Linux @programming.dev Cyborganism @lemmy.ca 2mo ago

Looking for an app to reorganize my old MP3 collection

I have this collection of mp3s from the 90s-2000s from before the streaming services era. Back when people used Winamp or XMMS to listen to their music. I backed up my music files in two places and they're both organized differently.

I need a tool to go through the whole thousands of files, find out what each track is (artist, album, track title, track number all that meta data), rename the file accordingly and apply all the metadata, then move the file in a certain directory structure.

Are there any music organizers out there that can do this? Or do I have to implement my own script?

20 comments

Try MusicBrainz Picard. I've had good experience with their recognition quality.
- Huh. I'm not that old, but now it makes sense why it gives the "ancient tech in a candywrap" vibe. I like the thing, though.
- Nice! Does it actually reorganize the files as well as adding tags and metadata and such?
  
  It can recognize tracks based on a profile of the audio content in the file, so even if they're not labeled properly it can (usually) identify them. The biggest problem I've had with using it is that many artists have re-released or rerecorded songs, or released the same album in different years in different countries but maybe with one track missing or with the tracks in a different order, and sometimes Picard will pick an album release that you know is incorrect. It will reorganize the files, and there are lots of options for controlling how it does that (e.g. file renaming and tagging, output to the same folder or a different one, automation of bulk processing). But you may have to guide it a little, especially if you have many albums from the same artist because then you'll have overlaps.
  
  I've found the best approach to handling this is to work on one folder/album at a time and make sure it picks the correct release year for metadata reference.
I use beets for exactly this.
- Oh very cool! Thank you! I'll definitely be trying this out.
  
  This is the right answer. I specifically don't use beets because it does this, and (1) I have things organized how I like, and (2) I've changed music servers a half dozen times in the past decade and am leery of an app that has to "own" the library.
  
  But the reasons I don't use it are exactly the reasons you're looking for, and it sounds like a perfect fit for you.
I use Strawberry for managing my music library. Easily organises files into directories and can manage multiple different libraries (I have separate libraries for music I want to dj with and music for general listening)
- Yeah that's another tool that seems very promising. I'll give it a shot!
- Ok so I installed Strawberry after all.
  
  Wondering how I can make it reorganize my files in a folder structure like /artist/album/track ?
  
  Ah interesting point, I've only done this when importing new songs, not to an entire library. Usually drag my new files from a file browser into a new playlist then I select then all and right click, then hit "move to library" which brings up a dialog that allows you to define your folder structure and naming conventions
Well. I guess it won’t be your choice but I just uploaded all my stuff to Apple Music and listen from there. When you subscribe they have a nice feature of keeping your own music in the cloud. Even if something is not available in streaming they make it streamed.

EDIT: for the question I guess I’d go with a script
- No thanks. I'm trying to pull back from streaming services actually.
- Be careful and keep a backup, I've read so many stories of Apple deleting people music randomly.
  
  For sure i make backups. I have a proper 3-2-1 of everything I care.
Nobody mentioned Lidarr yet?

20 comments