CD-Text is stored on your disc. The album information shown by computer software often comes from an online database instead. Here is how each works and where to register your release.
Many computer music players and CD-ripping programs look up album information in an online database instead of reading the CD-Text embedded on the disc. If the database cannot identify your release, the software may show “Unknown Album”, “Unknown Artist” or “Track 01”.
Album, artist and track information encoded directly into an audio CD during production. A CD-Text-compatible player reads it from the disc itself, without an internet connection.
Album information held by a separate database. A compatible computer application looks for a matching release and displays the information returned by that service.
Important: Adding CD-Text to your CD does not automatically register the release in an online database. Registering your release online does not add or change CD-Text on an already-produced CD.
The source depends on the software and version. Common music metadata services include:
Used by iTunes for audio CD album and track-name lookup.
AllMusic receives its music information from Xperi (formerly TiVo). Its metadata is also supplied to other services.
A community-maintained database used by MusicBrainz Picard and other compatible music software.
These are separate databases. A release appearing in one does not guarantee it will appear in another, or that every program will display it.
If you want computer software to recognise your release through an online lookup, you can submit its information separately from your CD manufacturing order.
On a compatible version of iTunes for Windows, insert your released CD, enter the album, artist and track titles, then select Options → Submit CD Track Names. Submissions are processed by Gracenote; they are not necessarily available immediately.
Apple’s official submission instructions ↗Create a free MusicBrainz account, search for your release and choose Add release if it is missing. Enter the artist, title, track listing and relevant release details. MusicBrainz advises against submitting Disc IDs from home-burned CDs.
MusicBrainz: how to add a release ↗Follow AllMusic’s product-submission instructions to send your release information to its data provider, Xperi. Submissions are reviewed at their discretion and inclusion is not guaranteed.
AllMusic: product submissions ↗Submit information for an actual release rather than a private compilation. Database registration is independent of the CD-Text encoded on your physical CD.
Use a player or program that supports reading CD-Text:
An ordinary CD player may play your disc perfectly while showing only track numbers. For a definitive computer check, use a tool that explicitly reads the CD-Text from the disc rather than relying on an online album lookup.
No. It means that player has not displayed a title. It does not establish whether CD-Text is present or absent on the disc.
Do not use either as a definitive CD-Text test. Their computer album-information workflows have commonly relied on online databases rather than decoding the embedded CD-Text.
Not necessarily. The ripping software may use online information, read CD-Text where supported, or assign generic track names. Check its metadata and CD-Text options.
No. Different players use different services, and database records are not automatically shared between all providers.
If you ordered CD-Text from DiskCrafters, contact us with your order number and the player or software you are using.
