diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 1ad007c..cdd6031 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -1,3 +1,7 @@
+##5.0.5
+
+Use more sane default values when getting a required key
+
 ##5.0.4
 
 Convert getTopSongs, getSimilarSongs[2], and getNewestPodcasts to use media objects
diff --git a/src/libopensonic/_version.py b/src/libopensonic/_version.py
index e87e65f..3a009ae 100644
--- a/src/libopensonic/_version.py
+++ b/src/libopensonic/_version.py
@@ -17,4 +17,4 @@
 
 
 #Semantic versioning string for the library
-__version__ = '5.0.4'
+__version__ = '5.0.5'
diff --git a/src/libopensonic/media/album.py b/src/libopensonic/media/album.py
index 154a173..0426f1e 100644
--- a/src/libopensonic/media/album.py
+++ b/src/libopensonic/media/album.py
@@ -38,11 +38,11 @@ class Album(MediaBase):
     def __init__(self, info):
         self._parent = get_key(info, 'parent')
         self._album = get_key(info, 'album')
-        self._name = self.get_required_key(info, 'name')
+        self._name = self.get_required_key(info, 'name', '')
         self._is_dir = get_key(info, 'isDir')
-        self._song_count = int(self.get_required_key(info, 'songCount'))
+        self._song_count = int(self.get_required_key(info, 'songCount', 0))
         self._created = self.get_required_key(info, 'created')
-        self._duration = int(self.get_required_key(info, 'duration'))
+        self._duration = int(self.get_required_key(info, 'duration', 0))
         self._play_count = get_key(info, 'playCount')
         self._artist_id = get_key(info, 'artistId')
         self._artist = get_key(info, 'artist')
diff --git a/src/libopensonic/media/artist.py b/src/libopensonic/media/artist.py
index 305af6a..a2a7a4b 100644
--- a/src/libopensonic/media/artist.py
+++ b/src/libopensonic/media/artist.py
@@ -71,8 +71,8 @@ def __init__(self, info):
         """
         self._album_count = get_key(info, 'albumCount')
         self._starred = get_key(info, 'starred')
-        self._name = self.get_required_key(info, 'name')
-        self._sort_name = self.get_required_key(info, 'sortName')
+        self._name = self.get_required_key(info, 'name', '')
+        self._sort_name = self.get_required_key(info, 'sortName', '')
         self._info = None
         self._artist_image_url = get_key(info, 'artistImageUrl')
         self._sort_name = get_key(info, 'sortName')
diff --git a/src/libopensonic/media/media_base.py b/src/libopensonic/media/media_base.py
index a01d7c7..5e8c3a9 100644
--- a/src/libopensonic/media/media_base.py
+++ b/src/libopensonic/media/media_base.py
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@ def __init__(self, info):
         info:dict                           A dict from the JSON response to any get request
                                             Must contain fields 'id' and 'coverArt'
         """
-        self._id = self.get_required_key(info, 'id') 
+        self._id = self.get_required_key(info, 'id')
         self._cover_id = get_key(info, 'coverArt')
 
     def to_dict(self):
@@ -55,13 +55,12 @@ def to_dict(self):
     @classmethod
     def get_class_name(cls):
         return cls.__name__
-    
+
     id = property(lambda s: s._id)
     cover_id = property(lambda s: s._cover_id)
 
-    def get_required_key(self, store, key):
+    def get_required_key(self, store, key, default=None):
         if key in store:
             return store[key]
         warn(f"{self.get_class_name()} object returned by server is missing required field '{key}'")
-        return None
-
+        return default
diff --git a/src/libopensonic/media/playlist.py b/src/libopensonic/media/playlist.py
index 74a706d..215ebb4 100644
--- a/src/libopensonic/media/playlist.py
+++ b/src/libopensonic/media/playlist.py
@@ -24,10 +24,10 @@ def __init__(self, info):
         self._comment = get_key(info, 'comment')
         self._owner = get_key(info, 'owner')
         self._public = get_key(info, 'public', False)
-        self._song_count = self.get_required_key(info, 'songCount')
+        self._song_count = self.get_required_key(info, 'songCount', 0)
         self._created = self.get_required_key(info,'created')
         self._changed = self.get_required_key(info, 'changed')
-        self._duration = self.get_required_key(info, 'duration')
+        self._duration = self.get_required_key(info, 'duration', 0)
         self._cover_id = get_key(info, 'coverArt')
         self._songs = []
         if 'entry' in info and info['entry']: