# How to rearrange artist name

**URL:** https://community.mp3tag.de/t/how-to-rearrange-artist-name/13887
**Category:** General Discussion
**Created:** [September 16, 2012, 9:17pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/how-to-rearrange-artist-name/13887 "2012-09-16T21:17:23Z")
**Posts on this page:** 1
**Showing post:** 5

<div class="post-metadata">

### Author: ![dj.farrell](https://community.mp3tag.de/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/d/3ab097/32.png) [@dj.farrell](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/dj.farrell)
#### Post date: [September 17, 2012, 5:27pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/how-to-rearrange-artist-name/13887/5 "2012-09-17T17:27:29Z")

</div>

> [@HansBKK](#):
>
> I feel compelled to chime in here and state in perhaps so strong as to be rude terms that I'm sure others here are thinking but too polite to use:
> 
> IMO It's **absolutely insane and idiotic** to rearrange group/band names as you're proposing.
> 
> I use most of the "sorting" fields
> 
> sortTitle\_TSOT  
> sortAlbum\_TSOA  
> sortAlbumArtist\_TSO2  
> sortArtist\_TSOP  
> sortComposer\_TSOC
> 
> and certainly do "Lastname, First" for individuals, and "Beatles, The" but that's it.
> 
> I also use these to select/create a "canonical" name for when a person has changed their performing name over time and use that field to consistently group in databases and filesystems while still being able to use their release-time alias in the main tags.
> 
> But IMO that canonical name should be the most common/famous one as it would be listed in a record store or music catalog, not some bizarre idiosyncratic string that only I would know to use - might as well use MD5 hash keys or something if you're trying to hide your files 🕶

Thanks to all posters on this issue! I've come to the same conclusions on my own same as your posts. The only reason I had considered what I did was that 75% of the library was listed last name first. But then with groups like " No Doubt", it seemed odd to list them as "Doubt. No".  
Clint Black will be "Clint Black" not Black, Clint. I've figured out that it's actually easier to program MP3 tag to take the songs that are last name first followed by a coma and correct them to: first name followed by last name. I have around 14,000 songs to correct but it should go quickly.  
Thanks again! dj.farrell ![:rolleyes:](https://community.mp3tag.de/uploads/default/original/1X/3a79e8b0b7d169b30216785521d7c6f4f895c421.gif ":rolleyes:")

---

_[View the full topic](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/how-to-rearrange-artist-name/13887)._