Added many CDs to my iTunes library. Not found by Plex in 'Scan Library Files'

Plex Media Server Metadata & Adding Files
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Server Version#: 1.19.4.2935
Player Version#: 1.19.4.2935

I just ripped a number of CDs into my iTunes library. All have relevant metadata tags populated (Artist, Album, Album Artist, Year, Title, Track # etc.). The folder structure in my iTunes folder follows Artist/Album/Track. My Plex music library is set to prefer local metadata.

When I go to Plex and initiate a ‘Scan Library Files’, many of the CDs are not found by Plex. Some are found but not all tracks on the albums are found.

This situation has been happening consistently now since April and is really getting infuriating. Before April, I don’t recall this problem ever happening. I’ve been using Plex with iTunes for many years now.

I’ve followed various support docs on naming of tracks, albums, metadata, folder structure, clearing the trash etc. etc. but this inconsistent behaviour is making me re-think whether Plex is suitable as my media library.

Any suggestions on my next steps would be very much appreciated.

Thanks

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I was just getting ready to create a post, but this sounds very similar to what has been happening to me. I hadn’t had any issues with my Plex Music Library for ages, but I just ripped roughly 200 CD’s with iTunes over the past week or so, and then added them to my G-Drive which is linked to my Plex. I’ve never had any issue with my folder structure up to this point.

I noticed that when I would run a music files scan, nothing from all of those that I added to my Cloud library would scan in. Some of the things I did to try and fix it:

  1. I restarted my server a number of times to no avail.
  2. I deleted the music library altogether, thinking that maybe a fresh re-scan of the music folder would do the trick. I created a new music library, initiated the scan, my entire G-Drive music library scanned (I could see it scanning each folder in my Alerts), but no albums or art at all populated this time.

I am also using Server Version 1.19.4.2935

Oddly, all of my TV and Movie Libraries scan and add metadata without issue. Any ideas?**

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Same for me with Movies, they go in without issue. Problem is specific to Music.

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I’ve just ran the scan again and another 2 CDs from the tranche I ripped have now appeared in Plex minus most of their tracks mind :face_with_symbols_over_mouth:

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At least you’re getting some tracks to load in. I scanned in hundreds of folders and thousands of CDs and literally got nothing.

Nobody has any idea what is going on here?

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Bumping this. Further info: I had an issue with my server and has to restart from scratch. Got everything back up and running, and STILL music doesn’t scan. Everything else scans fine.

Is anyone else having this issue? I’ve never encountered this before.

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I’ve read in the article https://support.plex.tv/articles/201543057-why-is-some-of-my-content-not-found/ about Plex ignoring files.

The article seems heavily slanted toward problems with scanning for Movies. My issue is regarding Music only.

Can anyone give advice on what I should look for in the Plex logs that may help with isolating this problem?

As I said previously, my folder structure is …/Music/Artist/Album so I believe I’m following recommendations on helping Plex locate the right content. Also, regarding metadata, I’ve configured the library and agents to use ‘Local Media Assets’ before anything else. This approach has worked well in the past.

Any pointers anyone? There must be some indication in some file as to why Plex isn’t finding all these files.

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Plex Media Server Logs_2020-07-06_17-02-18.zip (6.8 MB)

Plex log with debug enabled.

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I ran another scan just know, you know, for a laugh. Up popped another of the CDs I’d ripped last week, but only 1 track on the CD is actually listed in Plex.

This behaviour suggests that Plex simply isn’t working. As a Plex Pass owner, is it worth me continuing to pay for and use Plex? I’m wondering.

Any Plex Support person care to chime in?

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Finally an update of sorts. After reading another recent thread about song titles disappearing, I followed the author approach of editing the Music library, setting the agent back to ‘Plex Music’ (from ‘Personal Media Assets’) and ran an Analyze. The CDs I’d ripped recently have now appeared in Plex. Doesn’t answer the question of why this is necessary (they all have their metadata) but it’s progress.

Thanks to a fellow user for the suggestion. Someone who’s also struggling with the behaviour of this software and getting no response from Plex.

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afair personal media assets is primarily for video, does not download any metadata or use any tags.

If you want to use your tags, then use the plex music agent/scanner and edit the music library > advanced options to ‘prefer local metadata’.

in any case, plex is not very flexible as far as your folder/file naming, and does not like large folders full of random files.

plex will always attempt to match album folders against musicbrainz, even if you have content which is not matchable.

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Thanks for the clarification. Appreciated. What I don’t get though is with agent set to ‘Personal Media Assets’ it did happily add CDs to my collection up till around April then it started misbehaving. I’ll leave it as ‘Plex Music’.

It would be good if there was some sort of matrix giving the agent/metadata recommendations for different music library scenarios, e.g. no embedded metadata, embedded metadata but prefer online data, embedded data and use etc.

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