alittlebitdeadly

Q: Bought song won't play, stuck in re-authorization loop

I've tried everything I can think to try. I bought a song on iTunes through my iPhone. It played totally fine, up until when I synced my phone last night (I think that was the moment things changed). Once I did that, if I played it on my phone, it would show it for a second and then skip immediately to the next song. In iTunes on my computer, it said I needed to authorize my computer to play the song. Which it was already authorized to do. Once I entered my password, it would skip the song again and go to the next one on the playlist. I tried the first suggestions in this support topic and nothing changed. I don't seem to have an SC Info folder, so I can't delete that. I deauthorized all computers, then reauthorized this one, and it still won't work. I've restarted, signed out, signed in, even deleted the song completely. When I deleted it, I was annoyed to find it's not in my "Purchased" folder in the iTunes store, as if I never bought it to begin with. Luckily I had a copy on my email and redownloaded it from there, but I'm running into the exact same issues as before with my computer being "not authorized" to play it, even though it is and always has been.

 

Two weird things: the track is listed as an AAC audio file, whereas songs I've bought on other days in the same manner are listed as Purchased AAC audio files. And weirdest of all... if I preview the track in Finder, I can PLAY it there! ***? How do I get this track to play in iTunes?!

PowerBook G4 (12-inch 1.5 GHz), Mac OS X (10.6.8), Purchased on iPhone, synced to comp

Posted on Sep 12, 2013 8:49 AM

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Q: Bought song won't play, stuck in re-authorization loop

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  • by abombaci,

    abombaci abombaci Sep 12, 2013 4:54 PM in response to alittlebitdeadly
    Level 2 (250 points)
    Sep 12, 2013 4:54 PM in response to alittlebitdeadly

       Usually if the song shows up as (purchased AAC file) you've probably bought it from the iTunes store. The songs that show up as (ACC file) are usually ones that you've converted yourself using iTunes and not necessarily purchased from iTunes and ones you've converted yourself.

     

       At least that's how it works in my book.

  • by alittlebitdeadly,Solvedanswer

    alittlebitdeadly alittlebitdeadly Sep 12, 2013 10:09 PM in response to alittlebitdeadly
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Sep 12, 2013 10:09 PM in response to alittlebitdeadly

    Here's how I'm going to solve my problem. Since I already bought the song, I'm going to "legally" "buy" the song again, a version that won't ask me to authorize anything, it'll just play like songs used to play that you bought from a music store. And we'll all be happy! iTunes got their money, the artist got their money, and now I'll have my very own PLAYABLE song! Yay. Problem solved.

  • by Michael Allbritton,

    Michael Allbritton Michael Allbritton Sep 12, 2013 10:14 PM in response to alittlebitdeadly
    Level 6 (16,832 points)
    Photos for Mac
    Sep 12, 2013 10:14 PM in response to alittlebitdeadly

    There is no reason to "purchase" the song again. Or to download it from somewhere on the internet, which is what you really mean.

     

    If you are in a country that allows re-downloading of content simply delete the transfered track from the iTunes library and download it from your purchase history.

  • by alittlebitdeadly,

    alittlebitdeadly alittlebitdeadly Sep 12, 2013 10:18 PM in response to Michael Allbritton
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Sep 12, 2013 10:18 PM in response to Michael Allbritton

    Like I mentioned in my original post, I already tried that. I deleted the track and tried to re-download it from my purchase history, but it completely vanished from my purchase history. It's as if iTunes forgot that I bought it. I was so confused by this that I actually checked my bank statement to confirm - I definitely made the purchase, but iTunes doesn't think I did. Truly mystified.

  • by Michael Allbritton,

    Michael Allbritton Michael Allbritton Sep 12, 2013 10:24 PM in response to alittlebitdeadly
    Level 6 (16,832 points)
    Photos for Mac
    Sep 12, 2013 10:24 PM in response to alittlebitdeadly

    Unless I'm misunderstanding you, you are looking in the wrong "purchase history." The "Purchased" playlist in iTunes is not a history, it merely a static playlist in iTunes that may or may not contain all your purchases, and of course, if you delete anything from the iTunes library that will also delete it from that playlist.

     

    Delete the track from the iTunes library and the HDD. Go to the iTunes Store and on the right side, under Quick Links, click "purchased." Select Music > All Songs then "not on this computer." This will show you all your purchases that are not currently on the computer. Find the tracks that have been giving you trouble and download them. This ought to clear up the problem.

  • by alittlebitdeadly,

    alittlebitdeadly alittlebitdeadly Sep 12, 2013 10:35 PM in response to Michael Allbritton
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Sep 12, 2013 10:35 PM in response to Michael Allbritton

    Sorry for the vague wording - I actually did mean the list of purchased tracks IN the iTunes store, not the purchased playlist in my iTunes, I do realize the difference. I checked both before deleting the song and just now after deleting it - the artist and track definitely do not appear on the list of purchased tracks when I'm signed in within the iTunes Store. They're not in the "All" list, and they're not in the "Not on this computer" list. I have no idea what else to do - I wouldn't normally blame a "glitch" in the software, but I can't figure out how to find this track, let alone play it. Very weird...

  • by Michael Allbritton,

    Michael Allbritton Michael Allbritton Sep 12, 2013 10:50 PM in response to alittlebitdeadly
    Level 6 (16,832 points)
    Photos for Mac
    Sep 12, 2013 10:50 PM in response to alittlebitdeadly

    Ok, good. That information is helpful.

     

    Delete the track from the iTunes library, if you have not already, sign out of the iTunes Store. Quit iTunes, wait a few seconds and open it again. Sign back into the store and see if the purchases now show up in your online purchase history. They ought to be there now.

  • by alittlebitdeadly,

    alittlebitdeadly alittlebitdeadly Sep 12, 2013 11:20 PM in response to Michael Allbritton
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Sep 12, 2013 11:20 PM in response to Michael Allbritton

    I really wish I could say the track re-appeared, but after deleting it, signing out of iTunes, quitting iTunes, waiting a few minutes, opening it and signing back in, it's STILL not listed among my purchased items in the iTunes store. Ugh! Really appreciate your help. If there's anything else you can think of, let me know. Otherwise, I think I'll just give up.

  • by Michael Allbritton,

    Michael Allbritton Michael Allbritton Sep 12, 2013 11:26 PM in response to alittlebitdeadly
    Level 6 (16,832 points)
    Photos for Mac
    Sep 12, 2013 11:26 PM in response to alittlebitdeadly

    At this time I believe you need to contact iTunes Store support for more help, or make an appointment at your nearest Genius Bar. Everything we have done should have worked. At this point there is no apparent reason why this track isn't showing up in your purchase history.

  • by Howard Brazee,

    Howard Brazee Howard Brazee Feb 3, 2015 9:57 AM in response to alittlebitdeadly
    Level 1 (37 points)
    Applications
    Feb 3, 2015 9:57 AM in response to alittlebitdeadly

    I had this happen when I bought my new computer this December.   After a *lot* of work, I finally got ahold of the correct Apple Support which re-authorized 4 of my protected songs again.    And that appeared to work for a few weeks.

     

    Now they don't play and give errors when I synchronize with my iPad.

     

    If I click on them, to play within iTunes, I get a window saying 'This computer is not authorized to play "House of the Rising Sun".  Would you like to authorize it?'.    I enter my password and am told 'This computer is already authorized.   Including this one, you have authorized 3 out of your available 5.'.

     

    Same problem I had a month ago, which I thought they fixed after talking to a *bunch* of apple support people, and making two fruitless genius bar appointments.

  • by ssjoel3k,

    ssjoel3k ssjoel3k Feb 9, 2016 5:53 PM in response to Michael Allbritton
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Feb 9, 2016 5:53 PM in response to Michael Allbritton

    I agree with you, you shouldn't have to "legally buy" the song again if you've already purchased it. I simply deleted it from iTunes and re-downloaded it and it worked! Thanks!