If you are an ardent music collector or love to maintain your own music library, then you must be familiar with iTunes. iTunes is a popular media player and library app that enables you to organize, play, and purchase music, videos, and other multimedia on your computer or mobile device. One of the many useful features provided by iTunes is the ability to tag music, which makes it easier to sort and manage your collection. In this blog, we will be discussing the methods to tag music in iTunes, commonly faced issues, and additional tips to make the process of tagging music a breeze.
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The Challenge of Tagging Music in iTunes
If you have a large music collection that has been obtained from different sources, chances are that the metadata is incomplete or inconsistent. Adding tags to a large music collection can be a daunting task, but it’s worth the effort as it makes organizing and searching for music a lot easier.
Things You Should Prepare for Tagging Music in iTunes
Before we start discussing the various methods to tag music in iTunes, here are some important things that you should prepare for:
- A well-organized music collection
- Correct and updated metadata for all the music files
- A stable and uninterrupted internet connection (in case you want to update metadata online)
- A few hours of spare time, depending on the size of the music collection.
Method 1: Tagging Music Manually in iTunes
Although iTunes automatically retrieves, fixes, and assigns tags to music, it sometimes doesn’t work as expected. In case you want to manually tag music in iTunes, here’s how you can do it:
1. Open iTunes on your computer
2. Select a song or album that you wish to tag
3. Right-click on the song/album and select "Get Info"
4. Click on the "Info" tab
5. Add or edit the fields as desired. Here are some commonly used tags:
- Title: Song name
- Artist: Name of the artist who created the song
- Album: The name of the album containing the song
- Genre: The genre of the song
- Year: The year the song was released
6. Click "OK" to save changes.
Pros:
- Allows for a more personalized and accurate tagging of music
- Ensures that all metadata is consistent and up to date
Cons:
- This method can be time-consuming, especially if you have a large music collection
- Requires a good understanding of music metadata and tag formats
Method 2: Tagging Music Using Third-Party Tagging Tools
Besides iTunes, there are third-party software tools available that can help with tagging music in iTunes using the metadata information available from various online databases. Here’s how you can use a third-party tool to tag music in iTunes:
1. Download and install a third-party tagging tool like MusicBrainz Picard or Tag&Rename
2. Open the tool and add your music files to it
3. Select the music files that you wish to tag
4. Click on the "Lookup" or "Scan" option in the tool
5. The tool will retrieve metadata information from online databases and add it to the music files
6. Save changes and import the music files back to iTunes.
Pros:
- Third-party tagging tools can automatically retrieve and fix tags for large music collections
- Helps in maintaining consistent and up-to-date metadata information
Cons:
- Not all metadata records available online may be accurate or complete
- May require extra cost for purchasing the tagging tool
Method 3: Tagging Music Using Metadata Updater
Metadata Updater is an inbuilt feature in iTunes that can automatically retrieve, fix and assign tags to music files using online databases. Here’s how you can use metadata updater to tag your music in iTunes:
1. Open iTunes on your computer
2. Select a song or album that you wish to tag
3. Right-click on the song/album and select "Get Info"
4. Click on the "File" tab
5. Under the "Metadata" section, click on the "Download Metadata" option
6. iTunes will retrieve metadata information from online databases and add it to the music files
7. Click "OK" to save changes.
Pros:
- Automatically retrieves and assigns tags to music files, saving time and effort
- Can be used for a large collection of music files
Cons:
- This method may not work correctly in some cases as online metadata may not be reliable
- May lead to inconsistent or incorrect metadata assignments
Why Can’t I Add Tags to My Music in iTunes?
1. The song/album is write-protected:
A: Select the file or album and remove write-protection before adding tags.
2. iTunes is not up-to-date:
A: Download the latest version of iTunes and try again.
3. Music files have permission issues:
A: Change permissions on your files and try again.
Additional Tips for Tagging Music in iTunes
Here are some additional tips and tricks to make the process of tagging music in iTunes even more comfortable and more efficient:
- Take advantage of iTunes’ "Album Grouping" field to group together compilations and multi-disc albums
- Use the "Sort" fields available in iTunes to ignore "A" and "The" at the beginning of a title
- Use the keyboard shortcuts in iTunes to quickly add or edit fields
- Regularly update and maintain your music library by removing duplicates and incomplete files
5 FAQs about Tagging Music in iTunes
Q1: How do I make iTunes automatically retrieve metadata?
A: In iTunes, go to Preferences > General. Check the box "Automatically retrieve CD track names from the internet."
Q2: Can I edit multiple tracks at once in iTunes?
A: Yes, you can select multiple tracks and modify the data fields for all selected tracks at once.
Q3: What is the best way to organize iTunes library with multiple artists?
A: Use the "Sort Artist" fields in iTunes for individual artists and group artists together using the "Grouping" field.
Q4: Can I tag music files on my iPhone using iTunes?
A: No, you cannot. iTunes tagging is only possible on a computer.
Q5: Can I edit tags for iTunes Match cloud files?
A: Yes, you can. iCloud music files can be edited and updated just like local music files.
In Conclusion
Tagging music in iTunes is an essential task for any music aficionado. With these different methods, you can choose the one that fits you the most and start organizing your music library the way you want. Remember to maintain consistent and accurate metadata information to make searching and playing music more comfortable and efficient.
