Index: SQL/mysql/schema_3_up.sql
===================================================================
--- SQL/mysql/schema_3_up.sql	(revision 0)
+++ SQL/mysql/schema_3_up.sql	(revision 0)
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+-- Add contributor column to albums to enable sorting by artist (bug3255)
+
+ALTER TABLE albums ADD contributor int(10) unsigned;

Property changes on: SQL/mysql/schema_3_up.sql
___________________________________________________________________
Name: svn:mime-type
   + text/plain
Name: svn:keywords
   + Id Author LastChangedDate LastChangedBy
Name: svn:eol-style
   + native

Index: SQL/mysql/schema_3_down.sql
===================================================================
--- SQL/mysql/schema_3_down.sql	(revision 0)
+++ SQL/mysql/schema_3_down.sql	(revision 0)
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+-- remove contributor column added for album sorting
+
+ALTER TABLE albums DROP contributor;

Property changes on: SQL/mysql/schema_3_down.sql
___________________________________________________________________
Name: svn:mime-type
   + text/plain
Name: svn:keywords
   + Id Author LastChangedDate LastChangedBy
Name: svn:eol-style
   + native

Index: Slim/Schema/ResultSet/Album.pm
===================================================================
--- Slim/Schema/ResultSet/Album.pm	(revision 11091)
+++ Slim/Schema/ResultSet/Album.pm	(working copy)
@@ -94,7 +94,7 @@
 
 		if ($sort =~ /contributor/) {
 
-			push @join, { 'contributorAlbums' => 'contributor' };
+			push @join, 'contributor';
 		}
 
 		if ($sort =~ /genre/) {
Index: Slim/Schema/Album.pm
===================================================================
--- Slim/Schema/Album.pm	(revision 11091)
+++ Slim/Schema/Album.pm	(working copy)
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@
 	$class->add_columns(qw(
 		id
 		titlesort
+		contributor
 		compilation
 		year
 		artwork
@@ -30,6 +31,8 @@
 	$class->set_primary_key('id');
 	$class->add_unique_constraint('titlesearch' => [qw/id titlesearch/]);
 
+	$class->belongs_to('contributor' => 'Slim::Schema::Contributor');
+
 	$class->has_many('tracks'            => 'Slim::Schema::Track'            => 'album');
 	$class->has_many('contributorAlbums' => 'Slim::Schema::ContributorAlbum' => 'album');
 
Index: Slim/Schema.pm
===================================================================
--- Slim/Schema.pm	(revision 11091)
+++ Slim/Schema.pm	(working copy)
@@ -1211,6 +1211,7 @@
 			$::d_info && $_dump_postprocess_logic && msg("--- Album is a VA\n");
 
 			$albumObj->compilation(1);
+			$albumObj->contributor($vaObjId);
 			$albumObj->update;
 		}
 
@@ -2039,6 +2040,16 @@
 		# Bug 2393 - was fixed here (now obsolete due to further code rework)
 		$set{'compilation'} = $isCompilation;
 
+		# Bug 3255 - add album contributor which is either VA or the primary artist, used for sort by artist
+		if ($isCompilation && !scalar $contributors->{'ALBUMARTIST'}) {
+
+			$set{'contributor'} = $self->variousArtistsObject->id;
+
+		} elsif (blessed($contributor)) {
+
+			$set{'contributor'} = $contributor->id;
+		}
+
 		$set{'musicbrainz_id'} = $attributes->{'MUSICBRAINZ_ALBUM_ID'};
 
 		# Handle album gain tags.