iTunes Playlist not in album order on Mac or iPhone

Having got the playlist the way you want it in iTunes right-click on the playlist name in the sidebar and click Copy to Play Order, then sync once more. Your device should get the updated order. If not remove the list then add it back again.

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Play order is usually the order in which items are added to the list. If the list is in play order you should be able to manually drag items up or down the list to change the order. Choosing other sort orders from the view menu or by clicking column headings in the Songs view will change the display order in iTunes without changing the play order until you use the context menu. Your devices get the play order, not the display order.

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