# Blank artist fields when browsing library

**URL:** <https://forums.plex.tv/t/blank-artist-fields-when-browsing-library/617958>\
**Category:** Metadata & Adding Files\
**Tags:** server-linux\
**Created:** [July 28, 2020, 1:12am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/blank-artist-fields-when-browsing-library/617958 "2020-07-28T01:12:39Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![snyderxc](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9fc29f/32.png) [@snyderxc](https://forums.plex.tv/u/snyderxc)\
**Post date:** [July 28, 2020, 1:12am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/blank-artist-fields-when-browsing-library/617958/1 "2020-07-28T01:12:40Z")

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Continuing the discussion from [New music Metadata agent leaves blank Artist field when upgrading premium music library](https://forums.plex.tv/t/new-music-metadata-agent-leaves-blank-artist-field-when-upgrading-premium-music-library/485262/22) and ( [New music Metadata agent doesn’t like compilation albums or albums by multiple artists](https://forums.plex.tv/t/new-music-metadata-agent-doesnt-like-compilation-albums-or-albums-by-multiple-artists/470206))[[New music Metadata agent doesn't like compilation albums or albums by multiple artists - #137 by UKenGB](https://forums.plex.tv/t/new-music-metadata-agent-doesnt-like-compilation-albums-or-albums-by-multiple-artists/470206/137)]:

Server Version#: 1.19.5.3112  
Player Version#: 4.38.2 (Plex Web)

I’m pretty new to Plex, so I certainly don’t know all the ins and outs, but it seems like there may be an issue with the metadata agent (as mentioned in the first issue, though it was supposedly fixed). I have a lot of music with Album Artist filled, but not the Artist. I understand that there’s good reason not to duplicate data (as mentioned in the second issue), but it seems like (at least) coalescing it in the interface would be beneficial in some way.

Take the following screenshot:

 ![Screen Shot 2020-07-27 at 8.10.40 PM](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/plex/original/3X/4/e/4efe49ce0aafacb88ab669134c9ae1fd7f24d146.jpeg)

While browsing my tracks, if I only show the Album Artist, compilation albums won’t have sufficient information for me to discern the artist of a track. If I only show the Artist column, the vast majority of artists will be blank. Showing both takes up room in the interface as well as adds difficulty for me visually scanning tracks. Surprisingly, sorting by Artist seems to correctly coalesce the Album Artist into the sorting, which is good.

Is there something I’m missing, or a better way to display tracks when I scan through them?

So far, I’m loving Plex. Thanks in advance for the help!

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**Author:** ![snyderxc](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9fc29f/32.png) [@snyderxc](https://forums.plex.tv/u/snyderxc)\
**Post date:** [August 2, 2020, 3:29pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/blank-artist-fields-when-browsing-library/617958/2 "2020-08-02T15:29:07Z")

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Bump. Anyone have input on this? It would be really nice to have the artist displayed a bit more nicely in the UI.

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**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/plex/original/3X/2/a/2acb9765406f63293d357b4ec509ec39aa28f2ad.png) [@system](https://forums.plex.tv/u/system)\
**Post date:** [October 31, 2020, 3:29pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/blank-artist-fields-when-browsing-library/617958/3 "2020-10-31T15:29:09Z")

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