Itunes 12.7 bug: every song is its own album

Same here. Dragging to the library first and then dragging to iPhone is the only way it works. Previously I just dragged directly to my iphone and it worked fine.

Tru dat. I used to do it that way all the time, then it didn't work at all, then it worked, and then this new issue happened. They REALLY want you to use the library.

Trouble is, the more items in your library, the slower iTunes is to load. I tried loading my entire collection into the library a long time ago, but iTunes pretty much ground to a halt.

Today, because I'm a wild and fun guy, I spent about three hours loading individual albums into the library, double-checking the tags, then dragging them onto my iPhone, then deleting them from my iTunes library. So far, they have all worked (ie displayed properly as albums on the iPhone). I'm up to the Ls in my collection. Fun times, fun times.

Thanks again, Apple.

Your first link references an eight year old thread, so clearly not all of this is new. When Apple introduced the Work & Movement features they chose to reuse the TIT1 field that had previously been used for Grouping. In other players the same field has been used for Mood or Subgenre. The iPhone doesn't handle things well if Work is filled in, but Movement isn't.

tt2

Not quite following the approach used as it seems to indicate *it is* tag related. In any case, one can see the issues using the following approach:

1. Create two types of test albums: same artist album, multi-artist album (soundtrack, compilation).

2. Using a "comprehensive" tag editing application, remove all ID3Tag (frame) details.

3. Ensure that iTunes (Windows/Mac) settings/preferences are set to *not* obtain any ID3Tag details from external sources - i.e. disable all query, ratings, etc. Ideally, a new/clean/empty library on the latest version of iTunes.

4. Drag-and-drop the test albums to the "Automatically Add To iTunes" folder. Observe the results, review the tracks using "Get Info". Then purge the test albums.

5. Drag-and-drop the test albums directly to the iTunes Library - i.e. into the UI window. Observe the results, review the tracks using "Get Info".

6. Sync a iDevice (iPhone/iPad) running iOS 11.4 and observe the results in the iDevice Music app. Ideally, a new/clean/empty library on the latest version of iTunes. Ensure the iDevice Music app settings are set to *not* obtain ID3Tag details from external sources.

TEST 1

What are the results of using "Get Info" to populate the ID3Tag details. Populate "Song" - i.e. not switching to "Work Name".

TEST 2

What are the results of populating the fields that appear when "Work Name" is selected.

TEST 3

Using a "comprehensive" tag editing application, examine the ID3Tag details of the files in the iTunes Media folder. Not reported ID3Tag implementation (ex: ID3v1, ID3v2, etc.). Quit iTunes and use the tag editing application to alter these tags to include additional fields that are present in ID3v2, then editing again to include additional fields in ID3v4, etc.

Relaunch iTunes and observe the results in iTunes, cleanup the iDevice, copy the files back to the iDevices and observe the results.

TEST 4

Copy the test albums found in the iTunes Music folder elsewhere - i.e. iTunes version of the test albums. Remove the test albums from iTunes. Cleanup the iDevice - i.e. clean iDevice library.

Drag-and-drop the original test albums to the iDevice via the iTunes UI. Observe the results.

Drag-and-drop the iTunes version of the test albums to the iDevice via the iTunes UI. Observe the results.

I think I found a workaround - it appears that Apple Music app is trying to concatenate Album name and Artist Name and use it as Album label - and i suspect there is probably a length limit on this label. But this is just a theory. Workaround follows:

1. Load tracks to iOS device using iTunes

2. In iTunes - go into device Music Library and highlight tracks you just loaded.

3. Right click and select Add To Playlist / New Play List

4. Assign name to your new playlist.

Now you can use playlists instead of albums.

I have number of CD-ripped books and this workaround appears to work.

Still - wish Apple had better QA processes.

Typically you want Album and Album Artist filled in with common values for all tracks on an album. Some views/sort orders in iTunes aren't album friendly. Without seeing some details it is hard to know what it happening. Occasionally iTunes will show multiple covers when it should not. Often adding and then removing say a trailing X from the fields that the tracks have in common will usually fix that.

tt2

Guess what, the bug persist into version iTunes 12.7.2.58.

Workaround seems to be drag songs into iTunes and sync.

If album does not appear in Artists on the phone, it seems to be a sign that the songs are spread out to multiple identical albums. This seems to be the case 9 out of 10 times!

Delete songs from iTunes, and try again.

This is just not ok Apple!

Typically you want Album and Album Artist filled in with common values for all tracks on an album. Some views/sort orders in iTunes aren't album friendly. Without seeing some details it is hard to know what it happening. Occasionally iTunes will show multiple covers when it should not. Often adding and then removing say a trailing X from the fields that the tracks have in common will usually fix that. See Grouping tracks into albums for more information.

tt2

Yesterday I restored my iPhoneSE and found the same problem. I did resolve as the way you did. Drag and drop and delete and then drag and drop again, the songs will be grouped together.

I don’t know the way easier than this. I want Apple fix this issue as soon as possible because this way takes double time as usual. I wasted my yesterday’s afternoon in order to just add songs to my iPhone.

If space is a premium you don't have to keep the library on your laptop's hard drive. You could even offload the iOS device backups if you're doing those locally rather than to iCloud. See Make a split library portable for details.

Apple don't monitor these forums for bug reports. Use Feedback - iTunes - Apple.

tt2

Use the feedback link. Use a third party media manager.

tt2

See Open a different iTunes Library file or create a new one - Apple Support.

I have a master library with everything in it, a smaller one that I use with iTunes Match, and several others I use when testing things. Only the master is slowed by its size.

tt2

Just to add to the technical details and offer some parting thoughts (because Apple will never fix this on their own nor will they do what's right by their customers):

Phone 6 Plus, IOS 11.3.1, 128GB, iTunes 12.7.4.80 Windows 64Bit -- This problem persists.

I also experienced the same things @Lightning78 posted - more than half of my personally owned files were "magically" deleted from my iPhone some time ago when I updated and had to start from scratch. It was highly frustrating that iTunes screwed up my database and removed a large amount of my music.

There's one app that is not on Android. I am about 60% sure my next mobile device will be Android based on how terrible iTunes is. Apple refuses to go with the industry and accept that people want control of their files that they own (at least rights to, some I do own because they're my recordings and I own all rights to them) and can copy onto their mobile devices. This isn't a problem with Android at all.

What's even more frustrating is the lack of support for the de facto standard open lossless audio codec that is used by 99% of people who care about audio quality -- and that is FLAC. It also supports 24-Bit Audio, which is nowhere near the vernacular of Apple.

Really it's this simple in order to fix your problem Apple:

1. Allow user's to manually copy their files over to their i-Devices (iPhones, iPads, iPods, etc.) using Windows Explorer or Finder on Mac.

2. Support FLAC (it would be great if you support 24-Bit Audio as well, but that may be asking the moon from you).

3. Get out of the way -- stop messing with user's experiences and forcing the iTunes store on people. If they want Apple Music and your services, make them better than the competition and make the integration painless for those who have their own files.

4. Better yet, allow 3rd party developers to build music/playback apps that are a direct replacement for iTunes. I bet you'll get a far better application from some of the leaders in this field like JRiver, Roon, and others. You'll also be the leader in Phone technology and not have the sunk costs of iTunes which is a piece of junk.

Not everyone is the same Apple, so stop treating us that way and make an application and system for playing back music that is truly revolutionary, not punishment for being stuck in your ecosystem. No more for me, I've had enough.

Here's an animated GIF showing the various ID3Tag details from one of my compilation tracks:

I typically use iTunes as a conduit to copy tracks to my iOS Devices. Now I'm having to either copy the tracks via the iTunes Library, or copy/delete/copy if I want to continue what I was doing before, or use a tool like iMazing.