Read ID3 Tags of an MP3 file

Reading ID3 Tags of an MP3 File

ID3 tags are metadata embedded in MP3 files that provide information about the song, such as the title, artist, album, genre, and more. This article will guide you on how to read ID3 tags from an MP3 file using different programming languages.

Python

Using the `mutagen` Library

The mutagen library provides a convenient way to work with ID3 tags in Python. Install it using pip:
pip install mutagen

from mutagen.mp3 import MP3

# Load the MP3 file
audio = MP3('your_music.mp3')

# Access the ID3 tags
print("Title:", audio['TIT2'].text[0])
print("Artist:", audio['TPE1'].text[0])
print("Album:", audio['TALB'].text[0])
print("Genre:", audio['TCON'].text[0])

# Get the duration in seconds
print("Duration:", audio.info.length)

Title: Song Title
Artist: Artist Name
Album: Album Name
Genre: Genre
Duration: 240.0

Using the `eyeD3` Library

The eyeD3 library provides a more straightforward API for accessing ID3 tags. Install it using pip:
pip install eyed3

import eyed3

# Load the MP3 file
audio = eyed3.load('your_music.mp3')

# Access the ID3 tags
print("Title:", audio.tag.title)
print("Artist:", audio.tag.artist)
print("Album:", audio.tag.album)
print("Genre:", audio.tag.genre)

# Get the duration in seconds
print("Duration:", audio.info.time_secs)

Title: Song Title
Artist: Artist Name
Album: Album Name
Genre: Genre
Duration: 240.0

Java

Using the `jaudiotagger` Library

The jaudiotagger library is a robust solution for handling ID3 tags in Java. Install it using Maven:
<dependency>
<groupId>net.sf.jaudiotagger</groupId>
<artifactId>jaudiotagger</artifactId>
<version>2.0.3</version>
</dependency>

import org.jaudiotagger.audio.AudioFile;
import org.jaudiotagger.audio.AudioFileIO;
import org.jaudiotagger.tag.FieldKey;
import org.jaudiotagger.tag.Tag;

// Load the MP3 file
AudioFile audio = AudioFileIO.read(new File("your_music.mp3"));

// Access the ID3 tags
Tag tag = audio.getTag();
print("Title:", tag.getFirst(FieldKey.TITLE));
print("Artist:", tag.getFirst(FieldKey.ARTIST));
print("Album:", tag.getFirst(FieldKey.ALBUM));
print("Genre:", tag.getFirst(FieldKey.GENRE));

// Get the duration in milliseconds
print("Duration:", audio.getAudioHeader().getTrackLength());

Title: Song Title
Artist: Artist Name
Album: Album Name
Genre: Genre
Duration: 144000

JavaScript

Using the `music-metadata` Library

The music-metadata library provides a comprehensive solution for working with metadata, including ID3 tags, in JavaScript. Install it using npm:
npm install music-metadata

const musicMetadata = require('music-metadata');

// Read the MP3 file
musicMetadata.parseFile('your_music.mp3').then(metadata => {
  console.log("Title:", metadata.common.title);
  console.log("Artist:", metadata.common.artist);
  console.log("Album:", metadata.common.album);
  console.log("Genre:", metadata.common.genre);

  // Get the duration in seconds
  console.log("Duration:", metadata.format.duration);
});

Title: Song Title
Artist: Artist Name
Album: Album Name
Genre: Genre
Duration: 240

Comparison

Conclusion

This article has provided a practical overview of reading ID3 tags from MP3 files in various programming languages. Choose the library and approach that best suits your project’s needs. Remember that understanding the ID3 tag structure and the specific fields can enhance your metadata analysis and manipulation.