CD import pulls wrong album artwork and links to wrong item in iTunes store

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Level 1

5 points

CD import pulls wrong album artwork and links to wrong item in iTunes store

When importing CDs into iTunes for Windows, the album is correctly identified and track names correct. BUT, when I download album artwork some of the albums get the cover from another album by the same artist usually but occasionally a random artist. When I press the "show in iTunes store" button on the album with the wrong artwork it links to the album with the wrong album artwork that gets added, and not the actual album. All the songs play correctly and names are displayed correctly, but it is still quite annoying.

For example, P!nk’s TRUSTFALL album imports the Truth About Love cover and links to Truth About Love in the iTunes Store. Elton John’s Lockdown Sessions album imports the cover for the single Cold Heart with Elton and Dua Lipa and links to just that single in the iTunes Store not the full album.

I’ve seen many proposed solutions to the artwork issue, but none work for me, except manually deleting and adding new artwork one by one to the messed up albums. That is time consuming and also only solves half of the issue because when you click “show in iTunes Store” on the album, it still takes you to the wrong item with the artwork it wanted to use.

The issue appears to be that imported CD’s are incorrectly recognized/coded as being a different item in the iTunes Store and that results in the issue with the album work.

Is there a way to correct what item in the iTunes Store is linked to an imported album from a CD? That seems to be the fix that is needed to solve it all.

Windows, Windows 10

Posted on Oct 22, 2023 4:26 AM

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Answer 1

the fiend

Level 7

22,932 points

Oct 27, 2023 9:53 AM in response to macro_sky

macro_sky wrote:

That can’t be true unless gracenotes is also what steers iTunes to the album in the iTunes Store when you click on “show in iTunes Store.”

Not as far as I know, in fact I would say it is not. Digital files (those purchased from the iTunes Store) have the track information and the artwork buried into each file. A CD does not have any of that information contained on the CD or in the track, hence Gracenote.

Regarding your point about then clicking on "Show in iTunes Store": I don't believe that will ever work. You have a file sourced from a CD, which the iTunes Store knows nothing about. The CD and the digital file are two separate entities.

- I've just tried selecting several tracks from a Diana Ross album that I imported to my iTunes Library from a CD and then selecting Show in iTunes Store. Every track from that album that I tried caused the iTunes Store to take me to Westlife's Greatest Hits album! (I was not amused)
- I tried several other albums: many simply claimed that the album was not available in my country. For example, Who's Next by The Who (it is available)
- I finally managed to find an OperaBabes album that did come up correctly and with the correct artwork (but this is the exception as far as I'm concerned)

Are you saying you think gracenotes is also responsible that?

No.

I do not believe that you will make any progress by using the Show in iTunes Store option. It is a known phenomenon that sometimes Gracenote does either not find the artwork, it offers the incorrect artwork or it offers you a choice of artwork. I think this is simply a limitation of something that was never designed for the iTunes age (the CD).

Whenever I've had this problem (Gracenote not finding the correct artwork), I simply search online for the correct album cover or (since I have the CD), scan the album cover from my CD copy and use that.

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Answer 2

the fiend

Level 7

22,932 points

Oct 24, 2023 1:51 AM in response to macro_sky

Artwork for CDs is not taken from the iTunes Store. Instead, it comes from an online music database named Gracenote and the content of a CD is identified by the track timing information on the physical CD.

However, sometimes Gracenote is unable to correctly distinguish between one album and another, which may result in different or even incorrect artwork to be used by iTunes. There is no text or artwork information on the disc itself.

The only solution is to locate the correct artwork and add it to the imported album in your iTunes Library.

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Answer 3

macro_sky Author

Level 1

5 points

Oct 26, 2023 6:17 AM in response to the fiend

That can’t be true unless gracenotes is also what steers iTunes to the album in the iTunes Store when you click on “show in iTunes Store.” It cannot just be a coincidence that every single wrong album artwork also takes you to that wrong album with the wrong album artwork when you right click the album in your library and select “show in iTunes Store.”

Are you saying you think gracenotes is also responsible that?

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CD import pulls wrong album artwork and links to wrong item in iTunes store

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