Okay, I’ve been using iTunes for years. I loved its use of the ID3 tags and other metadata, so I didn’t have to maintain a directory structure by hand like I used to back in college. But I’ve run into a problem.
I’ve gotten ahold of a turntable so I can finally rip all this old vinyl that I’ve had sitting around forever (and listen to it again!) But some of these bands were more prolific than those I’ve been listening to recently, and it’s throwing off the sorts. Specifically, I love the Album By Year sort, which puts artists into alphabetical order, and albums into chronological order within a given artist – sort of.
See, Yes released The Yes Album early in 1971, and Fragile late in 1971. So they’re both under “Yes”, and both under “1971” within that. But then “Fragile” comes before “Yes Album, The” in the alphabet, so the sort places them in reverse order. A couple years later, the same thing happens between Yessongs and Tales From Topographic Oceans. And I can already see that when I get to the Beatles the same thing will happen between Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band and Magical Mystery Tour.
So here’s the question: is there a way (or a hack) to tweak the chronological order? A hidden “release month” field somewhere? Or do I just have to remember that these albums are out of order?