" Metadata is a fancy word for the information about the songs/album. This information is stored in the files themselves for formats that allow for it (flac does while wav does not). This allows music players (not usually CD players although I'm sure there are exceptions) to display the song title, album title, artist, album artwork, etc. during playback."
That's all correct, but I would add 1 thing. If you're new computer based audio, it's very easy to confuse metadata (or tags-same thing), with file system info, especially if you have a music player that has both file and library views.
For example, if you look at your music files in Windows Explorer, you'll see your music however it looks on your hard drive. Metadada (tagging) is completely different. Let's say you download files from the band "Rolling Stones" and you want it to be "The Rolling Stones" instead. If you make the name change to the file itself in Explorer, you won't see the change in library view (metadata). Or, if you retag the metadata, you won't see the change in the file structure.
If you're not aware of the above you run the risk of throwing your computer out the closest window.
That's all correct, but I would add 1 thing. If you're new computer based audio, it's very easy to confuse metadata (or tags-same thing), with file system info, especially if you have a music player that has both file and library views.
For example, if you look at your music files in Windows Explorer, you'll see your music however it looks on your hard drive. Metadada (tagging) is completely different. Let's say you download files from the band "Rolling Stones" and you want it to be "The Rolling Stones" instead. If you make the name change to the file itself in Explorer, you won't see the change in library view (metadata). Or, if you retag the metadata, you won't see the change in the file structure.
If you're not aware of the above you run the risk of throwing your computer out the closest window.