I can't reproduce. I've tried "load metadata on display" and "load metadata on load", and I've tried disabling "fast play-length calculation".
$ audacious -v Audacious 1.5.1 [UNSUPPORTED VERSION] $ rm ~/.config/audacious/playlist.xspf $ ls *.mp3 Bach, Johann S - Wachet auf.mp3 Handel, George - See, the Conquering Hero Comes.mp3 Brahms, J - Es ist ein 'Ros.mp3 Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence.mp3 Caldara, A - Sinfonia 'Naboth'.mp3 On Jordan's Bank.mp3 Come, Thou Long-Expected Jesus.mp3 Savior of the Nations, Come.mp3 Handel, George - Hallelujah, Amen.mp3 Veni, Veni, Emmanuel.mp3 Handel, George - Let God Arise.mp3 $ audacious *.mp3 & [1] 5685 I/O warning : failed to load external entity "/home/john/.config/audacious/playlist.xspf" $ lsof | grep mp3 audacious 5685 john 10r REG 3,3 4063399 2191194 /home/john/Music/Ave Maria Choir - Fall 2008/Advent/Bach, Johann S - Wachet auf.mp3 (Here I wait until the second song.) $ lsof | grep mp3 audacious 5685 john 10r REG 3,3 2341407 834041 /home/john/Music/Ave Maria Choir - Fall 2008/Advent/Brahms, J - Es ist ein 'Ros.mp3 John Lindgren -- To UNSUBSCRIBE, email to debian-bugs-dist-requ...@lists.debian.org with a subject of "unsubscribe". Trouble? Contact listmas...@lists.debian.org