Submitting CDDB CD track names for compilation of multiple artists

Question

Submitting CDDB CD track names for compilation of multiple artists

Hi

I've been trying to submit track names of a compilation CD with multiple artists (all different) to the CDDB database via itunes. However, when I choose "submit CD track names" under Advanced, it asks for a single artists name for the whole compilation.

I've tried leaving this field blank but it comes up with the message: "This CD needs an artist name in order to submit this information". I don't want to add an artist name as the tracks are all by different artists. I've tried ticking and un-ticking the Part of a Compilation box (in the window that pops up to send cd track names and in the Get Info window for each track) but the same message appears each time.

Is there any solution to this frustrating problem?

Thanks

Khalil

Macbook Pro Core 2 Duo 2.16Ghz, Mac OS X (10.4.8)

Posted on Jun 28, 2010 8:54 AM

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Answer 1

Chris CA

Level 10

82,434 points

Jun 28, 2010 9:04 AM in response to virtualhetfield

I don't want to add an artist name as the tracks are all by different artists.

Set it to *Various Artists* or something.
Is this a commercial CD or just a mix CD of your own?
If it's your own mix, I would suggest not submitting it as there's really no reason. It'll show up fine on your computer without submitting it. Also, no one else will have the same mix you created.

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Answer 2

Jun 28, 2010 9:20 AM in response to Chris CA

Its a commercial CD our company has had made (world music) and one that we will be selling copies of. I'm worried that if I put Various Artists it will change the original artist fields to "Various Artists" which isn't what we want.

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Answer 3

Chris CA

Level 10

82,434 points

Jun 28, 2010 10:10 AM in response to virtualhetfield

The *Album Artist* is a separate field from the song artist.
Are you a Gracenote Content Partner? Sounds like there are better tools (than iTunes) to manage the info.
-> http://www.gracenote.com/content_partner/

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Answer 4

Jun 28, 2010 10:59 AM in response to Chris CA

The "submit CD names" window has a blank field for "Artist" only (no album artist field is there).

There is no album artist for the CD as all the songs are by different artists.

We're not a Gracenote Partner unfortunately. If only iTunes wasn't asking for an artist (album artist or track artist - nothing to say which it is) in the submit CD names window, I could send the data to Gracenote via iTunes (this is the method I would prefer to use)

Is there a workaround to submitting the album as a compilation while keeping the artists to each individual track?

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Answer 5

Chris CA

Level 10

82,434 points

Jun 28, 2010 11:18 AM in response to virtualhetfield

Don't have iTunes in front of me right now...
Select *all the tracks* on the CD then right click - get info.
Add the artist there.
IIRC, that does not change the artist for each song.

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Answer 6

Jun 28, 2010 11:14 PM in response to Chris CA

My apologies I think you've misunderstood what I'm trying to do and have done.

On inserting the CD I went into get info for each track and entered the details (Track name, Artist, Album, Track Number, CD Number). I then attempted to send this data to the CDDB database via itunes under the Advanced heading, selecting the "submit CD track names..." option, whereby it presented a window with some fields to fill in. These fields where Artist, Album and a few other irrelevant fields. There was also a box for part of a compilation which i tried ticking and then unticking but that made no difference as leaving the artist field blank still brought up the error message asking for"This CD needs an artist name in order to submit this information".

Chris CA wrote:
Select *all the tracks* on the CD then right click - get info.
Add the artist there.

I've already gone through each track individually and added a different artist. I've also ticked the box that says part of a compilation in the Get Info tab. I can't select all the tracks go into get info and add the artist there because there isn't an artist I can add for all the tracks, and if there was, then wouldn't that make the artist for each individual track the same (when their supposed to be different).

It's not Get info I have a problem with, if somebody has done this before and is aware of the window that pops up when picking "submit CD track names" please let me know. Also, how I can submit a compilation CD of different artists on each track without the error that appear and bearing in mind that there is no one overall artist.

Thanks

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Answer 7

Chris CA

Level 10

82,434 points

Jun 29, 2010 9:21 AM in response to virtualhetfield

My apologies I think you've misunderstood what I'm trying to do and have done

No apologies necessary. I understand exactly what you are trying to do.

leaving the artist field blank still brought up the error message asking for"This CD needs an artist name in order to submit this information".

Correct. You need an artist name for the entire Album, even if the artist name is *Various Artists* or "Soundtrack" or *Smooth Jazz presents:*. You can't have a CD/Album that's not made by anyone. Someone had to make it, even if all they did was compile it.
The Album Artist does not need to be on any of the songs.

I can't select all the tracks go into get info and add the artist there because there isn't an artist I can add for all the tracks.

You aren't adding an artist for the tracks. You are adding an artist for the entire album. _Who made_ the album?
Gracenote looks up entire albums, not individual tracks, so you need an artist name for the entire album.
You could even use Virtualhetfield though I suggest something that fits the theme/something common about all songs.

As an example, look at the *Now That's What I Call Music* CDs.
The *Album Artist* is *Various Artists*.

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Answer 8

Jun 30, 2010 5:00 AM in response to Chris CA

Thank you very much, I also asked in a few other places and they seemed to say the same thing. The reason I was being so cautious about it before was because I had heard if a mistake is made, when submitting data to Gracenote, it can be difficult to remove. Will give it a go this afternoon, I'm sure it will work now (tested with an old CD we had produced and it worked).

Many thanks

Khalil

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