Level 4

1,102 points

iTunes Match - Completing Album Artwork?

Library is now complete (https://discussions.apple.com/thread/3646104), however, some albums were missing Artwork. Working on my Laptop library all Artwork is now complete. Following an 'Update iTunes Match' prompt the majority of the Artwork has migrated to all other libraries but not all. How can this be corrected?

Method used:

1. On laptop, select all music view in grid form;

2. For each missing Album Artwork;

(a) Find Artwork using Google images;

(b) Save a local copy;

(d) Paste correct Artwork into appropriate box;

(e) Confirm Artwork update.

3. On completion, select 'Update iTunes Match' from menu;

4. Start alternate computer with iTunes Library using iTunes Match;

5. Select 'Update iTunes Match' from menu;

6. Use Smart List to track Songs without Album Artwork.

The Result:

All Artwork complete, with some exceptions, not sure why these exceptions exist ... please help ...

Many thanks in anticipation

iTunes 10-OTHER, Windows Vista, iMatch giving inconsistent results

Posted on Jan 13, 2012 5:16 AM

Top-ranking reply

mracole Author

Level 4

1,102 points

Posted on Jan 13, 2012 12:14 PM

After much searching have found the answers buried in another forum (http://cybernetnews.com/cybernotes-add-album-art-in-itunes/).

iTunes Match does not presently reliably replicate Album Artwork across libraries - it does however make impressive if partial progress hence still worthwhile.

Method outlined is correct - it is best to use the Library All Songs Diplayed by Album Grid format - Get Info here presents a single Artwork location for all associated tracks.

Using a Smart List on each library to track apparently missing Artwork works well.

Saving the Artwork retrieved from Google at 300 by 300 72dpi to a shared folder works well.

Having completed an initial library - worth Get Album Artwork request, ahead of Update iTunes Match request.

In each target library repeat the Get Album Artwork and Update iTunes Match request.

Working from the Smart List for No Artwork, sort by Album, use shift-click to select all tracks for each Album, Get Info, paste in Album Artwork from shared folder.

Once complete - for each subsequent library complete a Get Album Artwork and iTunes Match request.

Confirm that both all entries in Library All Songs Grid View are complete and that the Smart List for No Artwork is empty.

Repeat for each library in question - it really is very fast.

Whilst it is frustrating the iTunes Match does not manage this automatically, once complete each Library is a pleasure to use allowing all Songs to be navigated via Album Artwork.

Good luck - the finished result really is worth the small amount of effort involved!

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19 replies

mracole Author

Level 4

1,102 points

Jan 13, 2012 8:01 AM in response to mracole

Having updated Album Artwork on Computer 1 (the Laptop) manually, Computer 2 (the Server) with the stange anomalies shown in notes (1) to (4), and on Computer 3 (the Desktop). It would be very helpful if anyone can exaplain the apparently strange behaviour of iTunes Match?

Surely once Artwork is complete for a library on Computer 1 it should simply replicate to the other synchronised libraries on Computers 2 and 3?

To support insight from the widest community a parallel thread is also running in the iTunes for Windows forum (https://discussions.apple.com/thread/3650351?tstart=0) all advice very much appreciated.

mracole Author

Level 4

1,102 points

Jul 19, 2013 4:53 AM in response to phivos

"It seems that itunes match goes entirely by your metadata file"

Sadly, iTunes Match does not tend to follow metadata. Indeed it appears that the focus is governed largely by matching sound samples.

However, if the use of the tag editor has proven helpful that is a good result. What behaviour has resulted from the use of iTunes Match that would have otherwise been different?

PeterS

Level 1

23 points

Aug 19, 2016 2:29 PM in response to mracole

I have my main iTunes library on my home iMac with artwork sourced from iTunes purchases automatically, CD covers copied from Amazon etc., and also other artwork for radio broadcasts and similar. On my Match copy of the library on my Air, there is absolutely no compelling reason as to why some artwork is present and not other. New and old can be missing alike, and similarly 'my own' and stuff when I have purchased CD from iTunes.

Is this just complete unreliability across the board? Help please before I kick the thing in frustration! Thanks

Aug 19, 2016 2:24 PM in response to mracole

some artwork isn't synching to the phone

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iTunes Match - Completing Album Artwork?