picard

MusicBrainz Picard is the official tagger application of the MusicBrainz project, distributed as a cross-platform desktop program for Linux, macOS and Windows. It is designed around an album-oriented tagging workflow, which lets it apply MusicBrainz release data to a group of tracks at once rather than treating each file in isolation. Identification works through several routes. Picard can use AcoustID audio fingerprints, so files can be matched by their actual audio content even when they carry no metadata at all. It also supports CD lookups and disc ID submissions, allowing an entire physical disc to be identified and tagged in one action. Once a release is matched, tag data is drawn from the open, community-maintained MusicBrainz database, which covers millions of releases. Format support is broad and includes MP3, FLAC, OGG, M4A, WMA and WAV among other popular music formats. Unicode handling is described as excellent, which matters for releases with non-Latin titles and artist names. Beyond basic tagging, Picard offers a scripting language for controlling exactly how files are named and how tags are written, so users can define their own naming schemes and tag layouts. It can also locate and download cover art for albums. A plugin system extends the application further: users can install plugins from the published plugin catalogue or write their own using the documented plugin API. The project is licensed under the GNU General Public License 2.0 or later and is developed in the open on GitHub. Prebuilt binaries are offered on the Picard download page, and the repository includes build instructions for those who want to compile it themselves. Bug reports and feature requests are handled through the MusicBrainz issue tracker, while usage questions are directed to the documentation and the MusicBrainz community forums.