{"id":151,"date":"2026-11-09T09:43:08","date_gmt":"2026-11-09T09:43:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/free-shoutcast.com\/blog\/?p=151"},"modified":"2026-11-09T09:58:55","modified_gmt":"2026-11-09T09:58:55","slug":"add-song-titles-artist-names-radio-stream","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/free-shoutcast.com\/blog\/add-song-titles-artist-names-radio-stream\/","title":{"rendered":"How to add song titles and artist names to an internet radio stream"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Song titles and artist names help listeners identify tracks, improve the information shown in player apps, and make a station sound professionally managed. This information is not extracted from the audio itself. It must be supplied by an encoder, automation system, or AutoDJ service as stream metadata.<\/p>\n<p>This guide explains how internet radio song metadata moves through a broadcasting setup and how to configure reliable now-playing updates for live and automated programming.<\/p>\n<h2>How stream metadata works<\/h2>\n<p>Stream metadata is text sent alongside an audio stream. It commonly contains an artist and song title formatted like this:<\/p>\n<p><code>Artist name - Song title<\/code><\/p>\n<p>The source software sends the audio and current title information to the streaming server. SHOUTcast or Icecast then makes that information available to compatible players, apps, widgets, directories, and status pages.<\/p>\n<p>A typical metadata path looks like this:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>The automation system loads or plays a track.<\/li>\n<li>It reads the artist and title from its music database or the file&#8217;s tags.<\/li>\n<li>The automation system passes the information to the encoder.<\/li>\n<li>The encoder or a separate metadata tool submits the update to the streaming server.<\/li>\n<li>The server distributes the new title to connected listeners and other services.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>The exact transport method depends on the server, stream format, encoder, and player. Some encoders receive titles directly from radio automation software. Others monitor a text file, window title, local URL, or web endpoint that contains the current track.<\/p>\n<h2>Prepare your music library<\/h2>\n<p>Automatic metadata is only as accurate as the source data. Before configuring the encoder, review the artist and title fields in your automation library or audio file tags.<\/p>\n<p>For MP3 files, this information is usually stored in ID3 tags. Other formats have their own tagging systems. AutoDJ platforms may read tags when files are uploaded and store the values in a separate database.<\/p>\n<p>Check for common problems such as:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Missing artist or title fields<\/li>\n<li>Track numbers included in the title<\/li>\n<li>File names used instead of proper tags<\/li>\n<li>Inconsistent artist spelling<\/li>\n<li>Extra text such as file format, bitrate, or folder name<\/li>\n<li>Unsupported characters introduced by old tagging software<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Use consistent fields rather than relying on file names such as <code>07_song_final.mp3<\/code>. A clean library entry would contain <code>Example Artist<\/code> in the artist field and <code>Example Song<\/code> in the title field.<\/p>\n<h2>Configure metadata for live broadcasts<\/h2>\n<p>During a live broadcast, the encoder must know what is currently playing. The best method is a direct connection between the playout or automation software and the encoder.<\/p>\n<h3>Use automation integration<\/h3>\n<p>Many radio automation applications can publish now-playing information when a track starts. Depending on the software, the title may be sent directly to the encoder or written to a text file that the encoder monitors.<\/p>\n<p>A common setup is:<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>Configure the automation software to export <code>Artist - Title<\/code> to a now-playing text file.<\/li>\n<li>Open the encoder&#8217;s metadata or song update settings.<\/li>\n<li>Select the option to read metadata from a file, URL, or supported automation source.<\/li>\n<li>Set a sensible polling interval if the encoder checks for changes periodically.<\/li>\n<li>Play several tracks and confirm that each update reaches the server.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>Use a stable file location and make sure the encoder account has permission to read it. If the automation and encoder run on different computers, a local web endpoint or built-in network integration may be more suitable than a shared file.<\/p>\n<h3>Update titles during manual shows<\/h3>\n<p>If a presenter plays music from software that does not export metadata, titles can be entered through the encoder or a compatible server administration tool. This works for occasional updates but is easy to forget during a busy show.<\/p>\n<p>For speech segments, use descriptive text such as <code>Morning show with Alex<\/code> rather than leaving the previous song displayed. The same approach works for interviews, news bulletins, and live events.<\/p>\n<h2>Set up SHOUTcast song title updates<\/h2>\n<p>SHOUTcast song title updates normally originate from the source encoder, automation system, or AutoDJ. Enter the correct server credentials in the source software, then enable its metadata or song-title option.<\/p>\n<p>Some configurations provide a separate administrative method for updating the current title. Access details and supported methods vary between SHOUTcast versions, hosting panels, and encoder applications, so follow the documentation supplied with your server and encoder.<\/p>\n<p>After configuration, check the title in more than one place. Review the server status page, a compatible player, and any station widget or directory listing. A title visible in the encoder but missing from the server usually indicates that the update is not being submitted correctly.<\/p>\n<h2>Configure Icecast metadata<\/h2>\n<p>Icecast metadata is associated with a mount point, which is the path listeners use to access a particular stream. If a server has several mount points, make sure metadata updates are being sent to the same mount that carries the audio.<\/p>\n<p>The source client may send title information as part of its normal connection. Icecast also supports authorized administrative updates for suitable stream formats and source arrangements. Hosting control panels may provide their own interface for the same purpose.<\/p>\n<p>Verify the mount name, source password, and metadata settings in the encoder. If audio reaches one mount while title updates target another, listeners will see missing or unrelated information.<\/p>\n<h2>Add metadata to AutoDJ programming<\/h2>\n<p>An AutoDJ usually creates now-playing information from the tracks in its media library. Correct the metadata before or after upload, depending on the tools provided by the hosting platform.<\/p>\n<p>Review tracks inside the AutoDJ library rather than assuming the original file tags were imported perfectly. Then test transitions between songs, station IDs, advertisements, and scheduled programs.<\/p>\n<p>For non-music files, assign useful titles. A station ident could display the station name, while a prerecorded program could use the show and episode title. Avoid exposing internal file names such as <code>promo_mix_v3_final.mp3<\/code>.<\/p>\n<h2>Troubleshoot missing or stale titles<\/h2>\n<p>If the now playing information radio stream listeners receive is blank or outdated, trace the metadata from its origin instead of changing several settings at once.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Confirm that the automation system shows the correct current track.<\/li>\n<li>Check the exported text file or metadata output.<\/li>\n<li>Verify that the encoder has metadata updates enabled.<\/li>\n<li>Confirm the server address, mount point, stream ID, and credentials.<\/li>\n<li>Check the server status page before testing third-party players.<\/li>\n<li>Restart or reconnect the source after changing encoder settings if required.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Player caching can delay visible changes. Directories, mobile apps, website widgets, and relays may also refresh on their own schedules. If the server displays the correct title but an external service does not, the problem is likely beyond the source encoder.<\/p>\n<h2>Keep now-playing data consistent<\/h2>\n<p>Choose one authoritative metadata source for each stream. Allowing the automation system, encoder, and a separate script to submit different titles can cause rapid changes or incorrect information.<\/p>\n<p>Test the full path whenever you replace an encoder, change an AutoDJ platform, add a relay, or move to a new mount point. Accurate internet radio song metadata depends on every part of that path using the same current-track data.<\/p>\n<h2>Conclusion<\/h2>\n<p>Reliable song information starts with clean library tags and a clear connection between playout software, encoder, and streaming server. Configure automatic updates where possible, use descriptive titles for spoken content, and verify the result at the server before troubleshooting external players.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Learn how stream metadata works and configure automatic artist and song updates for live broadcasts, SHOUTcast, Icecast, and AutoDJ playlists.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":150,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-151","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-streaming"],"acf":{"short_desc":"Song and artist metadata helps internet radio broadcasters give listeners accurate now-playing details in players, apps, and directories. This article explains how metadata travels from automation software or a live encoder to SHOUTcast and Icecast servers. It covers source configuration, common formatting choices, and practical testing methods. It also addresses missing or delayed updates, inconsistent tags, and the limits of player and directory refresh behavior."},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/free-shoutcast.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/151","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/free-shoutcast.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/free-shoutcast.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/free-shoutcast.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/free-shoutcast.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=151"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/free-shoutcast.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/151\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":158,"href":"https:\/\/free-shoutcast.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/151\/revisions\/158"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/free-shoutcast.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/150"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/free-shoutcast.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=151"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/free-shoutcast.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=151"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/free-shoutcast.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=151"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}