How order is determined?

[mr_doles]

I am trying to figure out how info is read, folder/file, ID3 tag, or both.  Here is my reason.  My folder structure is like this Music\genre\artist\CD\# song.mp3 for example
Music\Grunge\Alice In Chains\Sap\01 Brother.mp3.
Now when I create the database is see artists alphabetically then CD's alphabetically per artist then songs numeric (I assume because I number them).  Well I want CD's ordered by year so I painstakingly put the year of the CD on the folder of the CD i.e.
Music\Grunge\Alice In Chains\1992 Sap\01 Brother.mp3
Now here is where I am confused, I have a decades folder with no artists just CD and songs
Music\Decades\Pure 70's\01 All Right Now.mp3
I put 1950 on the CDs from the 50's, 1960 on the CD's from the 60's etc thinking that would group the decades together (see attached) but it does not they are listed alphabetical (see attached).  I tried creating a 1950 folder and put the 50's stuff together etc but that still does not group them right.  I don't get what it's doing to get the order.  Can someone explain so I can trick it into the right order?

[bzpilot]

I'm pretty sure it's all alphabetically by id3 tags.

So album name "Greatest Hits of the 90's" will always show before "Pure 1970's".  Album view is sorted by Artist Name, then by Album name alphabetically.

I could be wrong but I believe Track name is sorted alphabetically by id3 tag also and track number in id3 (and on file name if you put it there) is also ignored.

I'm sure Barry will pop in shortly and correct me if I'm wrong ......although it is Birthday Eve for him and it just wouldn't be right not to be in the pub!

[mr_doles]

Well the ones that I have added the date to the CD folder path are now in order by year not alphabetically.  See attached.

[Barcrest]

They are alphabetically by the path.

[mr_doles]

So then why are the decades CDs not together by year?

[Barcrest]

They are sorted on artist first then album name it is done by the tags ignore my last post i was thinking of something else.

[mr_doles]

Ok first and foremost Happy Birthday. 

If it uses the tag then why does adding the year to the folder name order the CD's correctly?  If you look at the image I posted of Bon Jovi you will see they are in order by year.  All I did to accomplish this was to add the year to the folder name.  I can do before and after screen shots tonight to show you other artists if I need to. 
I am going to stop the renaming of the folders (I have done around 100 and I have over a thousand to do) if that is not the way to go, although it seems to have work so far.  It may have something to do with it being Various Artists rather than one artist.  I have not done other Various Artists CDs to confirm this.  I can do some more testing tonight.

[mr_doles]

I figured out how it works, but I guess that brings me back to my original question.

It has to do with not having an artist.  See attached:
before.jpg - 3 doors down no dates on folder
after.jpg - 3 doors down with dates on folder
They are ordered by Year

before-no artist.jpg - Soundtracks no dates on folder
after-no artist.jpg - Soundtracks with dates on folder
They are ordered alphabetically

Now if you uncheck use album names on compilations they group them by Year but they are listed with Various Artist.
album name.jpg - Listed by Year
So if you have Batman by Prince or Blaze of Glory by Bon Jovi they would be listed before the Various Artists.