I think that the idea is worth coding up and testing - a config.ini switch to enable either or both modes would obviously be useful. My biggest concerns about the idea was Emplode/JEmplode/emptool integration issue, but Roger and Peter seem to have addressed those.

I wonder whether reading a simple text file will be quicker than parsing the mp3 file with id3lib (or friends, can't remember which one you're currently using). If it is, then this idea surely has to be considered.

Of course, only the fact that the player already does something equivalent with tags and database gives this idea any merit at all. If the player started to use id3 tags from the mp3 file at playback time, then doing it the 'right' way would be a given.