1. A method for processing metadata within a personal media device comprising: determining the presence of pre-existing metadata associated with at least one local media content file received at the personal media device from a media distribution system; determining at least one data field contained within the pre-existing metadata; generating a homogeneous metadata file for the at least one local media content file by mapping data contained within the at least one data field of the pre-existing metadata into at least one defined data field of the homogeneous metadata file; generating a unique identifier for the homogeneous metadata file; and adding the unique identifier as metadata to the homogeneous metadata file to associate the homogeneous metadata file with the local media content file on the personal media device.