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Can I buy tracks even whilst using Apple Music

Whilst some will undoubtedly argue insanity, I want to know how I can buy a track and own it even though I am subscribed to Apple Music. If I have added a track via Apple Music, the buy option is gone in the iTunes Store. I want to have the choice to own the track. Can this be done?


My reasoning is two fold. I want to have the freedom to stream all the music I want. I pay for that privilege through my Apple Music subscription. But I also want to reward the artists for music I truly value enough to have in my OWN collection, Apple Music or NO Apple Music subscription. Its fairer on the artists IMO.... just my own opinion of course. Its a choice I want to be able to make.


Is this possible?


Iain

MacBook Pro (2020 and later)

Posted on Dec 7, 2021 2:09 PM

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Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Dec 13, 2021 5:42 PM

In case anyone is interested, I have found a solution. It's not ideal but it does work. If you look at your library of unowned tracks added via Apple Music on your computer, you simply cannot go to the iTunes Store and buy the track as it shows the PLAY option only with no BUY option. However if you find the same song on another device running IOS (iPad of iPhone) in the iTunes APP, for some reason, you can see the $XXX and purchase the track. It works and correctly identifies the track as purchased after the fact.


Happy days for me and the deserving artists who make music that impacts my life sufficiently, for me to want to own it for life.

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5 replies
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Dec 13, 2021 5:42 PM in response to Scampi_1965

In case anyone is interested, I have found a solution. It's not ideal but it does work. If you look at your library of unowned tracks added via Apple Music on your computer, you simply cannot go to the iTunes Store and buy the track as it shows the PLAY option only with no BUY option. However if you find the same song on another device running IOS (iPad of iPhone) in the iTunes APP, for some reason, you can see the $XXX and purchase the track. It works and correctly identifies the track as purchased after the fact.


Happy days for me and the deserving artists who make music that impacts my life sufficiently, for me to want to own it for life.

Dec 7, 2021 2:41 PM in response to Jimzgoldfinch

Thanks for that Jim. I appreciate the option which I had already figured, but I guess I should have been clearer in my question.


I have a library of playlists now, using Apple Music tracks. There are maybe 100 or so I want to buy. As they are in may library, I would have thought I could go to iTunes and have an option to buy said track on the fly without removing it from my library and therefor breaking the link to various playlists as well?


Cheers

Iain

Dec 9, 2021 2:33 PM in response to Jimzgoldfinch

Thanks again Jim. Have left feedback as suggested. At this stage, I am considering dumping Apple Music altogether. Its all just too messy. To achieve what I want, I am better off with a subscription service like Spotify and then using other sites to purchase tracks I love enough to buy. Seems crazy to have to do that but it seems there is no other option. I can't see anyone offering to stream and allow you to buy a track after adding to your library.


Thanks for you help.


Iain

Can I buy tracks even whilst using Apple Music

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