Do Embedded Cue Points Work in rekordbox?

Q: Does rekordbox read Serato cues from the file?

No. rekordbox ignores Serato's tag frames. It reads standard tags such as BPM and key, and takes cues only from its own database or an imported XML.

Q: Where is the XML import option?

In rekordbox Preferences, under Advanced then Database, set the imported library path to the XML. The file then appears under rekordbox xml in the tree view; right-click a track or playlist and choose Import to Collection.

Question

rekordbox does not read cue points stored inside an MP3's tags. It does import them from a rekordbox XML file, which lists each track with its BPM, grid and position marks. Point rekordbox at the XML, import the tracks to your collection, and the hot cues and memory cues appear.

What rekordbox reads from the file

From the audio file itself, rekordbox reads the standard tags: title, artist, album, genre, BPM, key, comment and artwork. It then runs its own analysis for the beat grid and, if you ask, the key. It does not read Serato's cue frames or any other application's proprietary data.

What rekordbox reads from XML

rekordbox exports and imports a "DJ_PLAYLISTS" XML format. For each track the XML can carry:

The file location.
BPM and a tempo marker with its position, which sets the grid anchor.
Position marks, which become hot cues (slots A to H) or memory cues depending on the number assigned.
Tonality (key), comments, playing time, genre.
Playlist membership.

Club Ready Music writes this XML for every generated track in the DJ pack, and also offers a single XML for your whole crate at /api/rekordbox.xml.

Importing Club Ready Music cues into rekordbox

Download the DJ pack for the track, or the crate-wide rekordbox.xml from the Studio.
Put the MP3 in a folder named Club Ready Music. The XML references files as being inside a Club Ready Music folder so rekordbox can match them.
In rekordbox open Preferences, then Advanced, then Database, and set the imported library path to the rekordbox.xml file.
In the tree view expand rekordbox xml. A Club Ready Music playlist appears with the tracks.
Right-click the playlist or a track and choose Import to Collection. If rekordbox asks where the files are, point it at the Club Ready Music folder.

The cues come in as position marks named intro end, first drop and outro start. The tempo marker is at zero with the track's BPM in 4/4, so the grid lines up without re-analysis.

Which cues are included

Up to eight marks per track, excluding the start marker. Position marks of type 0 are imported as hot cues in slot order; you can convert any of them to memory cues in rekordbox.

DJ edits of uploaded songs

For DJ edits, the MP3 carries BPM and a comment listing the intro-end and outro-start times. Use the Intro, Drop in and Outro buttons on the edit page to find the points, then set them as hot cues in rekordbox.

Common problems

Tracks greyed out after import: rekordbox could not find the files. Relocate them to the Club Ready Music folder you created.
Grid is off by a beat: the file was analysed before import. Reset the grid in rekordbox and re-import, or correct the first beat by hand.
No key shown: rekordbox reads the musical key from the key tag. Club Ready Music writes the short form such as Am or F#, which rekordbox displays as is.