What is iTunes Match?

I'm exactly the same. I'm paying for iTunes Match even though I've moved everything into Music. Do we still need iTunes Match? Seems a simple question but like you I've yet to get a definitive answer.

I've been a subscriber of both Apple Music and iTunes Match for many, many, many years now. I have never been able to get any concrete, first-hand information on whether or not iTunes Match is actually required for some specific, perhaps obscure, feature of the Apple music ecosystem. In addition to discovering music via Apple Music, I have a lot of self-produced music, as well as a lot of stuff ripped from my old CD collection and also lots of music from online producers that will not exist in Apple Music. But nobody has been able to absolutely, definitively, prove to me that by cancelling iTunes Match, I will lose absolutely nothing.

I can't help but wonder why Apple would be continuing to charge people for a service if that service has in fact truly been fully rolled into another service, that those people are ALSO paying for. I mean sure, duh, free money. I get that. But if it is true that EVERYTHING in iTunes Match is a part of Apple Music now, then frankly it feels downright fraudulent of Apple to continue billing someone for iTunes Match when they are also an Apple Music subscriber.

I would really like to stop paying for iTunes Match, but until I can get definitive proof that it is 100% redundant, I'm too wary of losing some aspect of access to my music library, that would infuriate me (or possibly lead to permanent loss of something - the worst case scenario!)

That's odd, I had replied to this before explaining how to enable the kind and status columns, but it's gone now. Weird.

Anyway, in the Music app in macos, select Songs in the sidebar, then right click on any column header. You'll see a whole list of things you can enable/disable. Enable iCloud Status, and Kind, Then you can sort by them, and see what's what.

I'm still nervously on the fence about ditching it. This is one of those things that, if it goes really wrong, can't be undone or fixed. And if it goes mildly wrong, it can be fixed with a great deal of headache. Ugh... such a great depiction of the love/hate relationship with Apple.

iCloud Status and Kind, are columns in the Apple Music app. Select "Songs" to view your library of music, then right click any column header such as Title. Then you can enable whatever columns you want to see, including iCloud Status and Kind. Then you can sort by for example iCloud Status, to see which tracks are in the cloud, and which are not, etc.

Hi,

Apple Music and iTunes Match are NOT back up services. Both subscriptions allows you play your music on multiple devices via the iCloud Music library. Provided that you keep you music on your computer, you should not lose access to your music. In any event, you should keep a backup on a separate external drive.

Jim

It literally never even crossed my mind that the name iTunes Match had anything whatsoever to do with the old iTunes application.

And again, I was explicitly told that if you have iTunes Match but cancel Apple Music, then you do NOT lose access to any music that has been uploaded via iTunes Match. You lose access to anything you streamed/downloaded from the Apple Music library. But this is just what Apple support told me so, take it for whatever you think it's worth. Or not.

Hi,

The information that you have been provided regarding separate storage is not correct.

Apple states that “iTunes Match uploads your music library from the Apple Music app on your Mac or iTunes for Windows on your PC. Then you can access your music library on all of your devices that have Sync Library turned on.”

However, this is not the case. The bulk of your library will be matched with equivalent versions that Apple has on their servers. Your matched library contents will not be uploaded - only music that has not been matched will be uploaded. To highlight this point, mp3 are matched as AAC and will be streamed as such on your other devices. Also if you opt to remove download then re-download you will get the matched version. Not : Mismatches sometimes occur.

The positives in using iTunes Match is that you can upgrade lower bit rate tracks and have the added protection that you can re-download your library as Matched AAC plus the uploaded music should you need to. You can only do this if you have an active subscription. This does not replace the importance of have a separate backup.

As Apple Music also provides this facility, there is no need for iTunes Match.

Jim

Hi,

Make sure that all music has been downloaded to your computer and make a backup on an external drive.

Jim

iTunes Match is a music library syncing tool that allows you to sync a single iCloud Music Library across multiple computers and devices. Metadata changes, play counts, playlists, etc. should all update automatically on any library or device that is signed in. Only you know if the service has value for you. Note that Apple Music provides the same tools but also lets you add content from the Apple Music catalog on a rental basis while you have an active subscription. You don't need both services. Apple Music works better with HomePods should you have one of those.

tt2

Hi,

There should be no confusion as both iTunes app and music app can use iTunes Match. I think the confusion arises when one talks about the music app and Apple Music subscription- they are not the same thing. The music app replaced iTunes and Apple continues to offer iTunes Match as well as Apple Music subscription. Both have different functionality but the iTunes Match feature works with Apple Music. You don’t need a separate iTunes Match subscription.

In both you will loses the sync facility offerred by the iCloud music library if you cancel your subscription. You should keep a separate backup in the event you decide to cancel your subscription.

Jim

Hi,

One of the main features of iTunes Match was the facility to upgrade lower bit rate tracks to 256 Kbps AAC. Apple stated that you would keep such upgraded tracks even after your subscription expired but an important provision was that such tracks needed to be downloaded to your computer or other devices. You lost the use of iCloud music library and the ability stream or re-download your music. (This does not affect access to music purchased from iTunes Store). Therefore, you will still be able you play the music in iTunes or Music app on your devices without the need for subscription.

Apple Music also includes this feature-you can still upgrade lower bit Rate tracks like iTunes Match. Apple Music offers additional features such as access to their music library. Matched music is often available to stream or download lossless or hi-res. You can opt to replace your existing music with the lossless version but they are only available if you have an active Apple Music subscription. You can revert back to the 256 Kbps if you need to.

At the end of the day you should not lose your music provided you manage a satisfactory backup regime.

Hmm... maybe call Apple Support and see if they can help you find it in your account. It was not at all easy for me to find when I went looking either, took quite a bit of Googling around to find where it was located, and originally I was trying to find it on my Mac and not my phone. Apple phone support was surprisingly helpful actually so... worth a shot!

This is deja vu all over again. Decades ago I transcribed all my music cassette tapes to Apple iPhone, iTunes, etc. Then I threw out the tapes and playback machine. These songs were my music, not derived from Apple. I'd tried to tack them up. Somehow in the iTunes/CD era Apple lost all the music on 100s of cassettes. Now I transferred my CD music to Apple iPhone and Mac. I'm worried that Apple may have replaced my music with pointers to their library via iMatch, and erased my uploads. If I cancel iMatch will I lose all my music, AGAIN?

Here's the rub: If you have a bunch of personal music that you've uploaded but do NOT have iTunes Match, then when you cancel your Apple Music subscription, you can kiss ALL of that music goodbye. Forever. If you didn't have another backup of it somewhere, then it's gone. Oh and it is also entirely possible (she didn't sound 100% certain on this one) that your uploaded music, even your own personally-generated songs, will have Apple DRM on them once uploaded to Apple Music. Not sure that this happens with iTunes Match, I don't think it does but have no way I can confidently prove/disprove it.

So basically iTunes Match is a cloud storage option. Personally I don't think I'll ever drop Apple Music so I plan to drop iTunes Match at long last.

Hope this helps someone out!

Hi,

Apple has not advertised iTunes Match as a cloud storage option. See Subscribe to iTunes Match – Apple Support (UK). Quote : “iTunes Match isn't a backup service, so make sure you always have a backup of your music collection before you make any changes.” The matching function in Apple Music is the same as iTunes Match.

You need iTunes Match or Apple Music to upload music that has not been matched to iCloud Music library. The music is uploaded as is except for ALAC or AIFF which is transcribed to 256 Kbps- DRM is not applied to such music. If you opt to remove downloads and choose to stream your music, you will only have access to your music as long as you have an active.

In practice, you should opt to keep your physical copies on your computer and keep a separate backup. Whilst it is possible to re-download music, this can only be done if you have an active subscription.

Jim

Thanks Jim