Groove missing artist art - solved

[pc2k16]

Background:
Not on anniversary update yet. I was having a problem with the Groove app not adding any Artist art for any of my music on my Lumia 1520. Artist art would not show up at all. I have all the metadata and Album art setup perfectly using a program called mp3 tag. I have the exact same music on my phone as I do on my computer (copied from computer to phone via usb).

I tried the Groove app on my computer once, but didn't turn on the setting to "Automatically retrieve and update missing album art and metadata" because I didn't want it to mess up my already perfect metadata. I did, however, turn on that setting on my phone, but still no Artist art.

Troubleshooting and solution:
I decided to turn on that setting on my computer groove app and within a few seconds I started getting Artist art. All but a few were found. I then went to the phone, turned the setting back on and still nothing. I then tried hooking the phone to my home wifi, and within a few seconds I started getting Artist art. I never hook my phone to wifi because I have more data in my plan than I know what to do with so I use LTE exclusively. It seems the groove app isn't capable of, or allowed to, download the Artist art on a data connection, but it does work fine when on wifi. If you're having any issues try hooking to wifi and then open the groove app and let it do it's thing.

Only a few Artist art were still missing so I used a program called Groove Manager. This program was able to find the few missing Artist art that remained and add that art to my local groove database. I now have Artist art for all my music.

The more I use the groove app, the more I like it, so I now use groove for playing music on my phone, computer, and home stereo exclusively. I'm now enjoying the Artist art, and all my Album art and metadata I added stayed in tact.

 

[Bobvfr]

Now up to 515 albums in my collection on my phone, PC, SP3 and Xbox one, only one or two local albums left as I have replaced them with Music pass versions, a few more in Onedrive, but the vast majority now with my music pass, and I have access to play almost limitless albums, songs and stuff I wouldn't normally listen to if I was buying CD's.

My Xbox One is now my main entertainment centre, it's hooked up to a receiver (Amp), large speakers and my large screen TV and I use Groove all the time, haven't actually put a CD in the disc drive once.

I can listen through ear phones (In ear) on my motorbikes, play on my SP3, I use a MD12 Bluetooth speaker if I want a bit more oomph from my phone or Surface, on my desktop I have a good sound card and decent desktop speakers and a good set of on head earphones when I want privacy. If I find myself on a strange PC I can even use the web version. I can use voice commands through Cortana.

I can hook my phone up to a monitor, TV or almost any screen and listen through Continuum.

In other words, I can play almost any music I want, on any device I want, in most situations I will ever find myself in.

You do see lots of folk fighting against Groove, trying to dump terabytes of local files on it and wondering why it doesn't work, when a bit of forethought and patience will sort most issues out. It's a shame as they are missing out on what has become a great music system, but there is no law to stop any one using media player or other apps.

I like Groove a lot, it has come a long way from Xbox Music.



PS Out of those 515 albums I only have one album with missing album art and that is the Beatles "Let it be naked", it shows up on the standard version though and it doesn't worry me any more, almost to the point I enjoy seeing there.

PPS And with the hopefully soon to be released editing of metadata even some of the luddites may become fans............

PPPS, I can even listen on my wife's phone, Surface Pro or Xbox One but that does have a problem as she has crap taste in music :smile:

 

[pc2k16]

@Bobvfr - Thanks for the info on your setup. Sounds nice. I'll admit, I was resistant to Groove at first, I just stuck with using the music folder in file explorer and WMP. Now that I switched to Groove I see I was missing out on a lot of functionality, info, and fun. I now use it on computer and phone. In my 2015 Lexus IS350, which has an amazing sound system, Groove works well. Only an occasional issue where the music doesn't auto start when starting the car. I also use Bluetooth headphones paired to my 1520 with Groove and it works perfect, no issues.

I also have a wireless music system that sends the sound from my computer to my home stereo (old school speakers with 16" woofers, an equalizer, surround sound, and a descent pioneer head unit). My computer has a 24" touch screen monitor that can be folded to lay flat on a table/desk and the computer is also hooked to my TV for video via hdmi. Groove again works well in this setup. Last night I had friends over so I fired up Groove, put the video on the TV so everyone could see it, and then allowed people to pick and choose music they wanted to hear via the touch screen monitor. These were iPhone and android users, so for some it was the first time they'd seen Groove and it was a hit. Everyone though it was really cool and easy to use. They really liked reading bios and all the artist/album art as well. They were also amazed that I can put music up on one drive and have that music playable on my computer and my phone.

Even if they can do similar with their phones and a win10 computer, they really never tried cause it all doesn't integrate seamlessly like a win10 phone and win10 computer.

You are right, Groove has come along way from xbox music and WMP. Glad I'm using it now.