diff --git a/beets/library.py b/beets/library.py
index 65c27a0c9..2cd114855 100644
--- a/beets/library.py
+++ b/beets/library.py
@@ -549,6 +549,31 @@ class BooleanQuery(MatchQuery):
             self.pattern = util.str2bool(pattern)
         self.pattern = int(self.pattern)
 
+class YearQuery(FieldQuery):
+    """Matches a year or years against a year field.
+    """
+    @classmethod
+    def applies_to(cls, field):
+        return field in ['year', 'original_year']
+
+    @classmethod
+    def value_match(cls, pattern, value):
+        """Determine whether the value matches the pattern. Both
+        arguments are strings.
+        """
+        return value in cls._expanded_years(pattern)
+
+    def clause(self):
+        years = YearQuery._expanded_years(self.pattern)
+        return self.field + " IN (" + ",".join(years) + ")", ()
+
+    @classmethod
+    def _expanded_years(self, pattern):
+        ranges = [[int(y) for y in se.split('-')] for se in pattern.split(',')]
+        years = [range(r[0], r[1] + 1) if len(r) > 1 else [r[0]] for r in ranges]
+        return [str(y) for yrs in years for y in yrs]
+
+
 class SingletonQuery(Query):
     """Matches either singleton or non-singleton items."""
     def __init__(self, sense):
@@ -750,6 +775,8 @@ def parse_query_part(part):
         for pre, query_class in prefixes.items():
             if term.startswith(pre):
                 return key, term[len(pre):], query_class
+        if YearQuery.applies_to(key):
+          return key, term, YearQuery
         return key, term, SubstringQuery  # The default query type.
 
 def construct_query_part(query_part, default_fields, all_keys):
diff --git a/test/test_query.py b/test/test_query.py
index 54b30cf1e..0254fbad5 100644
--- a/test/test_query.py
+++ b/test/test_query.py
@@ -60,6 +60,22 @@ class QueryParseTest(unittest.TestCase):
         r = (None, 'test:regexp', beets.library.RegexpQuery)
         self.assertEqual(pqp(q), r)
 
+    def test_single_year(self):
+        q = 'year:1999'
+        r = ('year', '1999', beets.library.YearQuery)
+        self.assertEqual(pqp(q), r)
+
+    def test_multiple_years(self):
+        q = 'year:1999,2002,2010'
+        r = ('year', '1999,2002,2010', beets.library.YearQuery)
+        self.assertEqual(pqp(q), r)
+
+    def test_year_range(self):
+        q = 'year:1999-2001'
+        r = ('year', '1999-2001', beets.library.YearQuery)
+        self.assertEqual(pqp(q), r)
+
+
 class AnyFieldQueryTest(unittest.TestCase):
     def setUp(self):
         self.lib = beets.library.Library(':memory:')
@@ -219,6 +235,29 @@ class GetTest(unittest.TestCase, AssertsMixin):
         self.assert_matched(results, 'Littlest Things')
         self.assert_done(results)
 
+    def test_single_year(self):
+        q = 'year:2006'
+        results = self.lib.items(q)
+        self.assert_matched(results, 'Littlest Things')
+        self.assert_matched(results, 'Lovers Who Uncover')
+        self.assert_done(results)
+
+    def test_year_range(self):
+        q = 'year:2000-2010'
+        results = self.lib.items(q)
+        self.assert_matched(results, 'Littlest Things')
+        self.assert_matched(results, 'Take Pills')
+        self.assert_matched(results, 'Lovers Who Uncover')
+        self.assert_done(results)
+
+    def test_multiple_years(self):
+        q = 'year:1987,2004-2006'
+        results = self.lib.items(q)
+        self.assert_matched(results, 'Littlest Things')
+        self.assert_matched(results, 'Lovers Who Uncover')
+        self.assert_matched(results, 'Boracay')
+        self.assert_done(results)
+
 class MemoryGetTest(unittest.TestCase, AssertsMixin):
     def setUp(self):
         self.album_item = _common.item()
@@ -312,6 +351,14 @@ class MatchTest(unittest.TestCase):
         q = beets.library.SubstringQuery('disc', '6')
         self.assertTrue(q.match(self.item))
 
+    def test_year_match_positive(self):
+        q = beets.library.YearQuery('year', '1')
+        self.assertTrue(q.match(self.item))
+
+    def test_year_match_negative(self):
+        q = beets.library.YearQuery('year', '10')
+        self.assertFalse(q.match(self.item))
+
 class PathQueryTest(unittest.TestCase, AssertsMixin):
     def setUp(self):
         self.lib = beets.library.Library(':memory:')