# Album Artist shows in iTunes but blank in Mp3Tag
**URL:** https://community.mp3tag.de/t/album-artist-shows-in-itunes-but-blank-in-mp3tag/56015
**Category:** Support
**Created:** [January 23, 2022, 1:52pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/album-artist-shows-in-itunes-but-blank-in-mp3tag/56015 "2022-01-23T13:52:26Z")
**Posts on this page:** 11
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@crl713](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/crl713)
#### Post date: [January 23, 2022, 1:52pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/album-artist-shows-in-itunes-but-blank-in-mp3tag/56015/1 "2022-01-23T13:52:26Z")
Hello, I have several thousand mp3s with Album Artist, but no Artist. I'd like to update the Artist with Album Artist, but Album Artist shows empty in Mp3Tag. Any advice is appreciated. Thanks!
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### Author:  [@ohrenkino](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/ohrenkino)
#### Post date: [January 23, 2022, 1:57pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/album-artist-shows-in-itunes-but-blank-in-mp3tag/56015/2 "2022-01-23T13:57:28Z")
How did iTunes get the album artist?
In the old days one could force iTunes to write the database data to tags by changing the tag version - also from V2.3 to V2.3 so that no data was lost.
Perhaps this would be the first step: fill the empty tag fields with the existing data.
Also, you could check whether you have APE tags in the files and then see whether you read them and what happens if you don't.
Then, to copy one field to another, see
> [@Actions and batch-operations](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/actions-and-batch-operations/967/15):
>
> How to copy one field value to another field? Example how to copy the content of the ARTIST field to the ALBUMARTIST field: Create a [new action](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/actions/967/2) in an existing action group or make a new action group. Action type: Format value Field: ALBUMARTIST Format string: %artist% Note: If you want to copy all possible values of a field (in case you have multiple artist fields), the internal scripting function [$meta\_sep](https://docs.mp3tag.de/scripting) can be used in the format string, e.g., $meta\_sep(artist,\\\\)
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### Author:  [@crl713](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/crl713)
#### Post date: [January 23, 2022, 2:17pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/album-artist-shows-in-itunes-but-blank-in-mp3tag/56015/3 "2022-01-23T14:17:57Z")
Thanks for the response. I've used Mp3Tag for years, and was delighted to find finally a mac version. Somehow, through transferring OS and libraries to external drives perhaps, about a third of my library had this ALBUMARTIST thing occur. I figured a batch update would save time, but maybe it's just easier to manually update with itunes. The ALBUMARTIST info showing in Itunes doesn't show anywhere within Mp3Tag including extended tags. Thanks!
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### Author:  [@ohrenkino](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/ohrenkino)
#### Post date: [January 23, 2022, 2:22pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/album-artist-shows-in-itunes-but-blank-in-mp3tag/56015/4 "2022-01-23T14:22:38Z")
> [@crl713](#):
>
> The ALBUMARTIST info showing in Itunes doesn't show anywhere within Mp3Tag including extended tags. Thanks!
Have you checked whether there are APE tags in the files without ALBUMARTIST?
Have you tried the trick with tag version conversion?
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### Author:  [@crl713](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/crl713)
#### Post date: [January 23, 2022, 2:31pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/album-artist-shows-in-itunes-but-blank-in-mp3tag/56015/5 "2022-01-23T14:31:11Z")
I don't understand APE tags, and 'the trick'. Interestingly, although the ALBUMARTIST info doesn't show in Mp3tag, changing the info in that field with Mp3tag, does show in itunes. Thank you.
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### Author:  [@ohrenkino](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/ohrenkino)
#### Post date: [January 23, 2022, 2:35pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/album-artist-shows-in-itunes-but-blank-in-mp3tag/56015/6 "2022-01-23T14:35:37Z")
> [@crl713](#):
>
> Interestingly, although the ALBUMARTIST info doesn't show in Mp3tag, changing the info in that field with Mp3tag, does show in itunes
Which is an indicator that the other album artists are only stored in the iTunes database (or are hidden in APE tags). If you re-write the files, then the tags in the files are updated and, hopefully, iTunes picks that up.
Now to check for APE tags:
Load all files into MP3tag.
Enter as filter:
`%_tag% HAS APE`
and see whether any files remain in the file list.
If so: Open File\>Options\>Tags\>Mpeg and toggle "Read APE".
Then select all the filtered files and press Ctrl-R to re-read the tags.
Now check if the ALBUMARTIST field is filled.
And if you have the Mac version, then I can't help you.
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### Author:  [@MotleyG](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/MotleyG)
#### Post date: [January 23, 2022, 4:07pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/album-artist-shows-in-itunes-but-blank-in-mp3tag/56015/7 "2022-01-23T16:07:38Z")
I’ve been using iTunes for Windows since it was introduced, and have AlbumArtist tags for all tracks. Although I did use mp3tag to manage most of the updates, some were done within iTunes first. These tags were always there though so I’m not sure where your problem lies. Perhaps the Mac version is keeping these tags within the iTunes database only, but to the best of my knowledge this isn’t common. I think you are best to look for the tag types first and ensure you are reading all, but getting rid of id3v1 and ape tags. Keep iTunes at id3v2.3 for the best compatibility.
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### Author:  [@crl713](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/crl713)
#### Post date: [January 23, 2022, 5:31pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/album-artist-shows-in-itunes-but-blank-in-mp3tag/56015/8 "2022-01-23T17:31:41Z")
Thanks so much for your detailed response! Although I am using the Mac version, your solution was right on. Mac users will find the Tag Options under Preferences. Thanks again!
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### Author:  [@crl713](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/crl713)
#### Post date: [January 23, 2022, 5:32pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/album-artist-shows-in-itunes-but-blank-in-mp3tag/56015/9 "2022-01-23T17:32:58Z")
Thank you for your reply! ohrenkino's response solved the problem. Thanks again.
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### Author:  [@ohrenkino](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/ohrenkino)
#### Post date: [January 23, 2022, 5:41pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/album-artist-shows-in-itunes-but-blank-in-mp3tag/56015/10 "2022-01-23T17:41:45Z")
I am not wuite sure what the solution is right now:
did you originally read APE tags (which overrule ID3V2 tags) and when you switched them off, you saw the albumartist?
Or was it that the albumartist was hidden in the APE tags which you did not read?
In any case: you should seriously consider to either get the tag versions in sync again and then make sure that they stay like that or consequently get rid of APE tags as they cause nothing but trouble (as we saw in this thread).
But letting the data as it is is the not the best approach, I think, as it may lead to the same irritation again.
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### Author:  [@system](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/system)
#### Post date: [February 22, 2022, 5:41pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/album-artist-shows-in-itunes-but-blank-in-mp3tag/56015/11 "2022-02-22T17:41:54Z")
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