Proper Alphabetization in the Digital Age Redux

Just two weeks ago I whined about the lack of proper alphabetization in an iTunes/iPod world. The folks at Apple must’ve heard my cries.

Today the iTunes team released version 7.1, which features a nifty new full-screen Cover Flow. More importantly, though, it features forced sort fields. Yeehaw!! I can now have my cake and eat it too.

Case in point: Michael Jackson can be listed first name first, but then I can go into the file via “Get Info,” click the new “Sorting” tab and type in “Jackson, Michael” in the Sort Artist field. The new Sorting tab goes even further, allowing forced sorts by track name, album artist, album, composer and TV show.

This is fantastic news. The only hitch is that applying this sort is kind of quirky for more than one file at a time. As pointed out by this astute TUAW reader, you have to apply the sort to one file, then tell iTunes to sort others like it via the contextual menu.

All in all, not too shabby. I can’t wait to make it work. Hopefully storing this info directly in the ID3 tags means my 2-year old iPod photo will play nice with these new sorts. I’d rather not have to have tracks sorted one way on my computer and another way on my iPod. Now that would be confusing.

My next big iTunes feature request? Tagging, with smart playlist support. iTunes 8 perhaps?