diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 927c09f..0a0e2c5 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -131,12 +131,29 @@ Apply database migrations:
 pnpm --filter @statify/db prisma:migrate:dev
 ```
 
+Seed a small demo dataset (catalog, accounts, and listening history) so the
+app has data on first run:
+
+```bash
+pnpm --filter @statify/db db:seed
+```
+
 Run the frontend and backend:
 
 ```bash
 pnpm dev
 ```
 
+Then sign in with a seeded account to see populated analytics:
+
+| Field    | Value                |
+| -------- | -------------------- |
+| Email    | `alex@statify.local` |
+| Password | `statify123`         |
+
+All five seeded accounts (`admin`, `alex`, `jordan`, `sam`, `riley`) share the
+same password and have listening history.
+
 Default local URLs:
 
 | Service          | URL                           |
diff --git a/packages/db/src/seed/generate.ts b/packages/db/src/seed/generate.ts
index 03ac149..a199d9e 100644
--- a/packages/db/src/seed/generate.ts
+++ b/packages/db/src/seed/generate.ts
@@ -71,8 +71,8 @@ export const DEFAULT_SEED_COUNTS: SeedCounts = {
   albums: 200,
   tracks: 600,
   playlists: 60,
-  historyUsers: 3,
-  historyPerUser: { min: 60, max: 110 },
+  historyUsers: 5,
+  historyPerUser: { min: 90, max: 160 },
   historyDays: 21,
 };
 
diff --git a/packages/db/src/seed/run.ts b/packages/db/src/seed/run.ts
index e7614aa..46d72cd 100644
--- a/packages/db/src/seed/run.ts
+++ b/packages/db/src/seed/run.ts
@@ -79,7 +79,9 @@ export async function runSeed(
   });
   const userIdByEmail = new Map(users.map((u) => [u.email, u.id]));
 
-  const corpus = generateCorpus(counts);
+  // Anchor seeded play timestamps to the run date so time-windowed analytics
+  // (e.g. Trending: last 7 days vs the prior 7) have data on the current date.
+  const corpus = generateCorpus(counts, new Date());
 
   const artistIds = await insertArtists(prisma, corpus.artists);
   logger.info(`Inserted ${corpus.artists.length} artists`);
diff --git a/scripts/setup.sh b/scripts/setup.sh
index 8f99d94..b290bc7 100755
--- a/scripts/setup.sh
+++ b/scripts/setup.sh
@@ -33,11 +33,17 @@ pnpm install
 pnpm --filter @statify/db run prisma:generate
 pnpm --filter @statify/db run prisma:migrate:deploy
 
+# Seed a small demo dataset so the app has data on first run.
+# Set SKIP_SEED=1 to skip this (e.g. for a production bootstrap).
+if [[ "${SKIP_SEED:-0}" != "1" ]]; then
+  pnpm --filter @statify/db run db:seed
+fi
+
 # Build steps decide NODE_ENV themselves; don't leak a dev value from .env.
 unset NODE_ENV
 pnpm build
 
 echo
 echo "setup complete."
-echo "  next: pnpm dev          # start api on :4000 and web on :3000"
-echo "  seed: pnpm --filter @statify/db run db:seed"
+echo "  next:  pnpm dev          # start api on :4000 and web on :3000"
+echo "  login: alex@statify.local / statify123   (a seeded account with data)"