Command-line ID3 tag editor that handles all tags

Question

I am looking for a tool to edit tags in MP3s through a script.

The files are episodes of several podcasts where the tags are inconsistent between episode: Sometimes the Album or Genre tag is missing for example. The script will run after new episodes are downloaded to modify the tags.

I have tried id3tool and id3v2 already.

id3v2 does not support free Genre tags, only a numbered list of predefined genres is offered. In this list, there is no genre "Podcast".

id3tool only supports id3v1, where the field lengths are limited. But there is an option to specify free Genre definitions.

Is there a tool that supports all the required functionality? It should compile under Mac OS X 10.6.

Solution 1

Just use Homebrew:

brew install id3lib

Example command: ide3tag

Usage: id3tag [OPTIONS]... [FILES]...
   -h         --help            Print help and exit
   -V         --version         Print version and exit
   -1         --v1tag           Render only the id3v1 tag (default=off)
   -2         --v2tag           Render only the id3v2 tag (default=off)
   -aSTRING   --artist=STRING   Set the artist information
   -ASTRING   --album=STRING    Set the album title information
   -sSTRING   --song=STRING     Set the title information
   -cSTRING   --comment=STRING  Set the comment information
   -CSTRING   --desc=STRING     Set the comment description
   -ySTRING   --year=STRING     Set the year
   -tSTRING   --track=STRING    Set the track number
   -TSTRING   --total=STRING    Set the total number of tracks
   -gSHORT    --genre=SHORT     Set the genre
   -w         --warning         Turn on warnings (for debugging) (default=off)
   -n         --notice          Turn on notices (for debugging) (default=off)

Source: https://apple.stackexchange.com/a/16145/53242

Solution 2

The mutagen Python module comes with a mid3v2 command.

mid3v2 --artist "Sigur Rós" *.mp3

---

Before you ask: No, mutagen does not support ID3v1, because there is no valid reason to be using it these days.

Solution 3

ID3 Editor
Although the linked website page is oriented towards GUI, it does contain "NEW! Command line editor".

Solution 4

Tagr was recommended; it's free, looks powerful (batch process, cover work, etc.), but not sure it has CLI.

View more solutions

Comments

[ischeriad]

Someone had recommended eyeD3, but I don't know where this answer has gone. I have tried eyeD3 and it seems to do what I want. I will report after success.

[mdcoder85]

Nowadays id3v2 supports free genre tag: id3v2 -g Podcast my.mp3. It will be shown with code 255 (as all free tags): TCON (Content type): Podcast (255)

[ischeriad]

I don't want to use ID3v1, so your tip is alright.

[Admin]

Tag is a Windows based command line tool or missing I something?

[harrymc]

@relikd: You are right - so I edited it out.

[brevno]

Mutagen can be installed with sudo easy_install pip; sudo pip install mutagen on OS X. mid3v2 also supports Unicode unlike id3tag and id3v2.

[Mark Mikofski]

Pa-Software ID3 Editor is trialware or USD15 - not free

[techraf]

It's not free. As of 2017-01-01 it's $9.99 on AppStore.