If your station is broadcasting audio but the dashboard shows No metadata received, the stream is connected but your encoder is not sending track title updates.
There is no single metadata screen that works the same way in every app. Each encoder uses different wording and menus. In most software, you want to look for settings named:
- Metadata
- Song title
- Now playing
- Stream title
- Title updates
Quick fix checklist
- Confirm your stream is connected and audio is live.
- Open your encoder’s broadcasting or stream settings.
- Find the metadata or now-playing section.
- Enable automatic title updates if that option exists.
-
Use a simple format such as
Title - Artist. - Save the settings and reconnect the encoder if required.
- Change tracks and confirm the title updates in the dashboard.
What usually causes this
- Metadata updates are disabled in the encoder.
- The encoder is sending a fixed station name instead of the current track title.
- Your playout or DJ software is not linked to the encoder’s metadata feature.
- The encoder only applies metadata changes after reconnecting.
What to look for in your software
The exact setup depends on the encoder you use:
- Built-in encoder apps such as Mixxx often have a metadata checkbox or title format setting in their live broadcasting panel.
- Standalone encoders such as BUTT usually need a song title source, a file, or a player integration before they can send updates.
- Radio automation suites often export now-playing data separately and need an encoder or plugin to forward that metadata to the stream.
If you do not see a metadata section, search your software’s docs for one of these terms: metadata, song title, stream title, now playing, title update.
Popular software examples
- Mixxx official metadata guide
- BUTT official manual
- Mixxx setup on CloudRadio
- BUTT setup on CloudRadio
- SAM Broadcaster setup
- SAM Cast setup
- VirtualDJ 8 setup
- RadioBOSS setup
- RadioCaster setup
Best way to test it
- Start streaming normally.
- Play one track and wait a few seconds.
- Skip to another track with a clearly different title.
- Check whether the dashboard changes from track A to track B.
Some encoders do not update metadata for the track that was already playing when you enabled or fixed the setting. In that case, the first correct metadata update only appears on the next track change.
If the title never changes:
- Re-check the metadata setting in the encoder.
- Remove any static stream title override.
- Reconnect the encoder after saving changes.
- Try the software’s dedicated metadata guide from the list above.
Notes for Icecast and SHOUTcast
Both Icecast and SHOUTcast can receive metadata updates, but the encoder must send them correctly. If audio is live and listeners are connected, the server itself is usually fine. In most cases, the missing piece is the encoder configuration.