diff --git a/model/criteria/criteria.go b/model/criteria/criteria.go
index fa92c5ac..54ac5969 100644
--- a/model/criteria/criteria.go
+++ b/model/criteria/criteria.go
@@ -61,7 +61,12 @@ func (c Criteria) OrderBy() string {
 		if f.order != "" {
 			mapped = f.order
 		} else if f.isTag {
-			mapped = "COALESCE(json_extract(media_file.tags, '$." + sortField + "[0].value'), '')"
+			// Use the actual field name (handles aliases like albumtype -> releasetype)
+			tagName := sortField
+			if f.field != "" {
+				tagName = f.field
+			}
+			mapped = "COALESCE(json_extract(media_file.tags, '$." + tagName + "[0].value'), '')"
 		} else if f.isRole {
 			mapped = "COALESCE(json_extract(media_file.participants, '$." + sortField + "[0].name'), '')"
 		} else {
diff --git a/model/criteria/criteria_test.go b/model/criteria/criteria_test.go
index 3792264a..032ead5c 100644
--- a/model/criteria/criteria_test.go
+++ b/model/criteria/criteria_test.go
@@ -118,6 +118,16 @@ var _ = Describe("Criteria", func() {
 				)
 			})
 
+			It("sorts by albumtype alias (resolves to releasetype)", func() {
+				AddTagNames([]string{"releasetype"})
+				goObj.Sort = "albumtype"
+				gomega.Expect(goObj.OrderBy()).To(
+					gomega.Equal(
+						"COALESCE(json_extract(media_file.tags, '$.releasetype[0].value'), '') asc",
+					),
+				)
+			})
+
 			It("sorts by random", func() {
 				newObj := goObj
 				newObj.Sort = "random"
diff --git a/model/criteria/fields.go b/model/criteria/fields.go
index 3699eb14..70719cd6 100644
--- a/model/criteria/fields.go
+++ b/model/criteria/fields.go
@@ -32,7 +32,6 @@ var fieldMap = map[string]*mappedField{
 	"sortalbum":            {field: "media_file.sort_album_name"},
 	"sortartist":           {field: "media_file.sort_artist_name"},
 	"sortalbumartist":      {field: "media_file.sort_album_artist_name"},
-	"albumtype":            {field: "media_file.mbz_album_type", alias: "releasetype"},
 	"albumcomment":         {field: "media_file.mbz_album_comment"},
 	"catalognumber":        {field: "media_file.catalog_num"},
 	"filepath":             {field: "media_file.path"},
@@ -55,6 +54,9 @@ var fieldMap = map[string]*mappedField{
 	"mbz_release_group_id": {field: "media_file.mbz_release_group_id"},
 	"library_id":           {field: "media_file.library_id", numeric: true},
 
+	// Backward compatibility: albumtype is an alias for releasetype tag
+	"albumtype": {field: "releasetype", isTag: true},
+
 	// special fields
 	"random": {field: "", order: "random()"}, // pseudo-field for random sorting
 	"value":  {field: "value"},               // pseudo-field for tag and roles values
@@ -154,13 +156,19 @@ type tagCond struct {
 func (e tagCond) ToSql() (string, []any, error) {
 	cond, args, err := e.cond.ToSql()
 
-	// Check if this tag is marked as numeric in the fieldMap
-	if fm, ok := fieldMap[e.tag]; ok && fm.numeric {
-		cond = strings.ReplaceAll(cond, "value", "CAST(value AS REAL)")
+	// Resolve the actual tag name (handles aliases like albumtype -> releasetype)
+	tagName := e.tag
+	if fm, ok := fieldMap[e.tag]; ok {
+		if fm.field != "" {
+			tagName = fm.field
+		}
+		if fm.numeric {
+			cond = strings.ReplaceAll(cond, "value", "CAST(value AS REAL)")
+		}
 	}
 
 	cond = fmt.Sprintf("exists (select 1 from json_tree(tags, '$.%s') where key='value' and %s)",
-		e.tag, cond)
+		tagName, cond)
 	if e.not {
 		cond = "not " + cond
 	}
diff --git a/model/criteria/operators_test.go b/model/criteria/operators_test.go
index ee716a9c..4c1db130 100644
--- a/model/criteria/operators_test.go
+++ b/model/criteria/operators_test.go
@@ -105,6 +105,40 @@ var _ = Describe("Operators", func() {
 			gomega.Expect(sql).To(gomega.BeEmpty())
 			gomega.Expect(args).To(gomega.BeEmpty())
 		})
+		It("supports releasetype as multi-valued tag", func() {
+			AddTagNames([]string{"releasetype"})
+			op := Contains{"releasetype": "soundtrack"}
+			sql, args, err := op.ToSql()
+			gomega.Expect(err).ToNot(gomega.HaveOccurred())
+			gomega.Expect(sql).To(gomega.Equal("exists (select 1 from json_tree(tags, '$.releasetype') where key='value' and value LIKE ?)"))
+			gomega.Expect(args).To(gomega.HaveExactElements("%soundtrack%"))
+		})
+		It("supports albumtype as alias for releasetype", func() {
+			AddTagNames([]string{"releasetype"})
+			op := Contains{"albumtype": "live"}
+			sql, args, err := op.ToSql()
+			gomega.Expect(err).ToNot(gomega.HaveOccurred())
+			gomega.Expect(sql).To(gomega.Equal("exists (select 1 from json_tree(tags, '$.releasetype') where key='value' and value LIKE ?)"))
+			gomega.Expect(args).To(gomega.HaveExactElements("%live%"))
+		})
+		It("supports albumtype alias with Is operator", func() {
+			AddTagNames([]string{"releasetype"})
+			op := Is{"albumtype": "album"}
+			sql, args, err := op.ToSql()
+			gomega.Expect(err).ToNot(gomega.HaveOccurred())
+			// Should query $.releasetype, not $.albumtype
+			gomega.Expect(sql).To(gomega.Equal("exists (select 1 from json_tree(tags, '$.releasetype') where key='value' and value = ?)"))
+			gomega.Expect(args).To(gomega.HaveExactElements("album"))
+		})
+		It("supports albumtype alias with IsNot operator", func() {
+			AddTagNames([]string{"releasetype"})
+			op := IsNot{"albumtype": "compilation"}
+			sql, args, err := op.ToSql()
+			gomega.Expect(err).ToNot(gomega.HaveOccurred())
+			// Should query $.releasetype, not $.albumtype
+			gomega.Expect(sql).To(gomega.Equal("not exists (select 1 from json_tree(tags, '$.releasetype') where key='value' and value = ?)"))
+			gomega.Expect(args).To(gomega.HaveExactElements("compilation"))
+		})
 	})
 
 	Describe("Custom Roles", func() {
diff --git a/ui/src/album/AlbumList.jsx b/ui/src/album/AlbumList.jsx
index 40b927a8..f10f8dbd 100644
--- a/ui/src/album/AlbumList.jsx
+++ b/ui/src/album/AlbumList.jsx
@@ -42,6 +42,9 @@ const useStyles = makeStyles({
   },
 })
 
+const formatReleaseType = (record) =>
+  record?.tagValue ? humanize(record?.tagValue) : '-- None --'
+
 const AlbumFilter = (props) => {
   const classes = useStyles()
   const translate = useTranslate()
@@ -142,9 +145,7 @@ const AlbumFilter = (props) => {
       >
         <AutocompleteInput
           emptyText="-- None --"
-          optionText={(record) =>
-            record?.tagValue ? humanize(record?.tagValue) : '-- None --'
-          }
+          optionText={formatReleaseType}
         />
       </ReferenceInput>
       <NullableBooleanInput source="compilation" />