diff --git a/src/controllers/api/card.controller.ts b/src/controllers/api/card.controller.ts
index cb7b095..6b20f6e 100644
--- a/src/controllers/api/card.controller.ts
+++ b/src/controllers/api/card.controller.ts
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ import User from '../../models/user.model';
 import Image from '../../models/image.model';
 import CardGetRequestQueryParams from '../../interfaces/card-get-request-query-params.interface';
 import CardDeleteRequestQueryParams from '../../interfaces/card-delete-request-query-params.interface';
+import UserProfileResponseBody from '../../interfaces/user-profile-response-body.interface';
 import Track from '../../interfaces/track.interface';
 import Artist from '../../interfaces/artist.interface';
 import DataCardProps from '../../interfaces/data-card-props.interface';
@@ -24,7 +25,7 @@ export const card_get: RequestHandler = async (req, res) => {
   const browserIsBuggy = detectBuggyBrowser(req);
 
   // validate user id query param
-  const cardReqBody = req.query as unknown as CardGetRequestQueryParams;
+  const cardReqBody = req.query as CardGetRequestQueryParams;
   const { user_id: userId, show_border } = cardReqBody;
   const showBorder = boolFromString(show_border);
   if (!userId) {
@@ -51,21 +52,6 @@ export const card_get: RequestHandler = async (req, res) => {
     return;
   }
 
-  // fetch user display name
-  let userDisplayName;
-  try {
-    const { display_name } = await User.getUserProfile(accessToken);
-    userDisplayName = display_name;
-  } catch (error) {
-    renderErrorCard(
-      res,
-      getGenericErrorMessage(userId),
-      showBorder,
-      browserIsBuggy
-    );
-    return;
-  }
-
   // get options from query params
   const {
     show_date,
@@ -95,6 +81,40 @@ export const card_get: RequestHandler = async (req, res) => {
     limit
   );
 
+  // create data-fetching tasks
+  const tasks: (Promise<any> | (Track | Artist)[] | null)[] = [
+    User.getUserProfile(accessToken),
+    showNowPlaying ? User.getNowPlaying(accessToken, hideExplicit) : null,
+    showRecentlyPlayed
+      ? User.getRecentlyPlayed(accessToken, hideExplicit, itemLimit)
+      : [],
+    showTopTracks
+      ? User.getTopTracks(userId, accessToken, hideExplicit, itemLimit)
+      : [],
+    showTopArtists ? User.getTopArtists(userId, accessToken, itemLimit) : []
+  ];
+
+  // run all tasks concurrently
+  let userProfile: UserProfileResponseBody | null = null;
+  let userDisplayName: string | null = null;
+  let nowPlaying: Track | null = null;
+  let recentlyPlayed: Track[] = [];
+  let topTracks: Track[] = [];
+  let topArtists: Artist[] = [];
+  try {
+    [userProfile, nowPlaying, recentlyPlayed, topTracks, topArtists] =
+      await Promise.all(tasks);
+    userDisplayName = userProfile!.display_name;
+  } catch (error) {
+    renderErrorCard(
+      res,
+      getGenericErrorMessage(userId),
+      showBorder,
+      browserIsBuggy
+    );
+    return;
+  }
+
   // render error card if no data is visible
   if (
     !showNowPlaying &&
@@ -111,79 +131,6 @@ export const card_get: RequestHandler = async (req, res) => {
     return;
   }
 
-  // fetch currently playing track
-  let nowPlaying = null;
-  if (showNowPlaying) {
-    try {
-      nowPlaying = await User.getNowPlaying(accessToken, hideExplicit);
-    } catch (error) {
-      renderErrorCard(
-        res,
-        getGenericErrorMessage(userId, userDisplayName),
-        showBorder,
-        browserIsBuggy
-      );
-      return;
-    }
-  }
-
-  // fetch recently played tracks
-  let recentlyPlayed: Track[] = [];
-  if (showRecentlyPlayed) {
-    try {
-      recentlyPlayed = await User.getRecentlyPlayed(
-        accessToken,
-        hideExplicit,
-        itemLimit
-      );
-    } catch (error) {
-      renderErrorCard(
-        res,
-        getGenericErrorMessage(userId, userDisplayName),
-        showBorder,
-        browserIsBuggy
-      );
-      return;
-    }
-  }
-
-  // fetch top tracks
-  let topTracks: Track[] = [];
-  if (showTopTracks) {
-    try {
-      topTracks = await User.getTopTracks(
-        userId,
-        accessToken,
-        hideExplicit,
-        itemLimit
-      );
-    } catch (error) {
-      renderErrorCard(
-        res,
-        getGenericErrorMessage(userId, userDisplayName),
-        showBorder,
-        browserIsBuggy
-      );
-      return;
-    }
-  }
-
-  // fetch top artists
-  let topArtists: Artist[] = [];
-  if (showTopArtists) {
-    try {
-      topArtists = await User.getTopArtists(userId, accessToken, itemLimit);
-    } catch (error) {
-      renderErrorCard(
-        res,
-        getGenericErrorMessage(userId, userDisplayName),
-        showBorder,
-        browserIsBuggy
-      );
-      return;
-    }
-  }
-
   // disable http caching if real-time data is requested
   if (showNowPlaying || showRecentlyPlayed) disableHttpCaching(res);
 
@@ -217,21 +164,10 @@ export const card_get: RequestHandler = async (req, res) => {
   res.render(CARD_API_VIEW_PATH, dataCardProps);
 };
 
-export const CARD_API_ERROR_MESSAGE = {
-  NO_USER_ID: 'Missing required parameter: user_id',
-  NO_TOKEN: 'No token provided.',
-  INVALID_AUTH: 'Only valid bearer authentication supported.',
-  CARD_NOT_FOUND: 'Data card not found.',
-  INVALID_TOKEN: 'Invalid token.'
-};
-export const CARD_API_DELETION_SUCCESS_MESSAGE =
-  'Data card deleted successfully.';
-
 // deletes a data card
 export const card_delete: RequestHandler = async (req, res) => {
   // validate user id query param
-  const { user_id: userId } =
-    req.query as unknown as CardDeleteRequestQueryParams;
+  const { user_id: userId } = req.query as CardDeleteRequestQueryParams;
   if (!userId) {
     res.status(400).send(CARD_API_ERROR_MESSAGE.NO_USER_ID);
     return;
@@ -286,6 +222,17 @@ export const card_delete: RequestHandler = async (req, res) => {
   res.send(CARD_API_DELETION_SUCCESS_MESSAGE);
 };
 
+export const CARD_API_ERROR_MESSAGE = {
+  NO_USER_ID: 'Missing required parameter: user_id',
+  NO_TOKEN: 'No token provided.',
+  INVALID_AUTH: 'Only valid bearer authentication supported.',
+  CARD_NOT_FOUND: 'Data card not found.',
+  INVALID_TOKEN: 'Invalid token.'
+};
+
+export const CARD_API_DELETION_SUCCESS_MESSAGE =
+  'Data card deleted successfully.';
+
 // helpers
 
 const detectBuggyBrowser = (req: Request) => {
@@ -312,8 +259,6 @@ const renderErrorCard = (
   });
 };
 
-const getGenericErrorMessage = (userId: string, userDisplayName?: string) => {
-  return `Card not found! ${
-    userDisplayName || `The user with ID ${userId}`
-  } may need to generate/re-generate a data card at ${SHORT_URL}.`;
+const getGenericErrorMessage = (userId: string) => {
+  return `Card not found! The user with ID ${userId} may need to generate/re-generate a data card at ${SHORT_URL}.`;
 };
diff --git a/src/controllers/auth/index.controller.ts b/src/controllers/auth/index.controller.ts
index b6ae51f..7a95d38 100644
--- a/src/controllers/auth/index.controller.ts
+++ b/src/controllers/auth/index.controller.ts
@@ -76,8 +76,7 @@ export const auth_callback: RequestHandler = async (req, res) => {
   const refreshToken = refresh_token!;
   let userId;
   try {
-    const { id } = await User.getUserProfile(access_token);
-    userId = id;
+    ({ id: userId } = await User.getUserProfile(access_token));
   } catch (error) {
     redirectToHomePageWithError(res, error as string);
     return;
diff --git a/src/models/image.model.ts b/src/models/image.model.ts
index 12a7993..4d8a701 100644
--- a/src/models/image.model.ts
+++ b/src/models/image.model.ts
@@ -6,15 +6,19 @@ import { getBase64DataFromImageUrl } from '../utils/image.util';
 export default class Image {
   static async getImageDataMap(items: Item[]) {
     const map: StringMap = {};
+    const tasks: Promise<string>[] = [];
     for (const item of items) {
       if (!item) continue;
       const imageUrl = isTrack(item) ? item.albumImageUrl : item.imageUrl;
       const imageUrlArray = imageUrl.split('/');
       const imageId = imageUrlArray[imageUrlArray.length - 1];
-      map[imageUrl] = await Redis.getImageDataFromOrSaveToCache(imageId, () => {
-        return getBase64DataFromImageUrl(imageUrl);
-      });
+      tasks.push(
+        Redis.getImageDataFromCacheOrGetAndSaveToCache(imageId, () =>
+          getBase64DataFromImageUrl(imageUrl)
+        ).then((imageData) => (map[imageUrl] = imageData))
+      );
     }
+    await Promise.allSettled(tasks);
     return map;
   }
 }
diff --git a/src/models/redis.model.ts b/src/models/redis.model.ts
index 9bd3621..5f0b725 100644
--- a/src/models/redis.model.ts
+++ b/src/models/redis.model.ts
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ export default class Redis {
 
   static #client = createClient({ url: REDIS_URI });
 
-  static async #getFromOrSaveToCache<T>(
+  static async #getFromCacheOrGetAndSaveToCache<T>(
     key: string,
     fallbackFunction: Function,
     expiration?: number
@@ -32,9 +32,7 @@ export default class Redis {
       // don't throw
       console.log(error);
     }
-    if (data) {
-      return JSON.parse(data);
-    }
+    if (data) return JSON.parse(data);
 
     // run fallback function
     const freshData = await fallbackFunction();
@@ -42,9 +40,10 @@ export default class Redis {
     // save to cache
     try {
       typeof expiration === 'number'
-        ? await this.#client.setEx(key, expiration, JSON.stringify(freshData))
-        : await this.#client.set(key, JSON.stringify(freshData));
+        ? this.#client.setEx(key, expiration, JSON.stringify(freshData))
+        : this.#client.set(key, JSON.stringify(freshData));
     } catch (error) {
+      // don't throw
       console.log(error);
     }
 
@@ -95,25 +94,25 @@ export default class Redis {
     return JSON.parse(profile || 'null');
   }
 
-  static getTopTracksFromOrSaveToCache(
+  static getTopTracksFromCacheOrGetAndSaveToCache(
     userId: string,
     hideExplicit: boolean,
     limit: number,
     fallbackFunction: Function
   ): Promise<Track[]> {
-    return this.#getFromOrSaveToCache(
+    return this.#getFromCacheOrGetAndSaveToCache(
       getTopTracksCacheKey(userId, hideExplicit, limit),
       fallbackFunction,
       DEFAULT_EXPIRATION
     );
   }
 
-  static getTopArtistsFromOrSaveToCache(
+  static getTopArtistsFromCacheOrGetAndSaveToCache(
     userId: string,
     limit: number,
     fallbackFunction: Function
   ): Promise<Artist[]> {
-    return this.#getFromOrSaveToCache(
+    return this.#getFromCacheOrGetAndSaveToCache(
       getTopArtistsCacheKey(userId, limit),
       fallbackFunction,
       DEFAULT_EXPIRATION
@@ -122,11 +121,11 @@ export default class Redis {
 
   // images
 
-  static getImageDataFromOrSaveToCache(
+  static getImageDataFromCacheOrGetAndSaveToCache(
     imageId: string,
     fallbackFunction: Function
   ): Promise<string> {
-    return this.#getFromOrSaveToCache(
+    return this.#getFromCacheOrGetAndSaveToCache(
       getImageCacheKey(imageId),
       fallbackFunction
     );
@@ -136,11 +135,13 @@ export default class Redis {
 
   static async deleteTokenMapAndUserDataFromCache(
     userId: string
-  ): Promise<void> {
-    await this.#client.del(getTokenMapCacheKey(userId));
-    await this.#client.del(getUserProfileCacheKey(userId));
-    await this.#client.eval(getTopItemCacheDeletionScript(userId, 'Track'));
-    await this.#client.eval(getTopItemCacheDeletionScript(userId, 'Artist'));
+  ): Promise<any[]> {
+    return Promise.all([
+      this.#client.del(getTokenMapCacheKey(userId)),
+      this.#client.del(getUserProfileCacheKey(userId)),
+      this.#client.eval(getTopItemCacheDeletionScript(userId, 'Track')),
+      this.#client.eval(getTopItemCacheDeletionScript(userId, 'Artist'))
+    ]);
   }
 }
 
diff --git a/src/models/token-map.model.ts b/src/models/token-map.model.ts
index 6cca4ce..da1f5e8 100644
--- a/src/models/token-map.model.ts
+++ b/src/models/token-map.model.ts
@@ -62,7 +62,7 @@ export default class TokenMap extends MongoTokenMap {
 
     // save to cache
     try {
-      await Redis.saveTokenMapToCache(userId, tokenMap);
+      Redis.saveTokenMapToCache(userId, tokenMap);
     } catch (error) {
       console.log(error);
     }
@@ -103,7 +103,7 @@ export default class TokenMap extends MongoTokenMap {
 
     // save to cache
     try {
-      await Redis.saveTokenMapToCache(userId, tokenMap);
+      Redis.saveTokenMapToCache(userId, tokenMap);
     } catch (error) {
       console.log(error);
     }
@@ -118,15 +118,13 @@ export default class TokenMap extends MongoTokenMap {
     } catch (error) {
       throw (error as Error).message;
     }
-    if (!tokenMap) {
-      throw `Token map with user ID '${userId}' didn't exist.`;
-    }
+    if (!tokenMap) throw `Token map with user ID '${userId}' didn't exist.`;
 
-    // delete from cache
+    // delete from cache (await)
     try {
       await Redis.deleteTokenMapAndUserDataFromCache(userId);
     } catch (error) {
-      console.log(error);
+      throw 'Failed to delete token map from cache server.';
     }
 
     return tokenMap;
@@ -162,17 +160,17 @@ TokenMap.getLatestAccessToken = async function (
   // get tokens from token map and update access token if it's expired
   let { accessToken } = tokenMap;
   const { refreshToken, accessTokenExpiresAt } = tokenMap;
-  if (accessTokenExpiresAt <= Date.now()) {
+  if ((accessTokenExpiresAt as number) <= Date.now()) {
     const { access_token, expires_in } =
       await Auth.getAccessTokenWithRefreshToken(refreshToken);
-    await this.updateAccessTokenInTokenMap(userId, access_token, expires_in);
+    this.updateAccessTokenInTokenMap(userId, access_token, expires_in);
     accessToken = access_token;
   }
 
   // save token map to cache if necessary
   if (!cacheHit) {
     try {
-      await Redis.saveTokenMapToCache(userId, tokenMap);
+      Redis.saveTokenMapToCache(userId, tokenMap);
     } catch (error) {
       console.log(error);
     }
diff --git a/src/models/user.model.ts b/src/models/user.model.ts
index fe1ddb4..6439a8e 100644
--- a/src/models/user.model.ts
+++ b/src/models/user.model.ts
@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@ export default class User {
     // save profile to cache if necessary
     if (fetchedUserId !== null) {
       try {
-        await Redis.saveUserProfileToCache(fetchedUserId, profile);
+        Redis.saveUserProfileToCache(fetchedUserId, profile);
       } catch (error) {
         console.log(error);
       }
@@ -130,9 +130,7 @@ export default class User {
     }
 
     // hide explicit tracks if necessary
-    let trackDataArray = response.data.items.map(
-      (item) => item.track
-    ) as TrackResponseBody[];
+    let trackDataArray = response.data.items.map((item) => item.track);
     if (hideExplicit) {
       trackDataArray = trackDataArray.filter(
         (trackData) => !trackData.explicit
@@ -156,7 +154,7 @@ export default class User {
     hideExplicit: boolean,
     limit: number
   ): Promise<Track[]> {
-    return Redis.getTopTracksFromOrSaveToCache(
+    return Redis.getTopTracksFromCacheOrGetAndSaveToCache(
       userId,
       hideExplicit,
       limit,
@@ -204,29 +202,33 @@ export default class User {
     accessToken: string,
     limit: number
   ): Promise<Artist[]> {
-    return Redis.getTopArtistsFromOrSaveToCache(userId, limit, async () => {
-      // fetch top artists
-      let response;
-      try {
-        response = await axios.get<TopItemsResponseBody>(
-          `${TOP_ARTISTS_ENDPOINT}?limit=${limit}`,
-          {
-            headers: {
-              Authorization: `Bearer ${accessToken}`
+    return Redis.getTopArtistsFromCacheOrGetAndSaveToCache(
+      userId,
+      limit,
+      async () => {
+        // fetch top artists
+        let response;
+        try {
+          response = await axios.get<TopItemsResponseBody>(
+            `${TOP_ARTISTS_ENDPOINT}?limit=${limit}`,
+            {
+              headers: {
+                Authorization: `Bearer ${accessToken}`
+              }
             }
-          }
-        );
-      } catch (error) {
-        throw (error as AxiosError).message;
-      }
+          );
+        } catch (error) {
+          throw (error as AxiosError).message;
+        }
 
-      // resolve with artists
-      const artistDataArray = response.data.items as ArtistResponseBody[];
-      return artistDataArray.map((artistData) => ({
-        name: artistData.name,
-        imageUrl: artistData.images[2].url,
-        url: artistData.external_urls.spotify
-      }));
-    });
+        // resolve with artists
+        const artistDataArray = response.data.items as ArtistResponseBody[];
+        return artistDataArray.map((artistData) => ({
+          name: artistData.name,
+          imageUrl: artistData.images[2].url,
+          url: artistData.external_urls.spotify
+        }));
+      }
+    );
   }
 }