diff --git a/beets/plugins.py b/beets/plugins.py
index 26e70ed72..25452560a 100644
--- a/beets/plugins.py
+++ b/beets/plugins.py
@@ -239,12 +239,7 @@ class BeetsPlugin:
         return Distance()
 
     def candidates(
-        self,
-        items: list[Item],
-        artist: str,
-        album: str,
-        va_likely: bool,
-        extra_tags: dict[str, Any] | None = None,
+        self, items: list[Item], artist: str, album: str, va_likely: bool
     ) -> Iterator[AlbumInfo]:
         """Return :py:class:`AlbumInfo` candidates that match the given album.
 
@@ -252,9 +247,6 @@ class BeetsPlugin:
         :param artist: Album artist
         :param album: Album name
         :param va_likely: Whether the album is likely to be by various artists
-        :param extra_tags: is a an optional dictionary of extra tags to search.
-            Only relevant to :py:class:`MusicBrainzPlugin` autotagger and can be
-            ignored by other plugins
         """
         yield from ()
 
@@ -872,12 +864,7 @@ class MetadataSourcePlugin(Generic[R], BeetsPlugin, metaclass=abc.ABCMeta):
         return extract_release_id(self.data_source.lower(), id_string)
 
     def candidates(
-        self,
-        items: list[Item],
-        artist: str,
-        album: str,
-        va_likely: bool,
-        extra_tags: dict[str, Any] | None = None,
+        self, items: list[Item], artist: str, album: str, va_likely: bool
     ) -> Iterator[AlbumInfo]:
         query_filters = {"album": album}
         if not va_likely:
diff --git a/beets/test/helper.py b/beets/test/helper.py
index 66b4ddb71..a24836e84 100644
--- a/beets/test/helper.py
+++ b/beets/test/helper.py
@@ -806,7 +806,7 @@ class AutotagStub:
         for p in self.patchers:
             p.stop()
 
-    def candidates(self, items, artist, album, va_likely, extra_tags=None):
+    def candidates(self, items, artist, album, va_likely):
         if self.matching == self.IDENT:
             yield self._make_album_match(artist, album, len(items))
 
diff --git a/beetsplug/beatport.py b/beetsplug/beatport.py
index d98fab722..20147b5cc 100644
--- a/beetsplug/beatport.py
+++ b/beetsplug/beatport.py
@@ -361,7 +361,7 @@ class BeatportPlugin(BeetsPlugin):
             data_source=self.data_source, info=track_info, config=self.config
         )
 
-    def candidates(self, items, artist, release, va_likely, extra_tags=None):
+    def candidates(self, items, artist, release, va_likely):
         """Returns a list of AlbumInfo objects for beatport search results
         matching release and artist (if not various).
         """
diff --git a/beetsplug/chroma.py b/beetsplug/chroma.py
index 08fb97f59..518a41776 100644
--- a/beetsplug/chroma.py
+++ b/beetsplug/chroma.py
@@ -200,7 +200,7 @@ class AcoustidPlugin(plugins.BeetsPlugin):
         dist.add_expr("track_id", info.track_id not in recording_ids)
         return dist
 
-    def candidates(self, items, artist, album, va_likely, extra_tags=None):
+    def candidates(self, items, artist, album, va_likely):
         albums = []
         for relid in prefix(_all_releases(items), MAX_RELEASES):
             album = self.mb.album_for_id(relid)
diff --git a/beetsplug/discogs.py b/beetsplug/discogs.py
index a8d08c1e9..1852f300f 100644
--- a/beetsplug/discogs.py
+++ b/beetsplug/discogs.py
@@ -156,7 +156,7 @@ class DiscogsPlugin(BeetsPlugin):
             data_source="Discogs", info=track_info, config=self.config
         )
 
-    def candidates(self, items, artist, album, va_likely, extra_tags=None):
+    def candidates(self, items, artist, album, va_likely):
         """Returns a list of AlbumInfo objects for discogs search results
         matching an album and artist (if not various).
         """
diff --git a/docs/changelog.rst b/docs/changelog.rst
index a01ee8c97..3370f5396 100644
--- a/docs/changelog.rst
+++ b/docs/changelog.rst
@@ -26,6 +26,10 @@ Bug fixes:
 
 For packagers:
 
+* Optional ``extra_tags`` parameter has been removed from
+  ``BeetsPlugin.candidates`` method signature since it is never passed in. If
+  you override this method in your plugin, feel free to remove this parameter.
+
 Other changes:
 
 2.3.1 (May 14, 2025)