# Sampler Compilations Album **URL:** \ **Category:** Metadata & Adding Files\ **Tags:** server-qnap, plex-web, sonos\ **Created:** [July 19, 2023, 6:21am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/sampler-compilations-album/847741 "2023-07-19T06:21:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![NiDorn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ce73a5/32.png) [@NiDorn](https://forums.plex.tv/u/NiDorn)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2023, 6:21am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/sampler-compilations-album/847741/1 "2023-07-19T06:21:48Z")
Server Version#: 1.32.4 Player Version#: \ Please Help and explain. I run Plex most of it for my music liberary. How can Plex show me my albums at once? i am very specific when it comes to naming and file Tags, but my Plex Server din’t get it right. I have tonnes of samplers and compilations who shows just one track. There is no option in my opinion “sort by album name” . WHYYYYY? ![image](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/plex/original/4X/7/d/d/7ddbde914d202c977b6cc8d54f3ac1239fb74d07.png) ---
**Author:** ![NiDorn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ce73a5/32.png) [@NiDorn](https://forums.plex.tv/u/NiDorn)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2023, 6:27am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/sampler-compilations-album/847741/2 "2023-07-19T06:27:18Z")
![image](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/plex/original/4X/9/0/6/90663c6b615cfdcfc497b9557b9f88f9f724089c.png) In Sonos it is just the same. ---
**Author:** ![beckfield](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/beckfield/32/7227_2.png) [@beckfield](https://forums.plex.tv/u/beckfield)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2023, 6:57am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/sampler-compilations-album/847741/3 "2023-07-19T06:57:19Z")
This kind of issue is usually caused by embedded tags not being as accurate as you think they are, or Plex isn’t configured to prefer local metadata. See the following article: [[HowTo] Configure Plex to use embedded metadata (music)](https://forums.plex.tv/t/howto-configure-plex-to-use-embedded-metadata-music/153689) ---
**Author:** ![OttoKerner](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/ottokerner/32/10079_2.png) [@OttoKerner](https://forums.plex.tv/u/OttoKerner)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2023, 7:41am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/sampler-compilations-album/847741/4 "2023-07-19T07:41:58Z")
The key to get sampler and compilation albums right in plex is: - add the `AlbumArtist` metatag and populate it with the same name for all tracks of the same album - populate the `TrackNumber` metatag with a number - store all music in a folder hierarchy `/Music/AlbumArtist/Album/tracks` This applies to samplers and compilations as well. ![VariousArtists](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/plex/original/4X/d/3/b/d3b6fd9ae715415cc0156b0afa016d6c33929535.png) ---
**Author:** ![NiDorn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ce73a5/32.png) [@NiDorn](https://forums.plex.tv/u/NiDorn)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2023, 4:40pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/sampler-compilations-album/847741/5 "2023-07-26T16:40:54Z")
Thanks for all your support. I’m at this detail level on all of my tracks: ![image](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/plex/original/4X/0/9/2/092fa46b0b2e9d2dca731c4b419381e7e2fcae60.png) ---
**Author:** ![OttoKerner](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/ottokerner/32/10079_2.png) [@OttoKerner](https://forums.plex.tv/u/OttoKerner)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2023, 4:59pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/sampler-compilations-album/847741/6 "2023-07-26T16:59:51Z")
1. I don’t see the `AlbumArtist` meta tag 2. if your library has been pointed to the folder `Music`, then `Compilations` is used as the Albumartist folder. The `DJ Networx` folder is seen as the Album level. Let me repeat this: store all music in a folder hierarchy `/Music/AlbumArtist/Album/tracks` This applies to samplers and compilations as well. ---
**Author:** ![NiDorn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ce73a5/32.png) [@NiDorn](https://forums.plex.tv/u/NiDorn)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2023, 5:06pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/sampler-compilations-album/847741/7 "2023-07-26T17:06:50Z")
I got that. There is just no Artist for the Album with individual musician. eatch track are from another one. ---
**Author:** ![OttoKerner](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/ottokerner/32/10079_2.png) [@OttoKerner](https://forums.plex.tv/u/OttoKerner)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2023, 5:07pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/sampler-compilations-album/847741/8 "2023-07-26T17:07:55Z")
I know that. That’s why the AlbumArtist for compilations and samplers is usually named “Various Artists”. In the case of a mix-CD like the above, you could also opt for the mixer as the AlbumArtist. ---
**Author:** ![NiDorn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ce73a5/32.png) [@NiDorn](https://forums.plex.tv/u/NiDorn)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2023, 7:21pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/sampler-compilations-album/847741/9 "2023-07-27T19:21:18Z")
I see the thing. Its just unnecessary for me to tag them with “Various Artists” because it is obvious. Maybe i give it a try and get not anoyed by reeding on hundreds of discs “various artists”. Many thanks ---
**Author:** ![certuna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/839c29/32.png) [@certuna](https://forums.plex.tv/u/certuna)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2023, 12:14am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/sampler-compilations-album/847741/10 "2023-07-29T00:14:48Z")
Yes this is a limitation of Plex, this issue has been flagged for 10+ years now - the developers insist that we have to tag the Album Artist with “Various Artists” (has to be in English). It’s annoying since the solution would be quite simple to implement if the scanner code was open source (parse the Compilation tag, if Album Artist is empty → V/A compilation), but what can we do… I have to say that most of Plex’s other metadata annoyances have gradually been fixed through the years, but this one’s still there. ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/plex/original/3X/2/a/2acb9765406f63293d357b4ec509ec39aa28f2ad.png) [@system](https://forums.plex.tv/u/system)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2023, 12:14am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/sampler-compilations-album/847741/11 "2023-10-27T00:14:50Z")
This topic was automatically closed 90 days after the last reply. New replies are no longer allowed.