iTunes reverts edited ID3 tags

Question

Level 1

6 points

iTunes reverts edited ID3 tags

I edit a song's tag, and it reverts back to what it was, sometimes within seconds, sometimes after a while. If I edit the reverted tag again, sometimes it sticks, sometimes it doesn't. Also, editing one file's tags may cause other near-by files' tags to revert back! This happens only with some of the files, and they are matched aac files. (Though I cannot say for sure that it doesn't happen with mp3s as I have a very large collection)

Using iTunes 12.8.2.3 on High Sierra with iTunes Match, on a new iMac migrated from my MBP. The Media files reside on an external USB Drive.

After reading through similar complaints and suggestions (some dating back several years!) I've made sure that:

File permissions for all nested folders within the iTunes folder are set to read & write for all users
Airplay is off
Machine is disconnected from wifi

Extremely frustrated because after days and days' worth of organizational work, the library is now in worse shape then when I started.

Thanks in advance for any suggestions you may have!

iMac 27" 5K, macOS 10.13

Posted on Mar 28, 2020 6:46 AM

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Answer 1

turingtest2

Level 10

274,424 points

Mar 28, 2020 8:56 AM in response to Gezgin

I'm guessing you've already run across this user tip: Repair security permissions for iTunes for Mac - Apple Community. Something else you could try is using File > LIbrary > Update ICloud Music Library and allow that process to complete before tying to may any further edits. Check to see that making an edit in iTunes causes the Date Modified field in Finder to get updated for the corresponding file. If that doesn't happen then iTunes is going to read back unchanged data from the file on a future access even if the library appears to accept the edit.

tt2

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Answer 2

turingtest2

Level 10

274,424 points

Mar 28, 2020 6:54 AM in response to Gezgin

Machine disconnected from Wi-Fi means your edits cannot be written to iCloud Music Library, though in principle local edits should sync on connection. Is this happening to purchases from the iTunes Store only, or with personally ripped and matched or uploaded content too? It may be expected behaviour with purchases. When I've seen this in my own collection I've hidden the store purchase in my history which seems to work.

tt2

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Answer 3

Gezgin Author

Level 1

6 points

Mar 28, 2020 8:16 AM in response to turingtest2

Hi, thanks a lot for your response.

I can now confirm that this happens with all files, regardless of format, source or match/upload status. So yes, some ripped mp3 files were affected as well.

Randomly... A field in a file rejects being edited. In another file, I edit one field and another field reverts back. Sometimes it works normally. WiFi on, wifi off, various preference settings tried.

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Answer 4

Gezgin Author

Level 1

6 points

Mar 29, 2020 3:04 AM in response to turingtest2

Yes, permissions appear ok. Everything is read/write for any user now.

I remember seeing fields revert while iCloud update was in progress as well. I did leave it alone to update overnight.

Can confirm that the finder modification dates update correctly.

Thing is, for many of the files, I seem to eventually win the fight. E.g.: I update the comments field, in turn the album field reverts back. I fix the album field again, and it stays. Unless... they get messed up again later without me realizing. In any case, this doesn't seem to happen with all the files, and I cannot pinpoint what makes a file act up this way.

I use Doug's scripts to batch edit the tags. I wonder if one of the scripts may have led to this. I'm guessing that to be very unlikely since the scripts use iTunes to write any data, right?

Thanks!

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Answer 5

turingtest2

Level 10

274,424 points

Mar 29, 2020 4:44 AM in response to Gezgin

Yes, I'm Doug's scripts should be getting iTunes to do the work so it should be equivalent to you changing the value by hand. That said I've noticed that when iCloud Music Library is active I cannot tweak play counts and times via scripting.

tt2

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Answer 6

Gezgin Author

Level 1

6 points

Mar 29, 2020 6:39 AM in response to turingtest2

Good thing I tested with wifi off... Just realized there's an ethernet cable attached to this machine and feeling very stupid now.

It must be iTunes Match screwing things around. Still no idea how to deal with it. Oh well..

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Answer 7

Gezgin Author

Level 1

6 points

Apr 13, 2020 8:54 AM in response to Gezgin

For the next person with the same problem...

In my case, this has proven to be caused by iTunes Match (Apple Music).

(Disregard the "wifi off" note in the problem description. The machine was indeed connected to the internet)

Even if I make my edits offline or signed-out, and keep the machine disconnected for days, my files start reverting back as soon as I connect to Apple's servers.

I couldn't find a way to properly update the metadata on the cloud, so will have to try deleting and re-uploading all my library once all edits are complete. So much for convenience :P

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Answer 8

jwillits

Level 1

8 points

May 28, 2020 3:40 PM in response to Gezgin

I've had this same problem for a long time too. I seem to eventually win the fight with persistence.

I have no idea if it's anecdotal or real, but I have this PERCEPTION that I get the changes to stick if I give the song a Star Rating and a Play Count. Or, if those things are changed while doing this attempted change.

It may a be a total coincidence. But it seems like my changes wouldn't stick if the songs hadn't been rated and played.

I may be sending you on a wild goose chase. But give that a try. Try making the change, giving the song a Star Rating, and then play the song. So you don't have to sit there and listen to the whole song just grab the progress slider and whisk it to about 3 seconds before the end of the song and let it finish and you'll see the play count update. I suggest you take shuffle off or else it will then go play some random song and you'll have to get it back to the spot you're working.

I'm not sure if altering the Play Count or Star Rating in Get Info have the same effect. I've always done it in the table with Song View.

Again, this is just anecdotal and I've never been able to figure out if this is solid or just a coincidence. But it seems to stick if I do this. I'm sure there's some database reason tangentially related but not understood or apparent if it does work.

Sorry I don't have a REAL fix.

Good Luck.

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