Multiple genres in iTunes 8?

[MacinJosh]

So, I did a search on multiple genres and all I found was a couple of guys asking about it in the ATV forums. So, with the advent of iTunes 8 and the genres being more prominent, anyone figure out a way for a movie (or whatever) to have multiple genres so it would appear in say both Romance and Comedy categories? I have a lot of movies that really cannot be labeled as a single genre...

 

[Galley]

The only way to get around it in music is to combine them; Pop/Rock, Folk/Rock, etc.

 

[Ping Guo]

Sorry for bringing this one back from the dead, but I'd really like to hear if anyone has any idea/opinion/notion how to do this? It really should be a feature.

For example, I want to tag Afrika Bambaataa's Planet Rock in both Rap/Hiphop and 80s. Or Radiohead Kid A in Electronica + Britpop + Alternative. Gorillaz could fit into 3 or 4 genres too. That way when I put any genre into random play I won't be missing these songs...

 

[gmeddles]

What I do is use the comments section to control smart playlists. Imagine comments that look like:

Genre:Folk Genre:Rock Genre:Alternative Genre:Singer-Songwriter

Then I have smart Playlists based on "Comment contains Genre:Folk." It's a bit of a hack around a bad cardinality in the iTunes data model. Ideally I wish we could overload other tags like artist as well, because I hate having collaborations by 2 artists grouped as yet a 3rd artist in List View. Ideally the song would show up both under ArtistA and ArtistB instead of ArtistC or Compilation or Various Artists.

 

[ReggaeFire]

I hate having collaborations by 2 artists grouped as yet a 3rd artist in List View. Ideally the song would show up both under ArtistA and ArtistB instead of ArtistC or Compilation or Various Artists.

You can't have a song multiple times (unless you import it twice), but if you utilize the "Sort Artist" tag, you will have the track listed under Artist A.

The Sort tags were a very useful addition to the tagging. I now have all my main artist tagged <first name> <last name> and the sort artist tag <last name>, <first name> which results in a library with proper alphabetical order.

For entering multiple genres, I would utilize one of the many metadata fields that usually go unused, like Category or Description, and then set up a Smart Playlist to look at both that field and the genre.

 

[tonyc46]

I've used groupings with a lot of success. For instance, I have a lot of classical. Classical is the genre and in the groupings I'll have baroque or classical or romantic, etc. If the composer is a transitional composer, I'll do classical romantic. Then, if I just want to listen to Romantic period music, my smart playlist will be set up for grouping CONTAINS romantic.

Here's another example. I have a lot of early jazz (pre-1940). The genre is Jazz and the grouping is early for those. Again, set up the smart playlist for genre IS jazz and grouping CONTAINS early. I don't just want to do it on grouping IS early because I have early rock and roll (roots), early blues, etc.

Try it. It works well.

Tony

 

[Consultant]

You can add genres as text in comment or in other fields, and then use smart play list.

There are also hidden fields you can enable.

 

[kdum8]

There are also hidden fields you can enable.

Really? How and which ones?