Getting iTunes to sync a playlist in artist alphabetical order?

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Level 1

4 points

Getting iTunes to sync a playlist in artist alphabetical order?

Hi Folks,

I finally got all my songs on a new playlist, as all the songs imported from my CD's disappeared.

Now all the songs have been imported back on. I went to sync this playlist and the songs are all over the place on my ipod.

*I need to arrange the songs by artist alphabetical order. Example: Adele, then all her songs, Beatles then their songs, Coldplay their songs.....like that.

When I go into this new playlist under artists they appear to be in alphabetical order, but are not syncing to ipod in order.

Can anyone tell me what I am doing wrong?

Thank You

Posted on Jul 16, 2020 4:50 PM

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Answer 1

Top-ranking reply

turingtest2

Level 10

274,424 points

Jul 18, 2020 3:50 AM in response to George751

George751 wrote:

Thanks,

Making another new playlist 2020 ORDERED and adding the songs one by one (98) songs seemed to work. However there were also a few songs synced that were not on that playlist and I don't understand how that would happen?

Your device will normally show all of the tracks that were selected to be synced to it and cloud links to any unhidden purchases that aren't already included in your selections and that you've yet to download to the device.

I have tried to completely delete those few songs from iTunes but I don't know that I have.

See Hide and unhide music, movies, TV shows, audiobooks, and books - Apple Support if you need to hide certain purchases.

In generaI don't understand what the cloud symbol is or what the check marks next to songs means. Once my ipod is right I generally leave it alone for years. I have made the mistake of thinking I could add a few songs and it has been a nightmare.

The cloud symbol usually indicates a past purchase that isn't currently downloaded to your library. There are some variations if you have Apple Music or iTunes Match. Unticked tracks are skipped during track to track or shuffle playback and usually excluded from sync operations.

Also two songs I have paid for in the past have changed to modern versions of the songs and are not even the same thing as the songs I purchased (same artist and song name). How would that possibly happen?

A possibility is that the album has been updated in the store with a remastered version of the album. If you redownload the tracks you'd get the new versions as opposed to your original purchase. Keeping all of your content stored locally and backed up is the best way to avoid unexpected and unwanted changes.

How does one permanently delete a song in all forms and places from your itunes? So it is not anywhere on your iTunes?

See the link above on hidden purchases.

Thank You for your help It is very discouraging trying to use iTunes and I only have around 100 songs and many from the same artist. Beatles about 25 songs for instance. Beach Boys maybe 15 songs. Not a lot of artists.

Does updating ITunes wipe out all the songs I have imported from my CD's. This seems to have happened as well, I am missing a couple of dozen songs that I importeed from CD's and I had to do that all over again. Nightmare!

It shouldn't do, but occasionally an iTunes update can leave iTunes showing only your purchase history in the cloud. See Empty/corrupt iTunes library after upgrade/crash - Apple Community for my post incident recovery advice. Again this is why you should have a backup.

Thank You or anyone that can inform me about these questions I appreciate your time.

You're welcome. 🙂

tt2

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Answer 2

George751 Author

Level 1

4 points

Jul 17, 2020 2:17 PM in response to turingtest2

Thanks for that. I couldn't get that to work, I did exactly as you said. After sync it still played the songs in alphabetical order (an artists songs are all over the place because of this), not the artists in alphabetical order. I'm going to put up a screenshot, that is how I need them to play. My playlist is called (2020 All), and I have all the artists in alphabetical order you can see. Why can't I get it to sync like that? It may be a simple answer?

After I right click on the playlist and click copy to playlist then sync from other screen. What am I doing wrong?

Thanks for your help this is maddening.

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Answer 3

turingtest2

Level 10

274,424 points

Jul 17, 2020 4:27 PM in response to George751

Copy to Play Order should do it. Make a new playlist, e.g. 2020 Ordered, drag the tracks in the first list to it, set the order you wish, Copy to Play Order, then add this new list to the device. Perhaps the new list will work correctly.

tt2

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Answer 4

George751 Author

Level 1

4 points

Jul 17, 2020 7:00 PM in response to turingtest2

Thanks,

Making another new playlist 2020 ORDERED and adding the songs one by one (98) songs seemed to work. However there were also a few songs synced that were not on that playlist and I don't understand how that would happen?

I have tried to completely delete those few songs from iTunes but I don't know that I have.

In generaI don't understand what the cloud symbol is or what the check marks next to songs means. Once my ipod is right I generally leave it alone for years. I have made the mistake of thinking I could add a few songs and it has been a nightmare.

Also two songs I have paid for in the past have changed to modern versions of the songs and are not even the same thing as the songs I purchased (same artist and song name). How would that possibly happen?

How does one permanently delete a song in all forms and places from your itunes? So it is not anywhere on your iTunes?

Thank You for your help It is very discouraging trying to use iTunes and I only have around 100 songs and many from the same artist. Beatles about 25 songs for instance. Beach Boys maybe 15 songs. Not a lot of artists.

Does updating ITunes wipe out all the songs I have imported from my CD's. This seems to have happened as well, I am missing a couple of dozen songs that I importeed from CD's and I had to do that all over again. Nightmare!

Thank You or anyone that can inform me about these questions I appreciate your time.

Reply

Answer 5

George751 Author

Level 1

4 points

Jul 17, 2020 7:21 PM in response to turingtest2

Thanks,

Making another new playlist 2020 ORDERED and adding the songs one by one (98) songs seemed to work. However there were also a few songs synced that were not on that playlist and I don't understand how that would happen?

I have tried to completely delete those few songs from iTunes but I don't know that I have.

In general don't understand what the cloud symbol is or what the check marks next to songs means. Once my iPod is right I generally leave it alone for years. I have made the mistake of thinking I could add a few songs and it has been a nightmare.

Also two songs I have paid for in the past have changed to modern versions of the songs and are not even the same thing as the songs I purchased (same artist and song name). How would that possibly happen?

How does one permanently delete a song in all forms and places from your iTunes? So it is not anywhere on your iTunes?

Thank You for your help It is very discouraging trying to use iTunes and I only have around 100 songs and many from the same artist. Beatles about 25 songs for instance. Beach Boys maybe 15 songs. Not a lot of artists.

Does updating iTunes wipe out all the songs I have imported from my CD's. This seems to have happened as well, I am missing a couple of dozen songs that I imported from CD's and I had to do that all over again. Nightmare!

Thank You or anyone that can inform me about these questions I appreciate your time.

Reply

Answer 6

George751 Author

Level 1

4 points

Jul 16, 2020 5:07 PM in response to George751

NOTE *The playlist appears to be playing the songs in alphabetical order and I

need the artists to play in alphabetical order not the songs.

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Answer 7

turingtest2

Level 10

274,424 points

Jul 17, 2020 5:05 AM in response to George751

For regular playlists arrange the list in the order that you want, then right-click on the name of the playlist in the sidebar and click Copy to Play Order. Sync.

tt2

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