how do i prevent itunes from deleting purchased music?

JoshuaCM wrote:

I do not want to have to only use a CD player to listen to any songs that i purchase, and go with an Apple music subscription. i have never purchased an apple music subscription,

I don't want a subscription radio to keep music.

Then don't take out a subscription, it's not compulsory.

Have you started a trial of Apple Music? If so, that might explain why music has been deleted from the phone. Stop the trial if you have one.

In iTunes, make sure that your Sync settings are correct, i.e. make sure that Apple Music etc. is off. Then make sure that Sync Entire Library is on and perform a Sync.

If the music does not get added back to your phone:

• • make sure (again) that the songs do play in your iTunes Library. If a song doesn't play and an exclamation mark appears next to the song's title, post back to let us know
  • if CD copied songs make it back to your phone, but purchases from the iTunes Store do not, make sure that you are signed into your Apple account on the phone

Apple really don't help when they use a name for something that is similar to, or even the same as, another of their services or products.

• "Apple Music", the subscription service, will take priority over your own music if it is on, so keep it off if you don't want it
• "Music", the app on an iPhone, is used for playing the music on your phone, whether it is from your iTunes Library or through the subscription.

JoshuaCM wrote:

but once I can access itunes again, i will need to check apple music settings. I would like to know if I can turn off apple music and still use the store.

If you turn off Apple Music you can still access and use the store.

JoshuaCM wrote:

I get a message that seems to suggest that I need to reinstall itunes, but the settings will be saved. It says the previous installation must be removed before continuing, but my library and settings will not be removed. Any idea what that means?

For some unknown reason, your iTunes programme (on your computer) has stop working. The message is telling you that:

• • you have to remove the iTunes programme from your computer and then download and reinstall it again
  • the music listed in your iTunes Library will not be deleted by this process
  • the settings you had chosen in iTunes will be there again when you install iTunes again

iTunes does not delete music simply because (or when) you copy it to your phone, so something else must be going on. If it's not Apple Music, are you using iTunes Match?

When you rip a CD into your iTunes Library, it simply becomes part of that library. Copying it to your phone does not delete it from your library as that library is your backup of the music on your phone. Your library basically consists of two lots of music:

1. 1. music purchased from the iTunes Store
   2. everything else, that is rips from CD and purchases from other online stores

The reason they are different is that your device (the phone) needs to be signed into your iTunes Store account in order for the music purchased from the iTunes Store to be playable. This is not Apple Music or iTunes Match. It is simply being signed into your store account so that the store can confirm that you are authorised to have the songs. Effectively, purchases from the iTunes Store are (or can be) downloaded directly from the store, whereas music from other sources (CDs etc.) has to be copied from your library, not from the store. To emphasise the point, music from CDs, or other online stores such as Amazon and Bandcamp etc., does not need to be authorised, it is simply copied from your library to the phone and the original remains in the library as your first line backup, should the phone fail, be lost, stolen or require a Restore.

JoshuaCM wrote:

Itunes seems to delete music that is also available on itunes, or apple music.

Then that must be due to iTunes Match, or Apple Music etc.

I would like to not have to add the CD back from my library every time that my phone syncs and is backed up if it is possible.

You should not have to. I don't and I've used iTunes for many, many years.

On iTunes' top bar menu, tap Account/Apple Music (as shown in the screenshot). What does it say?

If it states Get 1 Month Free... as it does in my screenshot, then it must be off. If it states anything else (I don't know how it is worded), there must be a prompt to sign out of Apple Music. Use that.

If I recall correctly, Apple Music in your newly installed iTunes will be off by default.