What does ID mean in a tracklist? How to follow an ID
ID in a tracklist means nobody has named the track yet, often an unreleased promo or edit. How to save it, follow it and find it once it's out.
On this page
"ID" in a tracklist means the track hasn't been identified. Whoever wrote the list heard it but couldn't name it. "ID - ID" puts that placeholder in both slots, artist and title; "Artist - ID" means the artist is known but the title isn't. An ID is often an unreleased promo, a private edit or a track that's simply hard to find. It isn't a dead end: lists get updated, and many IDs get a name weeks or months later. The trick is saving enough to come back to it.
This guide is part of our guide on how to ID a track.
The ID labels you'll see
| In the list | What it means |
|---|---|
| ID - ID | Artist and title unknown |
| Artist - ID | Artist known, title unknown |
| ID (Artist Remix) | The remixer is known, the original isn't |
| A track with a time but no name | Someone marked the spot and nobody has filled it in yet |
Why a track stays an ID
- It's unreleased. DJs often play promos months before release. Until it's out, there's nothing to search for.
- It's a private edit. The DJ's own edit may never be released at all.
- Recognition can't match it. Apple describes Shazam as matching what it hears against the Shazam database. A track that isn't in the database, or that's buried under a long blend, won't match.
- The DJ keeps it private. Some do, by choice. Pioneer DJ's digging guide describes diggers who "guard their finds obsessively, never offering track IDs, even covering their record labels or the screen of their CDJs."
How to follow an ID until it has a name
- Save the context, not only the word "ID". Write down the DJ, the event or show, the date and the timestamp. Without those, you'll never find your way back.
- Try recognition once more. If you have the recording, play the section clearly, away from the blend, and try again. A clean few seconds matters more than volume.
- Read the comments. Under the upload, listeners post timestamps and answers. Another listener may have the name already.
- Check back on the list. Come back after a few weeks, and again when you hear the label or the artist has a release coming.
- Ask politely, once. One clear comment with the timestamp works better than several. If the DJ doesn't answer, let it go.
Pioneer DJ's guide quotes a reply some diggers give: "find your own records." Take it as a reminder that an ID is a lead, not the goal: the artist and label you do know are a good place to start digging.
When the ID gets a name
When a name shows up, treat it like any other find: listen to it properly before you buy, and check that the version you buy is the one you heard (the remix, the edit, the extended mix). Our guide to finding and buying the tracks from a DJ set covers matching the right version in a store.
Doing this with CatchIt!
CatchIt! organizes your digging. It's a Mac app for DJs, with the free iPhone app. On the Mac, paste a 1001tracklists, TrackID.net, set79 or Djooni tracklist link and the set's tracks come in as one list, next to everything else you've captured. See Importing tracklists.
- Mark a set as done. You can mark a tracklist completed, and hide completed ones, so the sets still waiting on IDs stay in view.
- Decide on the named tracks. In the Inbox, Return keeps a track (green) and Space rejects it (red). Kept tracks go to the Wishlist, with search links for Bandcamp, Beatport, YouTube and Google.
For the IDs still open, check back on the tracklist page itself.
Summary
- "ID" means the track hasn't been named yet; "ID - ID" means artist and title are both unknown.
- IDs are usually unreleased promos, private edits or tracks recognition can't match.
- Save the DJ, event, date and timestamp, read the comments, check back, and ask once.
- When it gets a name, check you're buying the version you heard.
Frequently asked questions
- What does "ID - ID" mean?
- Both the artist and the title are unknown. Whoever wrote the list heard the track but couldn't name any part of it.
- Why can't Shazam find an ID?
- Recognition matches what it hears against released recordings. If the track is unreleased, a promo or a private edit, there may be nothing in the database to match.
- How long until an ID gets a name?
- There's no fixed time. Some IDs are named within days when someone spots them, others when the track is released, and some never.
- Is it rude to ask a DJ for an ID?
- Asking politely is normal, usually in the comments under the set. Some DJs keep IDs private, and that's their choice.