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Why adding to library keeps adding into an additional "music" folder

Mac OS 10.15.7

Music App 1.0.6.10


I've recently noticed something strange. Whenever I'm adding music to my Music library:

a. It puts the file into a music folder. So I've set the preferences to keep my "music folder organised". So it's always done : /Macintosh HD/user/music/artist/album/*.mp3


Now it does /Macintosh HD/user/music/music/artist/album/*.mp3

I don't know why its decided to do that?


b. I can't add album artwork either?


Any ideas what happened?

Mac mini, macOS 10.15

Posted on Jul 13, 2022 3:29 AM

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Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Jul 13, 2022 8:48 AM

a. The default layout of the Music media folder is <Media Folder>/Music/<Artist>/<Album>/[D-]## <Name>.<Ext> where <Media Folder> is the location set in preferences and <Artist> may be Compilations, <Album Artist>, <Artist>, or Unknown Artist. The extra Music folder is a legacy of iTunes Media Organization introduced back in iTunes 9 which moved artist folder from the root of the media folder into a Music subfolder such the media folder would be subdivided by media types. There is a hidden preference file in the media folder that can be tweaked to revert to the older layout. Open the file with a suitable text editor and change the integer value from 1 to 0, then turn keep organized... off and on again.


b. Try Repair security permissions for iTunes/Music for Mac - Apple Community.


tt2

9 replies
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Jul 13, 2022 8:48 AM in response to Ofey

a. The default layout of the Music media folder is <Media Folder>/Music/<Artist>/<Album>/[D-]## <Name>.<Ext> where <Media Folder> is the location set in preferences and <Artist> may be Compilations, <Album Artist>, <Artist>, or Unknown Artist. The extra Music folder is a legacy of iTunes Media Organization introduced back in iTunes 9 which moved artist folder from the root of the media folder into a Music subfolder such the media folder would be subdivided by media types. There is a hidden preference file in the media folder that can be tweaked to revert to the older layout. Open the file with a suitable text editor and change the integer value from 1 to 0, then turn keep organized... off and on again.


b. Try Repair security permissions for iTunes/Music for Mac - Apple Community.


tt2

Jul 13, 2022 5:00 PM in response to turingtest2

"There is a hidden preference file in the media folder that can be tweaked to revert to the older layout. Open the file with a suitable text editor and change the integer value from 1 to 0, then turn keep organized... off and on again."


Thanks for that. Now how do I find this hidden preference file?

Jul 14, 2022 2:30 AM in response to Ofey

With Musc closed open your media folder in Finder, press Shift+Cmd+. (period) to show/hide hidden files. Open .Media Preferences.plist with TextEdit or similar then edit this line:


<integer>1</integer>


to:


<integer>0</integer>


Save the change, start Music, turn Keep organized off, apply, then turn it back on again and apply to have any content in the nested /Music/Music folder pop up one level.


FWIW the standard location of the media folder in Catalina or later is ~/Music/Music/Media but presumably yours is set to ~/Music.


tt2

Jul 18, 2022 4:39 AM in response to Ofey

How odd. I would expect there to be a .Media Preferences.plist in any folder that has been selected as a media folder at any point. With Music closed can you copy the file you do have from one path to the other, make sure its integer value is 0, then see if running Music and turning Keep organized off and on again moves your artist folders up into iTunes Music?


tt2

Why adding to library keeps adding into an additional "music" folder

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