You can make a difference in the Apple Support Community!

When you sign up with your Apple Account, you can provide valuable feedback to other community members by upvoting helpful replies and User Tips.

Looks like no one’s replied in a while. To start the conversation again, simply ask a new question.

Apple Music is creating and adding a folder: New music files are put into an additional "/music" folder - wha?

Apple Music is adding a folder: New music files are put into an additional "/music" folder - what gives?


Suddenly, when attempting to add a new album to my music library, Apple Music is putting the new folder into a newly created “/music” folder - despite the Preferences set to: 


“/5TBHD/MUSIC LIBRARY”, 


Now, when adding a new album, the file is created thus:


 “/5TBHD/MUSIC LIBRARY/music/(New Album)”


 where “5TBHD” is the external Hard Drive, and “MUSIC LIBRARY” is the Music Media folder on that drive where I have maintained my extensive collection. The new “/music” folder is a mystery. (Details below).


The two boxes “Keep Music Media folder organized” and ”Copy files to Music Media folder when adding to library” are selected - as they have been for years now.


——


I cannot figure out why it is occurring or how to set it right -help!


——


NOTE:


The only recent changes to the system are:


1. I upgraded my OS to Montery 12.1 (now 12.2). I didn’t see this effect right away.


2. Owing to a power outage, my iMac restarted but my external HD did not. I opened Apple Music and began using it before noticing the new “/music” folder was being appended when adding an album (a digital folder with mp3 files), being dragged & dropped from a separate HD.  


At that point, I stopped, reattached my HD and reset the Music Media folder location which had automatically reset since the HD was not there upon Apple Music opening. Even so, now when adding a new album, Apple Music adds the additional “/music” folder like so:


   /5TBHD/MUSIC LIBRARY/music/(New Album)


I can’t figure out how to get it to drop the additional “/music” folder or why it is doing so.


—————


I hope I have provided enough information as to the problem. I have used the setup I describe for several years through several OS versions. I’m assuming it has something to do with what I describe in #2, not the Monterey upgrade, but it risks messing up my carefully organized Music library of several thousand albums.


Thank you for your help in analyzing and fixing the issue.

iMac Line (2012 and Later)

Posted on Jan 31, 2022 6:16 AM

Reply
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Feb 1, 2022 12:00 PM

This is a legacy of iTunes Media Organization from iTunes 9. Prior to this artist folders would go into the media folder (previously called iTunes Music) with other media types such as Movies, Podcasts and TV Shows getting dedicated subfolders. iTunes 9 change this by allowing Music to get its own subfolder, and with the media folder name being changed to iTunes Media. Older libraries could be converted from the old layout to the new one by selecting File > Library > Organize Library > Rearrange Files. This was a one way conversion. Roll forwards to the release of Music in Catalina and the "new" layout is still in force with music going to <Media Folder>/Music. It makes more sense given Music only supports music to remove this extra layer but this isn't an obvious way to change. You can however (with Music closed) edit the .Media Preferences.plist file in the media folder and change the integer value from 1 to 0 which will force the older layout. If you then turn keep organized off and back on again all of the content should pop up one level.


tt2

Similar questions

1 reply
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Feb 1, 2022 12:00 PM in response to Burning Hand

This is a legacy of iTunes Media Organization from iTunes 9. Prior to this artist folders would go into the media folder (previously called iTunes Music) with other media types such as Movies, Podcasts and TV Shows getting dedicated subfolders. iTunes 9 change this by allowing Music to get its own subfolder, and with the media folder name being changed to iTunes Media. Older libraries could be converted from the old layout to the new one by selecting File > Library > Organize Library > Rearrange Files. This was a one way conversion. Roll forwards to the release of Music in Catalina and the "new" layout is still in force with music going to <Media Folder>/Music. It makes more sense given Music only supports music to remove this extra layer but this isn't an obvious way to change. You can however (with Music closed) edit the .Media Preferences.plist file in the media folder and change the integer value from 1 to 0 which will force the older layout. If you then turn keep organized off and back on again all of the content should pop up one level.


tt2

Apple Music is creating and adding a folder: New music files are put into an additional "/music" folder - wha?

Welcome to Apple Support Community
A forum where Apple customers help each other with their products. Get started with your Apple Account.