Unable to change tags

Question

Level 1

105 points

Unable to change tags

I am going through my library and sprucing up incorrect tags. Once in a while I come across and album that refuses to accept new tags.

The example is usually that I have two albums with material that should be in one album. I select both albums, get info and go through every tag and make sure there are no errors and that everything is the same. I hit return and nothing happens and the albums stay separate.

In one case I notice that if I go through each track, the date changes, but in the tag editor that date is the same?

It seems there is a stuck tag in there somewhere or some other reason why I cannot alter the files.

This often happens with artwork. I try to change the artwork and it doesn't happen, just reverts back to the artwork that was already there.

Any thoughts?

Henry

Posted on Apr 27, 2016 8:38 AM

Reply

Answer 1

Limnos

Level 10

411,073 points

Apr 27, 2016 8:45 AM in response to Henry Cline1

You are not trying to change tags for items in iCloud?

Steve MacGuire a.k.a. turingtest2 - iTunes & iPod Hints & Tips - Grouping Tracks Into Albums - http://www.samsoft.org.uk/iTunes/grouping.asp (older post on Apple Discussions http://discussions.apple.com/thread/2099465?answerId=9910895022#9910895022)

Quick answer: Select all the tracks on the album, File > get info (or right-click > get info > details), and either give them all a single "album artist", or check the "compilation" flag (as in https://discussions.apple.com/thread/3756735?answerId=17670085022#17670085022).

If these are from multiple-CD sets you may also need to enter the appropriate information in the disc number fields. If they are not a multiple CD set you still need to make sure the disc number fields are set correctly or all empty.

Another explanation by hhgttg27 August 2015 - https://discussions.apple.com/thread/6864334?answerId=27784417022#27784417022

If they still really do not want to group check this Aug. 2008 post by turingtest2 about temporarily changing labels - https://discussions.apple.com/thread/1670662?answerId=7904806022#7904806022 or http://www.samsoft.org.uk/iTunes/merge.asp - Add a letter at the end of the artist name, close the Get Info window, then open it again and remove the letter. This often works but I have had cases where tracks grouped when a letter was added but ungrouped when it was removed again.

If they are mp3 files try changing the ID3 tag version which may cause iTunes to re-write the tags and clear up inconsistencies. I use iTunes 7.5 (yes, from 2007) so I can't tell you where this is in later versions.

I had one case of really stubborn grouping. The tracks would re-group in ways that didn't make sense when I changed metadata. Without going into detail, I deleted the tracks completely from iTunes, then re-added the files and they all grouped correctly.

Reply

Answer 2

Henry Cline1 Author

Level 1

105 points

Apr 28, 2016 9:33 AM in response to Limnos

Fantastic reply, thanks.

Most of the time, these tricks work. Especially changing the tag slightly in a category like adding a character and then un-changing. I also used the "checking compilation" to force a grouping with a lot of success.

BUT...

still there are areas that defy being changed. The one that seems most persnickety is the genres category. Over time a whole bunch of unnecessary genres get created 9n my itunes and I try to weed them out and consolidate genres. Just today I selected a genre, select all the tracks in it, selected a new genre and watched itunes write the genre tag to a certain number of tracks and then just stop. The tracks that are left refuse to be altered.

it is very odd and frustrating...

Reply