diff --git a/beets/library.py b/beets/library.py
index 333ff4238..05ef98f48 100644
--- a/beets/library.py
+++ b/beets/library.py
@@ -233,7 +233,7 @@ class LibModel(dbcore.Model):
     """Shared concrete functionality for Items and Albums.
     """
 
-    _format_config_key = None
+    format_config_key = None
     """Config key that specifies how an instance should be formatted.
     """
 
@@ -256,7 +256,7 @@ class LibModel(dbcore.Model):
 
     def __format__(self, spec):
         if not spec:
-            spec = beets.config[self._format_config_key].get(unicode)
+            spec = beets.config[self.format_config_key].get(unicode)
         result = self.evaluate_template(spec)
         if isinstance(spec, bytes):
             # if spec is a byte string then we must return a one as well
@@ -418,7 +418,7 @@ class Item(LibModel):
 
     _sorts = {'artist': SmartArtistSort}
 
-    _format_config_key = 'format_item'
+    format_config_key = 'format_item'
 
     @classmethod
     def _getters(cls):
@@ -851,7 +851,7 @@ class Album(LibModel):
     """List of keys that are set on an album's items.
     """
 
-    _format_config_key = 'format_album'
+    format_config_key = 'format_album'
 
     @classmethod
     def _getters(cls):
diff --git a/beets/ui/__init__.py b/beets/ui/__init__.py
index 999067f53..b151f3602 100644
--- a/beets/ui/__init__.py
+++ b/beets/ui/__init__.py
@@ -592,6 +592,103 @@ def show_model_changes(new, old=None, fields=None, always=False):
     return bool(changes)
 
 
+class CommonOptionsParser(optparse.OptionParser, object):
+    """Offers a simple way to add common formatting options.
+
+    Options available include:
+        - matching albums instead of tracks: add_album_option()
+        - showing paths instead of items/albums: add_path_option()
+        - changing the format of displayed items/albums: add_format_option()
+
+    The last one can have several behaviors:
+        - against a special target
+        - with a certain format
+        - autodetected target with the album option
+
+    Each method is fully documented in the related method.
+    """
+    def __init__(self, *args, **kwargs):
+        super(CommonOptionsParser, self).__init__(*args, **kwargs)
+        self._has_album = False
+
+    def add_album_option(self, flags=('-a', '--album')):
+        """Add a -a/--album option to match albums instead of tracks.
+
+        If used then the format option can auto-detect whether we're setting
+        the format for items or albums.
+        Sets the album property on the options extracted from the CLI.
+        """
+        album = optparse.Option(*flags, action='store_true',
+                                help='match albums instead of tracks')
+        self.add_option(album)
+        self._has_album = True
+
+    def _set_format(self, option, opt_str, value, parser, target=None,
+                    fmt=None):
+        """Internal callback that sets the correct format while parsing CLI
+        arguments.
+        """
+        value = fmt or value and unicode(value) or ''
+        parser.values.format = value
+        if target:
+            config[target.format_config_key].set(value)
+        else:
+            if not self._has_album or not parser.values.album:
+                config[library.Item.format_config_key].set(value)
+            if not self._has_album or parser.values.album:
+                config[library.Album.format_config_key].set(value)
+
+    def add_path_option(self, flags=('-p', '--path')):
+        """Add a -p/--path option to display the path instead of the default
+        format.
+
+        By default this affects both items and albums. If add_album_option()
+        is used then the target will be autodetected.
+
+        Sets the format property to u'$path' on the options extracted from the
+        CLI.
+        """
+        path = optparse.Option(*flags, nargs=0, action='callback',
+                               callback=self._set_format,
+                               callback_kwargs={'fmt': '$path'},
+                               help='print paths for matched items or albums')
+        self.add_option(path)
+
+    def add_format_option(self, flags=('-f', '--format'), target=None):
+        """Add -f/--format option to print some LibModel instances with a
+        custom format.
+
+        `target` is optional and can be one of ``library.Item``, 'item',
+        ``library.Album`` and 'album'.
+
+        Several behaviors are available:
+            - if `target` is given then the format is only applied to that
+            LibModel
+            - if the album option is used then the target will be autodetected
+            - otherwise the format is applied to both items and albums.
+
+        Sets the format property on the options extracted from the CLI.
+        """
+        kwargs = {}
+        if target:
+            if isinstance(target, basestring):
+                target = {'item': library.Item,
+                          'album': library.Album}[target]
+            kwargs['target'] = target
+
+        opt = optparse.Option(*flags, action='callback',
+                              callback=self._set_format,
+                              callback_kwargs=kwargs,
+                              help='print with custom format')
+        self.add_option(opt)
+
+    def add_all_common_options(self):
+        """Add album, path and format options.
+        """
+        self.add_album_option()
+        self.add_path_option()
+        self.add_format_option()
+
 # Subcommand parsing infrastructure.
 #
 # This is a fairly generic subcommand parser for optparse. It is
@@ -600,6 +697,7 @@ def show_model_changes(new, old=None, fields=None, always=False):
 # There you will also find a better description of the code and a more
 # succinct example program.
 
+
 class Subcommand(object):
     """A subcommand of a root command-line application that may be
     invoked by a SubcommandOptionParser.
@@ -609,10 +707,10 @@ class Subcommand(object):
         the subcommand; aliases are alternate names. parser is an
         OptionParser responsible for parsing the subcommand's options.
         help is a short description of the command. If no parser is
-        given, it defaults to a new, empty OptionParser.
+        given, it defaults to a new, empty CommonOptionsParser.
         """
         self.name = name
-        self.parser = parser or optparse.OptionParser()
+        self.parser = parser or CommonOptionsParser()
         self.aliases = aliases
         self.help = help
         self.hide = hide
@@ -635,7 +733,7 @@ class Subcommand(object):
             root_parser.get_prog_name().decode('utf8'), self.name)
 
 
-class SubcommandsOptionParser(optparse.OptionParser, object):
+class SubcommandsOptionParser(CommonOptionsParser):
     """A variant of OptionParser that parses subcommands and their
     arguments.
     """
@@ -924,6 +1022,8 @@ def _raw_main(args, lib=None):
     handling.
     """
     parser = SubcommandsOptionParser()
+    parser.add_format_option(flags=('--format-item',), target=library.Item)
+    parser.add_format_option(flags=('--format-album',), target=library.Album)
     parser.add_option('-l', '--library', dest='library',
                       help='library database file to use')
     parser.add_option('-d', '--directory', dest='directory',
diff --git a/beets/ui/commands.py b/beets/ui/commands.py
index bea5dc91c..5d29093c9 100644
--- a/beets/ui/commands.py
+++ b/beets/ui/commands.py
@@ -957,7 +957,7 @@ default_commands.append(import_cmd)
 
 # list: Query and show library contents.
 
-def list_items(lib, query, album, fmt):
+def list_items(lib, query, album, fmt=''):
     """Print out items in lib matching query. If album, then search for
     albums instead of single items.
     """
@@ -970,23 +970,11 @@ def list_items(lib, query, album, fmt):
 
 
 def list_func(lib, opts, args):
-    fmt = '$path' if opts.path else opts.format
-    list_items(lib, decargs(args), opts.album, fmt)
+    list_items(lib, decargs(args), opts.album)
 
 
 list_cmd = ui.Subcommand('list', help='query the library', aliases=('ls',))
-list_cmd.parser.add_option(
-    '-a', '--album', action='store_true',
-    help='show matching albums instead of tracks'
-)
-list_cmd.parser.add_option(
-    '-p', '--path', action='store_true',
-    help='print paths for matched items or albums'
-)
-list_cmd.parser.add_option(
-    '-f', '--format', action='store',
-    help='print with custom format', default=''
-)
+list_cmd.parser.add_all_common_options()
 list_cmd.func = list_func
 default_commands.append(list_cmd)
 
@@ -1087,10 +1075,8 @@ def update_func(lib, opts, args):
 update_cmd = ui.Subcommand(
     'update', help='update the library', aliases=('upd', 'up',)
 )
-update_cmd.parser.add_option(
-    '-a', '--album', action='store_true',
-    help='match albums instead of tracks'
-)
+update_cmd.parser.add_album_option()
+update_cmd.parser.add_format_option()
 update_cmd.parser.add_option(
     '-M', '--nomove', action='store_false', default=True, dest='move',
     help="don't move files in library"
@@ -1099,10 +1085,6 @@ update_cmd.parser.add_option(
     '-p', '--pretend', action='store_true',
     help="show all changes but do nothing"
 )
-update_cmd.parser.add_option(
-    '-f', '--format', action='store',
-    help='print with custom format', default=''
-)
 update_cmd.func = update_func
 default_commands.append(update_cmd)
 
@@ -1151,10 +1133,7 @@ remove_cmd.parser.add_option(
     "-d", "--delete", action="store_true",
     help="also remove files from disk"
 )
-remove_cmd.parser.add_option(
-    '-a', '--album', action='store_true',
-    help='match albums instead of tracks'
-)
+remove_cmd.parser.add_album_option()
 remove_cmd.func = remove_func
 default_commands.append(remove_cmd)
 
@@ -1348,18 +1327,12 @@ modify_cmd.parser.add_option(
     '-W', '--nowrite', action='store_false', dest='write',
     help="don't write metadata (opposite of -w)"
 )
-modify_cmd.parser.add_option(
-    '-a', '--album', action='store_true',
-    help='modify whole albums instead of tracks'
-)
+modify_cmd.parser.add_album_option()
+modify_cmd.parser.add_format_option(target='item')
 modify_cmd.parser.add_option(
     '-y', '--yes', action='store_true',
     help='skip confirmation'
 )
-modify_cmd.parser.add_option(
-    '-f', '--format', action='store',
-    help='print with custom format', default=''
-)
 modify_cmd.func = modify_func
 default_commands.append(modify_cmd)
 
@@ -1405,10 +1378,7 @@ move_cmd.parser.add_option(
     '-c', '--copy', default=False, action='store_true',
     help='copy instead of moving'
 )
-move_cmd.parser.add_option(
-    '-a', '--album', default=False, action='store_true',
-    help='match whole albums instead of tracks'
-)
+move_cmd.parser.add_album_option()
 move_cmd.func = move_func
 default_commands.append(move_cmd)
 
diff --git a/beetsplug/convert.py b/beetsplug/convert.py
index 352c3c94d..d4bc6d32b 100644
--- a/beetsplug/convert.py
+++ b/beetsplug/convert.py
@@ -359,7 +359,7 @@ class ConvertPlugin(BeetsPlugin):
             self.config['pretend'].get(bool)
 
         if not pretend:
-            ui.commands.list_items(lib, ui.decargs(args), opts.album, '')
+            ui.commands.list_items(lib, ui.decargs(args), opts.album)
 
             if not (opts.yes or ui.input_yn("Convert? (Y/n)")):
                 return