UNKNOWN ALBUM WHEN TRYING TO SYNC TO IPOD

Are you saying that the iPod is not a decent MP3 player? I think you'd be in for a shock if you tried some of the other brands of MP3 player. Anyway, enough of that.

If you have music showing as 'unknown album' on the iPod, then presumably, it shows as 'unknown album' in iTunes as well. (Although, I'm a bit confused about your comment; Is there a way to get these onto the Ipod? I thought it was on there, already.

Ah! Re-reading your post, it's not clear exactly what you mean, but if I now read it in a different way...

Mandababe wrote:

A lot of my music is showing as 'unknown album' when I go to sync onto Ipod.

As I said, it must be like that in iTunes - therefore, it's not the iPod's fault. Nor, before you say it, is it iTunes fault.

Where did you get the music? Even if it's not purchased from the iTunes Store, your music should still have all the relevant information filled in as part of the file. An MP3 should have all the relevant information filled in by the producer of the music, and albums ripped from CD can have their track information filled in by allowing iTunes to ask Gracenote for that information. WAV files are a bit different. The .wav format was developed (by Microsoft and IBM) ten years before Apple's iPod series.

So, for future imports of music, either let iTunes get the information from Gracenote for commercial CDs, buy versions of MP3s that the producer has spent time preparing properly, or, if you have obtained the music from another (legitimate) source, and it doesn't have the information filled in, write to the producer letting them know of the issue. If you want a high bit rate format for your music, use something other than the wav format.

For your existing music, you can edit it in iTunes and then let a Sync with the iPod sort the iPod out. First of all, turn on the top bar menu if it isn't already showing in your iTunes Library. Use CTRL+B to turn it on and it appears at the top left, just below the play controls.

Next, highlight a song and select File/Get Info/Info and you will see something like this;

You can select several items at one time and change things like the album name for all items in one step. Here's the album;

Notice that fields such as the year, the track number and even the genre are blank. This is because the songs on this album have different values for these fields.

Once you have changed the information, Sync the iPod with iTunes so that the iPod now has the correct information too.

Sharshall wrote:

I too noticed the Album field filled in on my iTunes but not showing up on my iPod when syncing. It is a fault of Apple and I disagree with the comments of "the fiend" as Apple over complicate many of their procedures on the iPhones, iPads and iTouches/iPods.

If, as you say, the information is displayed in iTunes but missing when the music is put on the iPod, that does suggest a bug. Personally, I have never had that problem with my iPod Classic and I also have plenty of music on it of a similar nature to both you and the original poster.

But I don't believe this is Apple over complicating anything, it's simply that the whole technology of music players is complex, no matter who makes them. Some players may avoid the complexity by offering fewer choices on their devices. Apple's devices offer so many choices - that's why they are popular.

But the fact remains that an MP3, whatever its source, should by convention, have the artist field, title and so on filled in by the originator of the MP3. But not all MP3s do, Soundcloud is a good example of this. I have downloaded MP3s from Soundcloud that have all sorts of wrong information in them. The trick is to understand why iTunes (or the iPod) has an issue and deal with it. In some cases, this issue is as a result of the complexity of MP3 tags, not Apple (who did not design the MP3 format).

For example:

• After downloading music from somewhere like Soundcloud, I always check the fields that I know can be wrong or have information missing.
• Artist field - has it been completed? Is it the artist I expect it to be (or want it to be)? DJ sets may have the name of the DJ, or they may have "Various Artists" in the Artist field. Why? Well, if the DJ has compiled music from several different artists, then logically to my mind, the artist field should say "Various Artists". The DJ is purely the producer of the set. However, if you disagree on this point and would prefer the DJ name, then you need to make sure that is what is in the Artist field.
• For several different tracks to be grouped together as an album, the Album Name field needs to be completed with exactly the same information, without typing diffrerences and mistakes.
• Compilation albums - this particular field can present issues. If several tracks are grouped together as one album, and with each track by a different artist, then the Part of a Compilation field has to be set to Yes for every track and the Album Artist field has to contain "Various Artists".

Once on an iPod Classic, there is an important consideration. Look at the menus on the Classic.

• If you have the menu option Compilations showing on either the Main or the Music menus, then any artist who only appears on a "Various Artists" album will not appear in the Artist menu
• But if you then add an album by that same artist to your Classic, then that artist will show up in the Artist menu, complete with the track from the compilation album.
• Turn off the Compilations display in both menus and every single artist will appear in the artist list.

So there is a lot to understand, which can make it complicated. But rather than blame Apple for over-complicatiung things, understand that it's all complicated, but since Apple's products have so many features, they provide this forum so that you can ask for help in getting the best out of the device.

If you have a specific problem, create your own thread, or at the very least, mention it clearly in this thread. The OP (original poster) was not specific enough about the problem, which made it difficult to solve. Note that the OP has never responded to the information I provided. So we have no idea whether he/she has solved their problem, either with - or without - my advice and help.

Mandababe wrote:

Most of my music comes from DJs who upload mixes to soundcloud/mixcloud/sendspace or downloadable links on websites etc i.e not commercial

They show in Itunes library but when I go to sync they are unknown.

Of course they're unknown. Because the originator of a Soundcloud file hasn't completed all the fields that every MP3 player requires, probably because they didn't bank on you downloading it to an MP3 player. As I've previously told you, this is not Apple's fault, nor iTunes responsiblity. I'm not really sure why you use the expression - when I go to sync they are unknown; they show unknown before "you go to Sync". I find it difficult to believe otherwise.

You're going to be in for a shock if you think you're going to find something which manages non-commercial music files in a better way. If you do, let me know. (I won't be holding my breath!)

Mandababe wrote:

apple products are very restrictive,

Really? In what way? Gone on - tell me. I need to know what I'm missing!

Okay - enough of this nonsense. Just forget all this negative stuff about Apple and iTunes. You have purchased a very sophisticated electronic device, that can certainly do what you want. It's one of the best MP3 players you can get, no matter which type of iPod you use. It has the very highly configurable iTunes. You may have to put in some effort to learn how to get the best out of it, but then - nothing's for free and believe me, you'd have to do it with any other MP3 player too! And probably get less back. The first bit of effort you need to exert, is stop being negative, because it's clouding your judgement. Seriously!

• Your iPod should not be connected to iTunes at this time. If it is, don't attempt to do anything on it or with it. Do not use it to play music through the computer. (It will add to your confusion.)
• If you want to listen to the music on your iPod, do so with it disconnected from the computer, through your speaker dock.

• If you haven't already turned on the top bar menu, as I advised previously, do it now; CTRL+B
• If you have a group of files in one folder, use the top bar menu to select File/Add File to Library option, and use this to import the music files into iTunes Library.
• For just one lonely file, use File/Add File to Library.
• Now that the files are in your Library, edit them so that they have meaningful information, in the relevant fields.
• Only you know exactly how you want to group these files, but think along the lines of a full music album by a band of musicians. Useful fields include;
  • Track name (obviously);
  • an Artist's name. If this is a file of music by different artists, how about the DJ's name? The alternative will be "Unknown Artist".
  • An Album name. How about, for example, 2013 Rave series? If you do not complete this field, you will find those albums listed together as "Unknown Album"!
  • The Genre. There's nothing worse than looking through your Rave genre, only to find One Direction hiding in there! (No, I'm not a fan!)
  • If this is a single-artist album, that's about it.
  • If you are grouping a collection of songs, by different artists, into one "album" (a Compilation Album), you need to;
    • mark all the tracks with the same Album name. This is useful, to separate one theme from another. If you do not complete this field, then you will find all those albums and songs listed under Unknown Album.
    • Give each song its own Artist as you require.
    • All songs have the Album Artist field completed, with "Various Artists". This is a separate field to the Artist field. It's cruicial for a compilation (Various Artists) album.
    • Each song needs to be marked with Part of a compilation field ticked (checked). This again, is cruicial for a compilation album.

And that's about it for the basics.

An extra bit:

Suppose you want to add album art, you can use jpgs etc that are 300x300 pixels. You can add different artwork to each track, or one piece for a whole album. If you want to add one picture to a whole album, find and highlight the Album (I told you to have an Album name, didn't I) and use File/Get Info>Artwork.

Grouping. Now here's an interesting one. Suppose you want to add a second genre to a song. You can't - because it's not in the MP3 specification (not Apple's decision, once again). But you can give any text you want to the Grouping field. Later, you can then create a Smart Playlist and tell that Smart Playlist to include anything with that has both a particular Genre and a particular Grouping, but not a song that is only the genre, but not the Grouping - and vice versa. On the iPod, you will then have;

1. In the Genre menu - Genre X;
2. In the Playlist menu - a Playlist, of traacks with Grouping Y, or not, if you don't want to display it
3. In the Playlist menu - a Playlist containing songs with Grouping Y & Genre X
   

• You shouldn't have to worry about the Sorting tab, everything on there should sort itself out.
• AH! But here's one. Suppose some of your files run for a very long in time and you cannot, or don't want, to listen to the complete track in one go. But when, after listening to other music in between, you come back to the long one, I'm sure you'd like to pick up where you left off listening. Okay, highlight the track and select File/Get Info/Options>Remember Playback position. Put a tick in the box. Your iPod will remember where you stopped playing that file and pick up from there whenever you next play it.

• Now, what about the music that's already on the iPod? Edit it now, in iTunes. Too many to do? Do a few tracks now. Then, on another day, do a few more.
• Last thing; those little ticks next to each song. Later, we'll make sure that Sync only ticked songs and videos is on. This will allow you to un-tick those little tick-boxes next to each song. Why do that? Well, suppose you have a song that you want to remove from the iPod, but leave in iTunes. Simply un-tick the song in iTunes and Sync.

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Now - (and only now that we have made the changes in iTunes) we Sync (synchronise) all these changes and the new music to your iPod. On another day, any further changes in iTunes in between Syncs, will then be synchronised to the iPod.

Connect the iPod to iTunes. Look for the iPod button that will appear in the top right of the iTunes window. (Don't click on the eject part of it, click on the word "iPod".) On here, look on the Summary pane for Sync only ticked songs and videos that I mentioned earlier. It should already be ticked. If it isn't - tick it now and leave it that way. Similarly, on the Music pane, Sync Music/Entire music library should already be ticked.

Once the Sync has completed, safely disconnect the iPod.

On the iPod, you will have;

• Artists - a list of Artists and the album and songs you have on your iPod.
• Genres - songs speparated and listed by Genre
• Albums - guess what?
• Playlists - any specific combination of songs that you want. Any combination.
• And so on...

What's the problem? Got one? Then start a thread in this forum. But be polite and requestiing, not rude and demanding. Otherwise, I may not be so nice (and definitely not so helpful) next time.

The Fiend (advocates Tough Love)

Hi,

Just came across this post as I have had the same problem and it is quite easy to resolve.

I too download from Soundcloud, DatPiff and various other legal sites offering free music. I too noticed the Album field filled in on my iTunes but not showing up on my iPod when syncing. It is a fault of Apple and I disagree with the comments of "the fiend" as Apple over complicate many of their procedures on the iPhones, iPads and iTouches/iPods.

To resolve it highlight the whole album, right click, go to Get Info and in the "Album" field simply add a space at the end of the title name and it appears after you sync.

No idea why but it's working.

Hope this helps.

So - I have put in a fair bit of effort to help you, but you haven't had the courtesy to either thank me, or tell me that my suggestions were of no help whatsoever!

Yeah, okay....

.