# What can be done with super polluted AcoustIDs? **URL:** \ **Category:** AcoustID\ **Created:** [September 1, 2024, 10:54pm UTC](https://community.metabrainz.org/t/what-can-be-done-with-super-polluted-acoustids/712151 "2024-09-01T22:54:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![shakgriig](https://community.metabrainz.org/user_avatar/community.metabrainz.org/shakgriig/32/83755_2.png) [@shakgriig](https://community.metabrainz.org/u/shakgriig)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2024, 10:54pm UTC](https://community.metabrainz.org/t/what-can-be-done-with-super-polluted-acoustids/712151/1 "2024-09-01T22:54:11Z")
I am not super familiar with AcoustIDs but so many under [Two Steps From Hell](https://musicbrainz.org/artist/da02dddc-60fa-4ca4-88bb-8012598f1f86) are very messed up and I would like to fix them if possible. For example [Track "b733bff4-bfd4-49ac-bddc-03eb0d0a2706" | AcoustID](https://acoustid.org/track/10865476) I think it should be [Freedom Fighters (no choir)](https://musicbrainz.org/recording/dee432a5-a295-43db-8c34-794b04ee675a) or [Freedom Fighters](https://musicbrainz.org/recording/a631583b-fbd4-4630-952a-6f567895a562) (they are the same anyway and I am trying to merge them) but it is linked to multiple other recordings and has 4 IDs. I know the wrong track [Identity Crime](https://musicbrainz.org/recording/9a72dd8f-0cd4-4678-9355-d2ed6bcb3c9e) is in there because for some reason one album recording of “Freedom Fighters” was merged with it for whatever reason, which I am currently fixing. Is there any way to delete a busted AcoustID and start over? That or at least permanently purge the garbage data like dead recordings and wrong tracks? What can be done when one gets super messed up? ---
**Author:** ![IvanDobsky](https://community.metabrainz.org/user_avatar/community.metabrainz.org/ivandobsky/32/11785_2.png) [@IvanDobsky](https://community.metabrainz.org/u/IvanDobsky)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2024, 8:30am UTC](https://community.metabrainz.org/t/what-can-be-done-with-super-polluted-acoustids/712151/2 "2024-09-02T08:30:19Z")
Yes, you can delete the obvious busted up AcoustIDs. Just login to the AcoustID server and you’ll get a Delete button. Top right of that AcoustID page it says “Sign In”. Just click that and login with your Musicbrainz credentials. You can’t MOVE AcoustIDs, but you can delete. A good clue as to bad acoustIDs is if you see a low count of samples. It is technically possible to get two tracks submitting the same AcoustID, but I think I have only seen this twice after looking at many thousands of samples. You will also find that some editors will add a reference to an acoustID at the top of the recording page and a link to some releases it is found on. ([Example](https://musicbrainz.org/recording/62468143-e7a5-4d10-ae3c-51078b951f4d)) Sometimes some heavy remastering can create a new AcoustID. ([Example of remastering changes](https://musicbrainz.org/recording/04e60be7-3d65-4ed9-bd8c-3dab33fccff5)) Remember also people with vinyl copies submit their acoustIDs. These can come out slightly different There can be an awful mess with AcoustIDs on some artists. Much of this can come from the noobs who use Picard with 10,000 files… get a messy inaccurate match up that is not checked… and then hit that Submit AcoustID button 😱 ---
**Author:** ![Deleted\_Editor\_2513197](https://community.metabrainz.org/user_avatar/community.metabrainz.org/deleted_editor_2513197/32/85360_2.png) [@Deleted\_Editor\_2513197](https://community.metabrainz.org/u/Deleted_Editor_2513197)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2024, 8:53am UTC](https://community.metabrainz.org/t/what-can-be-done-with-super-polluted-acoustids/712151/3 "2024-09-02T08:53:53Z")
I see progress. [https://community.metabrainz.org/t/large-number-of-disc-ids-toc-for-one-album/694621](https://community.metabrainz.org/t/large-number-of-disc-ids-toc-for-one-album/694621) There were 18 DiscIDs, now there are 13. ![1](https://community.metabrainz.org/uploads/default/original/3X/4/d/4da4a02bf398c548f834f077553b8c0011833e77.png) | | | ![2](https://community.metabrainz.org/uploads/default/original/3X/e/7/e71648722bea7354d76a9c34a87e658851d2ac36.png) ---
**Author:** ![ernstlx](https://community.metabrainz.org/user_avatar/community.metabrainz.org/ernstlx/32/27258_2.png) [@ernstlx](https://community.metabrainz.org/u/ernstlx)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2024, 8:58am UTC](https://community.metabrainz.org/t/what-can-be-done-with-super-polluted-acoustids/712151/4 "2024-09-02T08:58:34Z")
> [@IvanDobsky](#): > > It is technically possible to get two tracks submitting the same AcoustID How can this be technically possible? The fingerprints are absolutely specific to a particular sound recording. Two recordings with different length which are are based on the same recording (a full length and a shortened version) may submit identical fingerprints (if compared) but they go to different acoustIDs because of their different length. > [@shakgriig](#): > > What can be done when one gets super messed up? If you have verified an acoustID for your recording, you can safely disable all other recordings linked to it. ---
**Author:** ![IvanDobsky](https://community.metabrainz.org/user_avatar/community.metabrainz.org/ivandobsky/32/11785_2.png) [@IvanDobsky](https://community.metabrainz.org/u/IvanDobsky)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2024, 9:12am UTC](https://community.metabrainz.org/t/what-can-be-done-with-super-polluted-acoustids/712151/5 "2024-09-02T09:12:15Z")
@Deleted_Editor_2513197 - we are talking AcoustIDs, not DiscIDs here… > [@ernstlx](#): > > How can this be technically possible? The fingerprints are absolutely specific to a particular sound recording. Oh I totally agree… but spotted it. And added them to a thread you were in. Just totally forgotten what they were now. 😁 I could verify them as I owned both tracks. Freaky maths. It is rare enough that you are pretty safe 99.9999% of the time disabling other matches. Especially when they have a low sample count. But sometimes need to be wary of a badly credited bootleg with an incorrect track list. ---
**Author:** ![ernstlx](https://community.metabrainz.org/user_avatar/community.metabrainz.org/ernstlx/32/27258_2.png) [@ernstlx](https://community.metabrainz.org/u/ernstlx)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2024, 9:13am UTC](https://community.metabrainz.org/t/what-can-be-done-with-super-polluted-acoustids/712151/6 "2024-09-02T09:13:19Z")
> [@Deleted\_Editor\_2513197](#): > > I see progress. Popular recordings often have more than one valid acoustID, especially if there are vinyls involved. Different (individual) splits can cause separate acoustIDs and sometimes very worn records can submit fingerprints that are not similar enough for the same acoustID. You can compare fingerprints of all attached acoustIDs to your verified fingerprint. All not similar can be disabled. Sometimes after such a clean up there are more than 10 remaining that are similar enough (according to your judgment). ---
**Author:** ![Deleted\_Editor\_2513197](https://community.metabrainz.org/user_avatar/community.metabrainz.org/deleted_editor_2513197/32/85360_2.png) [@Deleted\_Editor\_2513197](https://community.metabrainz.org/u/Deleted_Editor_2513197)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2024, 9:18am UTC](https://community.metabrainz.org/t/what-can-be-done-with-super-polluted-acoustids/712151/7 "2024-09-02T09:18:21Z")
Whoever invented the AcoustID audio fingerprint should get a Nobel Prize. Laliński? ---
**Author:** ![IvanDobsky](https://community.metabrainz.org/user_avatar/community.metabrainz.org/ivandobsky/32/11785_2.png) [@IvanDobsky](https://community.metabrainz.org/u/IvanDobsky)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2024, 9:20am UTC](https://community.metabrainz.org/t/what-can-be-done-with-super-polluted-acoustids/712151/8 "2024-09-02T09:20:33Z")
> [@Deleted\_Editor\_2513197](#): > > should get a Nobel Prize. It would have to be the Maths Prize. ---
**Author:** ![ernstlx](https://community.metabrainz.org/user_avatar/community.metabrainz.org/ernstlx/32/27258_2.png) [@ernstlx](https://community.metabrainz.org/u/ernstlx)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2024, 9:31am UTC](https://community.metabrainz.org/t/what-can-be-done-with-super-polluted-acoustids/712151/9 "2024-09-02T09:31:59Z")
> [@IvanDobsky](#): > > I could verify them as I owned both tracks. Freaky maths. If you can name two such tracks, please let me know. I would love to listen to them. ---
**Author:** ![IvanDobsky](https://community.metabrainz.org/user_avatar/community.metabrainz.org/ivandobsky/32/11785_2.png) [@IvanDobsky](https://community.metabrainz.org/u/IvanDobsky)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2024, 9:42am UTC](https://community.metabrainz.org/t/what-can-be-done-with-super-polluted-acoustids/712151/10 "2024-09-02T09:42:10Z")
> [@ernstlx](#): > > If you can name two such tracks, If I could remember any of the details I would post them. Long gone from the memory and no idea which thread they went in… ---
**Author:** ![ernstlx](https://community.metabrainz.org/user_avatar/community.metabrainz.org/ernstlx/32/27258_2.png) [@ernstlx](https://community.metabrainz.org/u/ernstlx)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2024, 9:59am UTC](https://community.metabrainz.org/t/what-can-be-done-with-super-polluted-acoustids/712151/11 "2024-09-02T09:59:27Z")
I don’t quite trust your memory. It is because of the way fingerprints are calculated. Only the peaks of the frequencies at a time are used - the loudest sounds. If the pattern is similar, it must have come from recordings that sound very similar. Only very quiet sounds can be different. ---
**Author:** ![shakgriig](https://community.metabrainz.org/user_avatar/community.metabrainz.org/shakgriig/32/83755_2.png) [@shakgriig](https://community.metabrainz.org/u/shakgriig)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2024, 3:07pm UTC](https://community.metabrainz.org/t/what-can-be-done-with-super-polluted-acoustids/712151/12 "2024-09-02T15:07:30Z")
So in the case of the example I gave what is the better option? 1. Attempt to narrow down the correct recording and disable all the others. 2. Disable everything and generate a completely new one. ---
**Author:** ![shakgriig](https://community.metabrainz.org/user_avatar/community.metabrainz.org/shakgriig/32/83755_2.png) [@shakgriig](https://community.metabrainz.org/u/shakgriig)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2024, 3:09pm UTC](https://community.metabrainz.org/t/what-can-be-done-with-super-polluted-acoustids/712151/13 "2024-09-02T15:09:42Z")
Also, do AcoustID that match to 0 recordings (from them being disabled) eventually delete themselves, like empty release groups, or do they sit there forever clogging up the space? ---
**Author:** ![shakgriig](https://community.metabrainz.org/user_avatar/community.metabrainz.org/shakgriig/32/83755_2.png) [@shakgriig](https://community.metabrainz.org/u/shakgriig)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2024, 3:11pm UTC](https://community.metabrainz.org/t/what-can-be-done-with-super-polluted-acoustids/712151/14 "2024-09-02T15:11:28Z")
> [@IvanDobsky](#): > > Just login to the AcoustID server and you’ll get a Delete button. Do you mean disable? That’s the only option I get. ---
**Author:** ![outsidecontext](https://community.metabrainz.org/user_avatar/community.metabrainz.org/outsidecontext/32/90_2.png) [@outsidecontext](https://community.metabrainz.org/u/outsidecontext)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2024, 3:18pm UTC](https://community.metabrainz.org/t/what-can-be-done-with-super-polluted-acoustids/712151/15 "2024-09-02T15:18:50Z")
> [@shakgriig](#): > > Also, do AcoustID that match to 0 recordings (from them being disabled) eventually delete themselves No, AcoustIDs exist on their own. They don’t need to be linked to a MB recording. ---
**Author:** ![reosarevok](https://community.metabrainz.org/user_avatar/community.metabrainz.org/reosarevok/32/69228_2.png) [@reosarevok](https://community.metabrainz.org/u/reosarevok)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2024, 3:38pm UTC](https://community.metabrainz.org/t/what-can-be-done-with-super-polluted-acoustids/712151/17 "2024-09-02T15:38:28Z")
> [@ernstlx](#): > > How can this be technically possible? FWIW and unrelatedly to anything else in here - I seem to remember back in the day the same song performed with the same backing track by two different jpop singers got given the same acoustid. The code might have been made more discerning in the years since though. ---
**Author:** ![IvanDobsky](https://community.metabrainz.org/user_avatar/community.metabrainz.org/ivandobsky/32/11785_2.png) [@IvanDobsky](https://community.metabrainz.org/u/IvanDobsky)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2024, 4:24pm UTC](https://community.metabrainz.org/t/what-can-be-done-with-super-polluted-acoustids/712151/18 "2024-09-02T16:24:31Z")
> [@shakgriig](#): > > 1. Attempt to narrow down the correct recording and disable all the others. > 2. Disable everything and generate a completely new one. 1 and 2 will end up doing the same thing. Generate a new AcoustID and read the value in Picard. Then look that up and disable the rest. And yes, when I said “Delete” I meant “Disable”. Worst case, if you disable something that was correct then it will soon get re-enabled again. Especially if you are doing a heap of work on a specific artist. ---
**Author:** ![ernstlx](https://community.metabrainz.org/user_avatar/community.metabrainz.org/ernstlx/32/27258_2.png) [@ernstlx](https://community.metabrainz.org/u/ernstlx)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2024, 4:54pm UTC](https://community.metabrainz.org/t/what-can-be-done-with-super-polluted-acoustids/712151/19 "2024-09-02T16:54:37Z")
My experience has been that even different mixes that sound very similar produce clearly distinguishable fingerprints. ---
**Author:** ![ernstlx](https://community.metabrainz.org/user_avatar/community.metabrainz.org/ernstlx/32/27258_2.png) [@ernstlx](https://community.metabrainz.org/u/ernstlx)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2024, 5:29pm UTC](https://community.metabrainz.org/t/what-can-be-done-with-super-polluted-acoustids/712151/20 "2024-09-02T17:29:51Z")
> [@shakgriig](#): > > So in the case of the example I gave what is the better option? > > 1. Attempt to narrow down the correct recording and disable all the others. > 2. Disable everything and generate a completely new one. You can’t disable all active acoustIDs of a recording. Yours is only one specimen and there are most often other valid acoustIDs. But if your acoustID is shared with other (different) recordings, you can of course disable them. My workflow is as follows: 1. I determine the AcoustID of my version: I usually look for the specific fingerprint by re-submitting it, but all available fingerprints would be similar enough to compare it to others (you can use the acoustIDs returned from a scan). 2. I compare this fingerprint to the most often submitted fingerprint of other acoustIDs attached to the recording: - at those similar to mine, I disable all recordings that are not this recording - at those not similar to mine, I disable this recording (and leave others, if present) During this process I look at other linked recordings that are possibly duplicates. I look at their fingerprints and if they are (mostly) also similar, I initiate a merge. If it’s unclear, I leave it and do not disable it from the acoustID. When I’m finished with the clean up, the recording will only be represented by similar = verified acoustIDs and no clearly different recording will remain at these acoustIDs. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![tigerman325](https://community.metabrainz.org/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/t/b9bd4f/32.png) [@tigerman325](https://community.metabrainz.org/u/tigerman325)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2024, 8:15pm UTC](https://community.metabrainz.org/t/what-can-be-done-with-super-polluted-acoustids/712151/21 "2024-09-02T20:15:43Z")
I’ve seen same acoustID when clean vs. explicit. [Next page](https://community.metabrainz.org/t/what-can-be-done-with-super-polluted-acoustids/712151.md?page=2)