Windows Media Player artist grouping issue

Question

When I open up Windows Media Player and I browse by artist, sometimes the list will be grouped by the first letter of the artist and sometimes there will be no grouping applied at all.

It's totally inconsistent when it groups and doesn't, and sometimes it will be not grouped, I can go into an artist and when I come back out the list has been grouped.

Can anybody explain what on earth is going on, and if possible force the non grouped view all the time, it's much better.

Picture of grouped artists:

Picture of non grouped artists:

I am not switching to another media player, so don't even bother suggesting that.

Operating system is Vista SP2, for what it's worth.

Answer 1

I managed to solve this issue by using the Windows Media Player Plus! plug-in.

Windows Media Player Plus! includes the following enhancements:

• Tag Editor Plus: an alternative for Windows Media Player's Advanced Tag Editor. Tag Editor Plus works on Windows Media Player 12 too, where the original Advanced Tag Editor has been removed.
• Real 'find as you type' in the library: you can simply start typing to search, without having to click on the Search field first.
• Access the standard Explorer right-click menu of a media file directly from within Windows Media Player.
• Restore last active playlist, media item, and playback position at Windows Media Player startup.
• Show currently playing media in Windows Media Player's title bar.
• Disable group headers in the Library Pane.
• Enhanced and configurable replacement of the Windows Live Messenger Music plug-in (What I'm Listening To).
• Access the properties/settings of any Windows Media Player plug-in from within the main menu (Tools - Plug-in properties), without having to go to Options first.
• Quickly re-enable all plug-ins after a Windows Media Player crash.

Windows Media Player Plus! is written for Windows Media Player 11 or higher.