diff --git a/beetsplug/info.py b/beetsplug/info.py
index d6988d097..5f68336e9 100644
--- a/beetsplug/info.py
+++ b/beetsplug/info.py
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@ import re
 from beets.plugins import BeetsPlugin
 from beets import ui
 from beets import mediafile
+from beets.library import Item
 from beets.util import displayable_path, normpath, syspath
 
 
@@ -51,8 +52,10 @@ def tag_data_emitter(path):
         for field in fields:
             tags[field] = getattr(mf, field)
         tags['art'] = mf.art is not None
-        tags['path'] = displayable_path(path)
-        return tags
+        # create a temporary Item to take advantage of __format__
+        item = Item.from_path(syspath(path))
+
+        return tags, item
     return emitter
 
 
@@ -64,8 +67,9 @@ def library_data(lib, args):
 def library_data_emitter(item):
     def emitter():
         data = dict(item.formatted())
-        data['path'] = displayable_path(item.path)
-        return data
+        data.pop('path', None)  # path is fetched from item
+
+        return data, item
     return emitter
 
 
@@ -78,8 +82,20 @@ def update_summary(summary, tags):
     return summary
 
 
-def print_data(data):
-    path = data.pop('path', None)
+def print_data(data, item=None, fmt=None):
+    """Print, with optional formatting, the fields of a single element.
+
+    If no format string `fmt` is passed, the entries on `data` are printed one
+    in each line, with the format 'field: value'. If `fmt` is not `None`, the
+    `item` is printed according to `fmt`, using the `Item.__format__`
+    machinery.
+    """
+    if fmt:
+        # use fmt specified by the user
+        ui.print_(format(item, fmt))
+        return
+
+    path = displayable_path(item.path) if item else None
     formatted = {}
     for key, value in data.iteritems():
         if isinstance(value, list):
@@ -115,6 +131,7 @@ class InfoPlugin(BeetsPlugin):
         cmd.parser.add_option('-i', '--include-keys', default=[],
                               action='append', dest='included_keys',
                               help='comma separated list of keys to show')
+        cmd.parser.add_format_option(target='item')
         return [cmd]
 
     def run(self, lib, opts, args):
@@ -145,20 +162,18 @@ class InfoPlugin(BeetsPlugin):
         summary = {}
         for data_emitter in data_collector(lib, ui.decargs(args)):
             try:
-                data = data_emitter()
+                data, item = data_emitter()
             except (mediafile.UnreadableFileError, IOError) as ex:
                 self._log.error(u'cannot read file: {0}', ex)
                 continue
 
-            path = data.get('path')
             data = key_filter(data)
-            data['path'] = path  # always show path
             if opts.summarize:
                 update_summary(summary, data)
             else:
                 if not first:
                     ui.print_()
-                print_data(data)
+                print_data(data, item, opts.format)
                 first = False
 
         if opts.summarize:
@@ -181,14 +196,14 @@ def make_key_filter(include):
         key = key.replace(r'\*', '.*')
         matchers.append(re.compile(key + '$'))
 
-    def filter(data):
+    def filter_(data):
         filtered = dict()
         for key, value in data.items():
             if any(map(lambda m: m.match(key), matchers)):
                 filtered[key] = value
         return filtered
 
-    return filter
+    return filter_
 
 
 def identity(val):
diff --git a/docs/changelog.rst b/docs/changelog.rst
index 54c70f370..ac6ded79c 100644
--- a/docs/changelog.rst
+++ b/docs/changelog.rst
@@ -24,6 +24,8 @@ New:
   *exclude* matching music from the results. For example, ``beet list -a
   beatles ^album:1`` will find all your albums by the Beatles except for their
   singles compilation, "1." See :ref:`not_query`. :bug:`819` :bug:`1728`
+* :doc:`/plugins/info`: The plugin now accepts the ``-f/--format`` option for
+  customizing how items are displayed. :bug:`1737`
 
 For developers:
 
diff --git a/docs/plugins/info.rst b/docs/plugins/info.rst
index 5bfde0b41..b36e69051 100644
--- a/docs/plugins/info.rst
+++ b/docs/plugins/info.rst
@@ -36,6 +36,10 @@ Additional command-line options include:
 * ``--summarize`` or ``-s``: Merge all the information from multiple files
   into a single list of values. If the tags differ across the files, print
   ``[various]``.
+* ``--format`` or ``-f``: Specify a specific format with which to print every
+  item. This uses the same template syntax as beets’ :doc:`path formats
+  </reference/pathformat>`.
+
 
 .. _id3v2: http://id3v2.sourceforge.net
 .. _mp3info: http://www.ibiblio.org/mp3info/
diff --git a/test/test_info.py b/test/test_info.py
index 797950be3..aaabed980 100644
--- a/test/test_info.py
+++ b/test/test_info.py
@@ -52,6 +52,7 @@ class InfoTest(unittest.TestCase, TestHelper):
         self.assertIn('disctitle: DDD', out)
         self.assertIn('genres: a; b; c', out)
         self.assertNotIn('composer:', out)
+        self.remove_mediafile_fixtures()
 
     def test_item_query(self):
         item1, item2 = self.add_item_fixtures(count=2)
@@ -93,6 +94,7 @@ class InfoTest(unittest.TestCase, TestHelper):
         self.assertIn(u'album: AAA', out)
         self.assertIn(u'tracktotal: 5', out)
         self.assertIn(u'title: [various]', out)
+        self.remove_mediafile_fixtures()
 
     def test_include_pattern(self):
         item, = self.add_item_fixtures()
@@ -105,6 +107,12 @@ class InfoTest(unittest.TestCase, TestHelper):
         self.assertNotIn(u'title:', out)
         self.assertIn(u'album: xxxx', out)
 
+    def test_custom_format(self):
+        self.add_item_fixtures()
+        out = self.run_with_output('--library', '--format',
+                                   '$track. $title - $artist ($length)')
+        self.assertEqual(u'02. tïtle 0 - the artist (1.1)\n', out)
+
 
 def suite():
     return unittest.TestLoader().loadTestsFromName(__name__)