How can I search lyrics in iTunes on Windows?

February 10, 2010 3:08 PM

How can I search lyrics in iTunes on Windows? I used a program to automatically add lyrics to many of my songs in iTunes. Some of the lyrics now consist of things like, "These lyrics are missing. Could you please submit them?" due to a failure to automatically retrieve anything. I'd like to search for common terms and either purge the bad lyrics or move those song to a playlist where I can then run them through a lyrics cleaner. Looks like there's a few good Mac/Applescript solutions but nothing I can find in Windows.
posted by scottso17 to Computers & Internet (2 answers total)

"Not easily" is probably the answer.

If you're able/willing to hack on code, iTunes for Windows is scriptable through a COM API published by Apple, although:

a) I didn't find it particularly simple to use when I tried it, and
b) that was several versions and several years ago, I don't know if the current version has added support for the Lyrics field.

developer.apple.com/sdk/itunescomsdk.html -- need an ADC membership to log in, which is apparently free.
posted by We had a deal, Kyle at 6:56 PM on February 10, 2010

Songbird has a plug-in to retrieve lyrics and I've found it to be remarkably accurate (rarely incorrect or needing to be 'cleaned up'). These updates will carry over when you resync your iPod, just don't run iTunes and Songbird at the same time.
posted by Twicketface at 9:42 AM on February 11, 2010