Properly sort multiple albums from one artist in a year in iTunes

Solution 1:

The tag format iTunes uses allows the storage of year-month-day for release dates. You'll note if you buy songs from the iTunes store they frequently have the release date including the month and day. I do not know if iTunes actually obeys this data when sorting a list, but you can add it anyway, so it's worth experimenting.

The Get Info window won't let you add a month or day - there is only a year tag - but external tag editors certainly do. I had a simple one that looked like the iTunes Get Info window but with more options, I can't remember what it's called... I think MusicBrainz Picard also lets you enter month and day.

If you've edited a track with an external editor, you can force iTunes to refresh the data using an Applescript (assuming you're on Mac OS). There are other tricks that are documented here on the MusicBrainz site. The Applescript in question is near the bottom, I use it all the time after editing tags with Picard.

EDIT: Let me know if it works, eh?

Solution 2:

Hey I have this exact same problem, and I think I figured it out.

1. Right click on the selected album as a whole.
2. Go to the Sorting tab.
3. Under Sorting Album, for the album you would like to be second, type a number or any letter that is alphabetically before (if you want the album to be in front of another) then click OK.

I did this with Syd Barrett's 2 solo albums that both came out in 1970. I didn't have to change anything on the first album he released, just on his second album, I typed the number 2 in the sorting album space and once I clicked OK it moved down below the 1st released album.

Solution 3:

If put a letter or number in front of the album title in the "sort album" field, when you sync to your ipod the album will show up alphabetically on the ipod under that letter or number when you search by Album on the ipod. Still need a fix for this.