== Welcome ==
ID3 is a very popular audio file data tagging format in active use by software and hardware developers around the world.  ID3 tags are supported in software such as [http://itunes.com iTunes], [http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windowsmedia/ Windows Media Player], [http://winamp.com/ Winamp], YME, [http://musicmatch.com/ MusicMatch] and hardware players like the [http://www.apple.com/ipod iPod], [http://creative.com/products/welcome.asp?category=213 Creative Zen], [http://www.toshibadirect.com/td/b2c/acat.to?seg=HHO&coid=-26604 Toshiba Gigabeat] and [http://www.sonystyle.com/is-bin/INTERSHOP.enfinity/eCS/Store/en/-/USD/SY_BrowseCatalog-Start;sid=iol0yFUOhSp0HBatp1p-wxoAGM34hD9Kq80=?CategoryName=pa_mp3players&Dept=audio Sony Walkman].

An ID3 tag is a data container within an MP3 audio file stored in a prescribed format. This data commonly contains the Artist name, Song title, Year and Genre of the current audio file.  This website contains the format standards information for the ID3 tagging data container.  If you've read this far and are confused, check the [:ID3v2Easy: ID3v2Easy] page for a short, low-tech introduction.

While there are legacy and future standards for ID3 tags, the most popular version implemented today is ID3 [:id3v2.3.0: version 2.3].  A follow on version, [:id3v2.4.0-structure: 2.4], is 
documented on this website but has not achieved popular status due to some disagreements on some of the revisions and the tremendous inertia present in the software and hardware marketplace.

Consumers should read the ["Introduction"] where the basics of the ID3 tagging format and its history are covered.  On that page are links to basic technical information about how ID3 tags work. The [:FAQ: Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)] page contains some additional items of interest.

Developers who are new to the ID3 tag format may want to jump directly to the [:ID3v2Easy:ID3v2 made easy] page for quick low tech introduction. Those interested in getting right into the thick of the standard should check out the [:Developer Information:Developer Information] page. Software developers will find ID3 tag manipulation libraries under ["Implementations"].

The technical aspects of ID3 tagging are discussed on the [:MailingList: ID3v2 Developers Mailing List].

== News ==
2009-01-12 [http://download.microsoft.com/download/F/D/B/FDBFC5A5-51CD-4C8D-9F18-7BCC3810498E/Windows%207%20Beta%20Release%20Notes.htm#ID0E6G Microsoft Windows 7 Beta may damage MP3 files] [[BR]]
2008-04-23 [http://www.gracenote.com/company_info/press/042208/ Sony Corporation of America to Acquire Gracenote] [[BR]]
2007-02-03 !IdSharp .NET 2.0 tag library alpha release - see [:Developer Information: Developer Information Work In Progress] [[BR]]
2006-10-22 [:id3v2-accessibility-1.0: ID3 Accessibily Tags, 1.0 final] is available [[BR]] 
2006-10-01 [:id3v2-accessibility-1.0-draft3: ID3 Accessiblity Tags, 1.0 draft 3] is available [[BR]]
2006-01-01 [:id3v2-chapters-1.0: ID3 Chapter frame Tags] (think podcast) [[BR]]
2005-12-18 [:Compliance_Issues: A list of applications] that don't comply exactly to the tag specification.

== Special thanks ==
[http://www.dotster.com Dotster] has been very generous and excellent in their service to ID3.org. Please consider them if your looking for a registrar or web hosting.

== A global presence ==
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