwidth),
             util.syspath(path_out, prefix=False),
         ])
     except subprocess.CalledProcessError:
@@ -119,7 +119,7 @@ def pil_getsize(path_in):
 
 
 def im_getsize(path_in):
-    cmd = [b'identify', b'-format', b'%w %h',
+    cmd = ['identify', '-format', '%w %h',
            util.syspath(path_in, prefix=False)]
     try:
         out = util.command_output(cmd)
@@ -233,7 +233,7 @@ def get_im_version():
     """Return Image Magick version or None if it is unavailable
     Try invoking ImageMagick's "convert"."""
     try:
-        out = util.command_output([b'identify', b'--version'])
+        out = util.command_output(['identify', '--version'])
 
         if 'imagemagick' in out.lower():
             pattern = r".+ (\d+)\.(\d+)\.(\d+).*"
diff --git a/beetsplug/keyfinder.py b/beetsplug/keyfinder.py
index b6131a4b0..314a72028 100644
--- a/beetsplug/keyfinder.py
+++ b/beetsplug/keyfinder.py
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@ class KeyFinderPlugin(BeetsPlugin):
                 continue
 
             try:
-                output = util.command_output([bin, b'-f',
+                output = util.command_output([bin, '-f',
                                               util.syspath(item.path)])
             except (subprocess.CalledProcessError, OSError) as exc:
                 self._log.error(u'execution failed: {0}', exc)
diff --git a/beetsplug/replaygain.py b/beetsplug/replaygain.py
index 7bb2aa39a..6e69cb75a 100644
--- a/beetsplug/replaygain.py
+++ b/beetsplug/replaygain.py
@@ -102,9 +102,9 @@ class Bs1770gainBackend(Backend):
             'method': 'replaygain',
         })
         self.chunk_at = config['chunk_at'].as_number()
-        self.method = b'--' + bytes(config['method'].get(unicode))
+        self.method = '--' + config['method'].get(unicode)
 
-        cmd = b'bs1770gain'
+        cmd = 'bs1770gain'
         try:
             call([cmd, self.method])
             self.command = cmd
@@ -195,7 +195,7 @@ class Bs1770gainBackend(Backend):
         # Construct shell command.
         cmd = [self.command]
         cmd = cmd + [self.method]
-        cmd = cmd + [b'-it']
+        cmd = cmd + ['-it']
 
         # Workaround for Windows: the underlying tool fails on paths
         # with the \\?\ prefix, so we don't use it here. This
@@ -267,9 +267,9 @@ class CommandBackend(Backend):
                 )
         else:
             # Check whether the program is in $PATH.
-            for cmd in (b'mp3gain', b'aacgain'):
+            for cmd in ('mp3gain', 'aacgain'):
                 try:
-                    call([cmd, b'-v'])
+                    call([cmd, '-v'])
                     self.command = cmd
                 except OSError:
                     pass
@@ -334,14 +334,14 @@ class CommandBackend(Backend):
         # tag-writing; this turns the mp3gain/aacgain tool into a gain
         # calculator rather than a tag manipulator because we take care
         # of changing tags ourselves.
-        cmd = [self.command, b'-o', b'-s', b's']
+        cmd = [self.command, '-o', '-s', 's']
         if self.noclip:
             # Adjust to avoid clipping.
-            cmd = cmd + [b'-k']
+            cmd = cmd + ['-k']
         else:
             # Disable clipping warning.
-            cmd = cmd + [b'-c']
-        cmd = cmd + [b'-d', bytes(self.gain_offset)]
+            cmd = cmd + ['-c']
+        cmd = cmd + ['-d', self.gain_offset]
         cmd = cmd + [syspath(i.path) for i in items]
 
         self._log.debug(u'analyzing {0} files', len(items))