Metadata not saving on AIFF files

Question

Metadata not saving on AIFF files

I'm trying to manually enter metadata into songs I've composed for submission to sync libraries.

I followed these steps:

convert WAV file to AIFF
bring up AIFF file in Apple Music
right click and bring up "Get Info" to open up Metadata window
manually enter all relevant metadata
click "ok"
drag AIFF file back from Apple Music into folder
open AIFF file

I have also tried this by simply opening the file back up using "finder". The metadata is gone completely.

I have also tried dragging the AIFF back from Apple Music into the original folder, deleting the old file without metadata and re-opening the file in Apple Music again, only to find the metadata I had just entered is completely gone again.

It seems there is no ability to save metadata, even with files that are supposedly compatible with housing metadata. All forums and online advice is old and offering irrelevant solutions that do not fix this issue.

I have a 2018 Mac Mini.

Mac OS Big Sur v 11.4

Apple Music v 1.1.5.74

Why is Itunes automatically erasing the metadata of all tracks, even when they are AIFF and not WAV?

How is it possible to have the metadata not disappear?

AIFF is supposed to be able to save metadata. But the issues are identical to what I was facing when I was trying to save metadata in WAV files. This is an absolutely essential thing to resolve for all composers and people who submit to music libraries since without metadata, people cannot find us to tell us they want to use our track.

What is the solution for this seemingly very simple yet impossible to solve problem?

Is this due to using Apple Music and not Itunes?

Posted on Sep 9, 2021 12:24 PM

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Answer 1

Best reply

ed2345

Level 9

62,576 points

Sep 10, 2021 6:06 AM in response to Dawsontucker85

Dawson,

I tried your steps and was able to reproduce the problem.

However, when changing metadata on an AIFF that was not newly created from a WAV file, the changes were saved correctly.

Therefore I suspect that the continued existence of the WAV file (that may look to iTunes/Music like a duplicate) is causing the program some confusion. No guarantee, but try it with the following extra steps:

convert WAV file to AIFF
***Move WAV file to a folder far outside of iTunes/Music
***Delete the library entry for the WAV file
bring up AIFF file in Apple Music
right click and bring up "Get Info" to open up Metadata window
manually enter all relevant metadata
click "ok"
drag AIFF file back from Apple Music into folder
open AIFF file

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Answer 2

Sep 11, 2021 9:37 AM in response to ed2345

Thank you Ed!

I also found something - there is program called "Yate" that is about $20 that also allowed me to tag the files as-is and the metadata stuck.

Should this problem with .WAV to AIFF be considered a bug and be reported to Apple?

Your answer is probably going to help alot of other people too, I've seen this question asked alot before with no effective solutions until now. Thank you!

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Answer 3

ed2345

Level 9

62,576 points

Sep 11, 2021 2:35 PM in response to Dawsontucker85

Hello Dawson,

You're welcome, glad it helped.

Yes, it is definitely not acting correctly. if you feel energetic, here is the link to report it as a bug:

https://www.apple.com/feedback/

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Metadata not saving on AIFF files

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