diff --git a/includes/newspack-listings-utils.php b/includes/newspack-listings-utils.php
index 8675c0a2..420bf297 100644
--- a/includes/newspack-listings-utils.php
+++ b/includes/newspack-listings-utils.php
@@ -107,7 +107,7 @@ function get_data_from_blocks( $blocks, $source ) {
 		}
 
 		// If the source has 'single' specified, only get data from the first found block instance.
-		if ( $source['single'] ) {
+		if ( isset( $source['single'] ) && ! empty( $source['single'] ) ) {
 			$matching_blocks = array_slice( $matching_blocks, 0, 1 );
 		}
 
@@ -138,7 +138,7 @@ function get_data_from_blocks( $blocks, $source ) {
 	}
 
 	// If the source has 'single' specified, only return data from the first found block instance.
-	if ( $source['single'] ) {
+	if ( isset( $source['single'] ) && ! empty( $source['single'] ) ) {
 		return array_shift( $data );
 	}
 
diff --git a/src/assets/front-end/curated-list.scss b/src/assets/front-end/curated-list.scss
index 41edd158..400faecf 100644
--- a/src/assets/front-end/curated-list.scss
+++ b/src/assets/front-end/curated-list.scss
@@ -38,7 +38,13 @@
 		}
 
 		.newspack-listings__listing + .newspack-listings__listing {
-			border-top: 1px solid var( --newspack-listings--grey-light );
+			border-top: 1px solid var( --newspack-listings--border-dark );
+		}
+
+		.has-dark-background & {
+			.newspack-listings__listing + .newspack-listings__listing {
+				border-top-color: var( --newspack-listings--border-light );
+			}
 		}
 	}
 
diff --git a/src/assets/shared/curated-list.scss b/src/assets/shared/curated-list.scss
index 7d3f488d..92c79f9f 100644
--- a/src/assets/shared/curated-list.scss
+++ b/src/assets/shared/curated-list.scss
@@ -13,6 +13,10 @@
 			font-weight: bold;
 			margin-bottom: 0.5rem;
 		}
+
+		&.has-background-color {
+			padding: 1em;
+		}
 	}
 
 	&__load-more {
diff --git a/src/assets/shared/variables.scss b/src/assets/shared/variables.scss
index 841f5400..cfa2cfc2 100644
--- a/src/assets/shared/variables.scss
+++ b/src/assets/shared/variables.scss
@@ -3,6 +3,8 @@
 	--newspack-listings--grey-dark: #1e1e1e;
 	--newspack-listings--grey-medium: #757575;
 	--newspack-listings--grey-light: #ddd;
+	--newspack-listings--border-dark: rgba( 0, 0, 0, 0.124 );
+	--newspack-listings--border-light: rgba( 255, 255, 255, 0.124 );
 }
 
 // Media queries.
diff --git a/src/blocks/curated-list/block.json b/src/blocks/curated-list/block.json
index 8167a2d7..fdab4d1f 100644
--- a/src/blocks/curated-list/block.json
+++ b/src/blocks/curated-list/block.json
@@ -81,10 +81,14 @@
 			"type": "string",
 			"default": ""
 		},
-		"customTextColor": {
+		"backgroundColor": {
 			"type": "string",
 			"default": ""
 		},
+		"hasDarkBackground": {
+			"type": "boolean",
+			"default": false
+		},
 		"startup": {
 			"type": "boolean",
 			"default": true
diff --git a/src/blocks/curated-list/edit.js b/src/blocks/curated-list/edit.js
index adfeccdb..2cc54279 100644
--- a/src/blocks/curated-list/edit.js
+++ b/src/blocks/curated-list/edit.js
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ import { addQueryArgs } from '@wordpress/url';
 import { Listing } from '../listing/listing';
 import { SidebarQueryControls } from '../../components';
 import { List, Query, Specific } from '../../svg';
-import { getCuratedListClasses, useDidMount } from '../../editor/utils';
+import { getContrastRatio, getCuratedListClasses, useDidMount } from '../../editor/utils';
 
 /**
  * Debounced fetchPosts function outside of component scope.
@@ -81,6 +81,7 @@ const CuratedListEditorComponent = ( {
 		typeScale,
 		imageScale,
 		textColor,
+		backgroundColor,
 		startup,
 		queryMode,
 		queryOptions,
@@ -271,6 +272,21 @@ const CuratedListEditorComponent = ( {
 		}
 	}, [ selectedBlock ]);
 
+	/**
+	 * Determine if the background color is dark or light.
+	 */
+	useEffect(() => {
+		if ( backgroundColor ) {
+			const contrastRatio = getContrastRatio( backgroundColor );
+
+			if ( contrastRatio < 5 ) {
+				return setAttributes( { hasDarkBackground: true } );
+			}
+		}
+
+		setAttributes( { hasDarkBackground: false } );
+	}, [ backgroundColor ]);
+
 	/**
 	 * Render the results of the listing query.
 	 *
@@ -556,6 +572,11 @@ const CuratedListEditorComponent = ( {
 							onChange: value => setAttributes( { textColor: value } ),
 							label: __( 'Text Color', 'newspack-listings' ),
 						},
+						{
+							value: backgroundColor,
+							onChange: value => setAttributes( { backgroundColor: value } ),
+							label: __( 'Background Color', 'newspack-listings' ),
+						},
 					] }
 				/>
 				<PanelBody title={ __( 'Meta Settings', 'newspack-listings' ) }>
@@ -585,6 +606,7 @@ const CuratedListEditorComponent = ( {
 			<div
 				className={ classes.join( ' ' ) }
 				style={ {
+					backgroundColor: backgroundColor || '#fff',
 					color: textColor || '#000',
 				} }
 			>
diff --git a/src/blocks/curated-list/editor.scss b/src/blocks/curated-list/editor.scss
index ee12979c..f077c91d 100644
--- a/src/blocks/curated-list/editor.scss
+++ b/src/blocks/curated-list/editor.scss
@@ -2,10 +2,11 @@
 
 .newspack-listings {
 	&__curated-list-editor {
-		border: 1px solid var( --newspack-listings--grey-dark );
 		border-radius: 2px;
 		clear: both;
-		padding: 1em;
+		margin-left: -1rem;
+		margin-right: -1rem;
+		padding: 0 1rem;
 
 		label,
 		.newspack-listings__label {
@@ -14,6 +15,23 @@
 			line-height: 1.5;
 			margin-bottom: 8px;
 		}
+
+		.wp-block[data-type^='newspack-listings']
+			+ .wp-block[data-type^='newspack-listings']
+			.newspack-listings__listing-editor,
+		.newspack-listings__listing-editor + .newspack-listings__listing-editor {
+			border-top: 1px solid var( --newspack-listings--border-dark );
+			padding-top: 1rem;
+		}
+
+		.has-dark-background {
+			.wp-block[data-type^='newspack-listings']
+				+ .wp-block[data-type^='newspack-listings']
+				.newspack-listings__listing-editor,
+			.newspack-listings__listing-editor + .newspack-listings__listing-editor {
+				border-top-color: var( --newspack-listings--border-light );
+			}
+		}
 	}
 
 	&__placeholder {
diff --git a/src/blocks/curated-list/view.php b/src/blocks/curated-list/view.php
index 52f7be3b..9d1d291a 100644
--- a/src/blocks/curated-list/view.php
+++ b/src/blocks/curated-list/view.php
@@ -61,11 +61,24 @@ function render_block( $attributes, $inner_content ) {
 		$classes[] = 'media-position-' . $attributes['mediaPosition'];
 		$classes[] = 'media-size-' . $attributes['imageScale'];
 	}
+	if ( $attributes['backgroundColor'] ) {
+		if ( $attributes['hasDarkBackground'] ) {
+			$classes[] = 'has-dark-background';
+		}
+		$classes[] = 'has-background-color';
+	}
 
 	$classes[] = 'type-scale-' . $attributes['typeScale'];
 
-	// Text color for listings.
-	$text_color = ! empty( $attributes['textColor'] ) ? 'color:' . $attributes['textColor'] : '';
+	// Color styles for listings.
+	$styles = [];
+
+	if ( ! empty( $attributes['textColor'] ) ) {
+		$styles[] = 'color:' . $attributes['textColor'];
+	}
+	if ( ! empty( $attributes['backgroundColor'] ) ) {
+		$styles[] = 'background-color:' . $attributes['backgroundColor'];
+	}
 
 	// Extend wp_kses_post to allow jetpack/map required elements and attributes.
 	$allowed_elements = wp_kses_allowed_html( 'post' );
@@ -184,7 +197,7 @@ function render_block( $attributes, $inner_content ) {
 	<?php endif; ?>
 	<div
 		class="<?php echo esc_attr( implode( ' ', $classes ) ); ?>"
-		style="<?php echo esc_attr( $text_color ); ?>"
+		style="<?php echo esc_attr( implode( ';', $styles ) ); ?>"
 	>
 		<?php echo wp_kses( $inner_content, $allowed_elements ); ?>
 		<?php if ( $attributes['queryMode'] && $has_more_pages ) : ?>
diff --git a/src/blocks/listing/editor.scss b/src/blocks/listing/editor.scss
index 8cecce75..c37a796b 100644
--- a/src/blocks/listing/editor.scss
+++ b/src/blocks/listing/editor.scss
@@ -2,11 +2,6 @@
 
 .newspack-listings {
 	&__listing-editor {
-		border-radius: 2px;
-		box-shadow: inset 0 0 0 1px var( --newspack-listings--grey-dark );
-		padding: 1em;
-		position: relative;
-
 		.components-spinner {
 			display: block;
 			float: none;
diff --git a/src/components/sidebar-query-controls.js b/src/components/sidebar-query-controls.js
index 4b6b312d..703f9712 100644
--- a/src/components/sidebar-query-controls.js
+++ b/src/components/sidebar-query-controls.js
@@ -188,7 +188,7 @@ class QueryControls extends Component {
 		}
 
 		// Enable listing type option only if there's more than one listing type in the list.
-		if ( 'any' === type ) {
+		if ( 'any' === type || ! type ) {
 			sortOptions.push( { label: __( 'Listing Type', 'newspack-listings' ), value: 'type' } );
 		}
 
diff --git a/src/editor/utils.js b/src/editor/utils.js
index 7a8d3f25..75e281b4 100644
--- a/src/editor/utils.js
+++ b/src/editor/utils.js
@@ -40,6 +40,44 @@ export const isListing = ( listingType = null ) => {
 	return false;
 };
 
+/**
+ * Convert hex color to RGB.
+ * From https://stackoverflow.com/questions/5623838/rgb-to-hex-and-hex-to-rgb
+ *
+ * @param {string} hex Color in HEX format
+ * @return {array} RGB values, e.g. [red, green, blue]
+ */
+const hexToRGB = hex =>
+	hex
+		.replace( /^#?([a-f\d])([a-f\d])([a-f\d])$/i, ( m, r, g, b ) => '#' + r + r + g + g + b + b )
+		.substring( 1 )
+		.match( /.{2}/g )
+		.map( x => parseInt( x, 16 ) );
+
+/**
+ * Get contrast ratio of the given backgroundColor compared to black.
+ * @param {string} backgroundColor Color HEX value to compare with black.
+ * @return {number} Contrast ratio vs. black.
+ */
+export const getContrastRatio = backgroundColor => {
+	const blackColor = '#000';
+	const backgroundColorRGB = hexToRGB( backgroundColor );
+	const blackRGB = hexToRGB( blackColor );
+
+	const l1 =
+		0.2126 * Math.pow( backgroundColorRGB[ 0 ] / 255, 2.2 ) +
+		0.7152 * Math.pow( backgroundColorRGB[ 1 ] / 255, 2.2 ) +
+		0.0722 * Math.pow( backgroundColorRGB[ 2 ] / 255, 2.2 );
+	const l2 =
+		0.2126 * Math.pow( blackRGB[ 0 ] / 255, 2.2 ) +
+		0.7152 * Math.pow( blackRGB[ 1 ] / 255, 2.2 ) +
+		0.0722 * Math.pow( blackRGB[ 2 ] / 255, 2.2 );
+
+	return l1 > l2
+		? parseInt( ( l1 + 0.05 ) / ( l2 + 0.05 ) )
+		: parseInt( ( l2 + 0.05 ) / ( l1 + 0.05 ) );
+};
+
 /**
  * Get array of class names for Curated List, based on attributes.
  *
@@ -50,6 +88,8 @@ export const isListing = ( listingType = null ) => {
  */
 export const getCuratedListClasses = ( className, attributes ) => {
 	const {
+		backgroundColor,
+		hasDarkBackground,
 		showNumbers,
 		showMap,
 		showSortUi,
@@ -69,6 +109,12 @@ export const getCuratedListClasses = ( className, attributes ) => {
 		classes.push( `media-position-${ mediaPosition }` );
 		classes.push( `media-size-${ imageScale }` );
 	}
+	if ( backgroundColor ) {
+		if ( hasDarkBackground ) {
+			classes.push( 'has-dark-background' );
+		}
+		classes.push( 'has-background-color' );
+	}
 
 	classes.push( `type-scale-${ typeScale }` );