diff --git a/beets/autotag/hooks.py b/beets/autotag/hooks.py
index c29cf576f..6156abf2c 100644
--- a/beets/autotag/hooks.py
+++ b/beets/autotag/hooks.py
@@ -294,8 +294,8 @@ class Distance(object):
         return dist_raw
 
     @property
-    def sorted(self):
-        """Returns a list of (dist, key) pairs, with `dist` being the
+    def items(self):
+        """Returns a list of (key, dist) pairs, with `dist` being the
         weighted distance, sorted from highest to lowest. Does not
         include penalties with a zero value.
         """
@@ -303,11 +303,11 @@ class Distance(object):
         for key in self._penalties:
             dist = self[key]
             if dist:
-                list_.append((dist, key))
-        # Convert distance into a negative float we can sort items in ascending
-        # order (for keys, when the penalty is equal) and still get the items
-        # with the biggest distance first.
-        return sorted(list_, key=lambda (dist, key): (0-dist, key))
+                list_.append((key, dist))
+        # Convert distance into a negative float we can sort items in
+        # ascending order (for keys, when the penalty is equal) and
+        # still get the items with the biggest distance first.
+        return sorted(list_, key=lambda (key, dist): (0-dist, key))
 
 
     # Behave like a float.
@@ -336,10 +336,10 @@ class Distance(object):
         return 0.0
 
     def __iter__(self):
-        return iter(self.sorted)
+        return iter(self.items)
 
     def __len__(self):
-        return len(self.sorted)
+        return len(self.items)
 
     def update(self, dist):
         """Adds all the distance penalties from `dist`.
diff --git a/beets/ui/commands.py b/beets/ui/commands.py
index dfe3585c1..0512cb585 100644
--- a/beets/ui/commands.py
+++ b/beets/ui/commands.py
@@ -164,11 +164,11 @@ def dist_string(dist):
     return out
 
 def penalty_string(distance, limit=None):
-    """Returns a colorized string that indicates all the penalties applied to
-    a distance object.
+    """Returns a colorized string that indicates all the penalties
+    applied to a distance object.
     """
     penalties = []
-    for _, key in distance:
+    for key, _ in distance:
         key = key.replace('album_', '')
         key = key.replace('track_', '')
         key = key.replace('_', ' ')
diff --git a/test/test_autotag.py b/test/test_autotag.py
index 4a1eba17b..889584e0c 100644
--- a/test/test_autotag.py
+++ b/test/test_autotag.py
@@ -216,7 +216,7 @@ class DistanceTest(_common.TestCase):
         dist.add('medium', 0.25)
         dist.add('medium', 0.75)
         self.assertEqual(len(dist), 2)
-        self.assertEqual(list(dist), [(0.2, 'album'), (0.2, 'medium')])
+        self.assertEqual(list(dist), [('album', 0.2), ('medium', 0.2)])
         self.assertTrue(dist == 0.4)
         self.assertTrue(dist < 1.0)
         self.assertTrue(dist > 0.0)
@@ -233,19 +233,19 @@ class DistanceTest(_common.TestCase):
         dist.add('medium', 0.5)
         self.assertEqual(dist.raw_distance, 2.25)
 
-    def test_sorted(self):
+    def test_items(self):
         config['match']['distance_weights']['album'] = 4.0
         config['match']['distance_weights']['medium'] = 2.0
         dist = Distance()
         dist.add('album', 0.1875)
         dist.add('medium', 0.75)
-        self.assertEqual(dist.sorted, [(0.25, 'medium'), (0.125, 'album')])
+        self.assertEqual(dist.items, [('medium', 0.25), ('album', 0.125)])
 
         # Sort by key if distance is equal.
         dist = Distance()
         dist.add('album', 0.375)
         dist.add('medium', 0.75)
-        self.assertEqual(dist.sorted, [(0.25, 'album'), (0.25, 'medium')])
+        self.assertEqual(dist.items, [('album', 0.25), ('medium', 0.25)])
 
     def test_update(self):
         dist1 = Distance()