Browser ID3 Writer

Pure JS library for writing ID3 (v2.3) tag to MP3 files in browsers and Node.js. It can't read the tag so use another lib to do it.

Note: the library removes existing ID3 tag (v2.2, v2.3 and v2.4).

Works in Node.js 4+, IE10+ and all modern browsers.

Here is an online demonstration: egoroof.ru/browser-id3-writer/

Table of Contents

• Installation
• Usage
  • Browser
    1. Get ArrayBuffer of song
    2. Add a tag
    3. Save file
    4. Memory control
  • Node.js
• Supported frames
• APIC picture types

Installation

For browsers you can include library via unpkg CDN (2.5 KiB gzip) or save it to local machine:

<script src="https://unpkg.com/browser-id3-writer@3.0.8" crossorigin="anonymous" integrity="sha384-Vu4x2MLn2tvsjtNzj/QUzhEV40nh0LVOOfbAyPiFuskxPbR4242zDbI2F1PAl+i1"></script>

For Node.js and browser module loaders like webpack, browserify, etc. install it via npm:

npm install browser-id3-writer --save

Then you will be able to use it:

const ID3Writer = require('browser-id3-writer');

Usage

Browser

Get ArrayBuffer of song

You should first get ArrayBuffer of the song you would like to add ID3 tag.

FileReader

For example you can create file input and use FileReader:

<input type="file" id="file" accept="audio/mpeg">
<script>
    document.getElementById('file').addEventListener('change', function () {
        if (!this.files.length) {
            return;
        }
        const reader = new FileReader();
        reader.onload = function () {
            const arrayBuffer = reader.result;
            // go next
        };
        reader.onerror = function () {
            // handle error
            console.error('Reader error', reader.error);
        };
        reader.readAsArrayBuffer(this.files[0]);
    });
</script>

XMLHttpRequest

To get arrayBuffer from remote server you can use XMLHttpRequest:

const xhr = new XMLHttpRequest();
xhr.open('GET', urlToSongFile, true);
xhr.responseType = 'arraybuffer';
xhr.onload = function () {
    if (xhr.status === 200) {
        const arrayBuffer = xhr.response;
        // go next
    } else {
        // handle error
        console.error(xhr.statusText + ' (' + xhr.status + ')');
    }
};
xhr.onerror = function() {
    // handle error
    console.error('Network error');
};
xhr.send();

Add a tag

Create new ID3Writer instance with arrayBuffer of your song, set frames and add a tag:

// arrayBuffer of song or empty arrayBuffer if you just want only id3 tag without song
const writer = new ID3Writer(arrayBuffer);
writer.setFrame('TIT2', 'Home')
      .setFrame('TPE1', ['Eminem', '50 Cent'])
      .setFrame('TALB', 'Friday Night Lights')
      .setFrame('TYER', 2004)
      .setFrame('TRCK', '6/8')
      .setFrame('TCON', ['Soundtrack'])
      .setFrame('TBPM', 128)
      .setFrame('WPAY', 'https://google.com')
      .setFrame('TKEY', 'Fbm')
      .setFrame('APIC', {
          type: 3,
          data: coverArrayBuffer,
          description: 'Super picture'
      });
writer.addTag();

Save file

Now you can save it to file as you want:

const taggedSongBuffer = writer.arrayBuffer;
const blob = writer.getBlob();
const url = writer.getURL();

For example you can save file using FileSaver.js:

saveAs(blob, 'song with tags.mp3');

If you are writing chromium extension you can save file using Downloads API:

chrome.downloads.download({
    url: url,
    filename: 'song with tags.mp3'
});

Memory control

When you generate URLs via writer.getURL() you should know that whole file is kept in memory until you close the page or move to another one. So if you generate lots of URLs in a single page you should manually free memory after you finish downloading file:

URL.revokeObjectURL(url); // if you know url or
writer.revokeURL(); // if you have access to writer

Node.js

Simple example with blocking IO:

const ID3Writer = require('browser-id3-writer');
const fs = require('fs');

const songBuffer = fs.readFileSync('path_to_song.mp3');
const coverBuffer = fs.readFileSync('path_to_cover.jpg');

const writer = new ID3Writer(songBuffer);
writer.setFrame('TIT2', 'Home')
      .setFrame('TPE1', ['Eminem', '50 Cent'])
      .setFrame('TALB', 'Friday Night Lights')
      .setFrame('TYER', 2004)
      .setFrame('APIC', {
          type: 3,
          data: coverBuffer,
          description: 'Super picture'
      });
writer.addTag();

const taggedSongBuffer = Buffer.from(writer.arrayBuffer);
fs.writeFileSync('song_with_tags.mp3', taggedSongBuffer);

You can also create only ID3 tag without song and use it as you want:

const writer = new ID3Writer(Buffer.alloc(0));
writer.padding = 0; // default 4096
writer.setFrame('TIT2', 'Home');
writer.addTag();
const id3Buffer = Buffer.from(writer.arrayBuffer);

Supported frames

Have not found needed frame? Open a new issue and we'll discuss it.

array of strings:

• TPE1 (song artists)
• TCOM (song composers)
• TCON (song genres)

string

• TIT2 (song title)
• TALB (album title)
• TPE2 (album artist)
• TPE3 (conductor/performer refinement)
• TPE4 (interpreted, remixed, or otherwise modified by)
• TRCK (song number in album): '5' or '5/10'
• TPOS (album disc number): '1' or '1/3'
• TPUB (label name)
• TKEY (initial key)
• TMED (media type)
• WCOM (commercial information)
• WCOP (copyright/Legal information)
• WOAF (official audio file webpage)
• WOAR (official artist/performer webpage)
• WOAS (official audio source webpage)
• WORS (official internet radio station homepage)
• WPAY (payment)
• WPUB (publishers official webpage)

integer

• TLEN (song duration in milliseconds)
• TYER (album release year)
• TBPM (beats per minute)

object

• COMM (comments):

writer.setFrame('COMM', {
    description: 'description here',
    text: 'text here'
});

• USLT (unsychronised lyrics):

writer.setFrame('USLT', {
    description: 'description here',
    lyrics: 'lyrics here'
});

• TXXX (user defined text):

writer.setFrame('TXXX', {
    description: 'description here',
    value: 'value here'
});

• APIC (attached picture):

writer.setFrame('APIC', {
    type: 3,
    data: coverArrayBuffer,
    description: 'description here'
});

APIC picture types

Type	Name
0	Other
1	32x32 pixels 'file icon' (PNG only)
2	Other file icon
3	Cover (front)
4	Cover (back)
5	Leaflet page
6	Media (e.g. lable side of CD)
7	Lead artist/lead performer/soloist
8	Artist/performer
9	Conductor
10	Band/Orchestra
11	Composer
12	Lyricist/text writer
13	Recording Location
14	During recording
15	During performance
16	Movie/video screen capture
17	A bright coloured fish
18	Illustration
19	Band/artist logotype
20	Publisher/Studio logotype