Level 1

45 points

Apple Music no longer shows album artwork on playlists

Hi All, anyone else noticed this issue since the last Apple update?

Now when creating a new playlist, of either an album or a compilation, cover artwork does not get updated and show (adding to Library does allow artwork but you still can't then transfer this to your playlist).

Instead on Playlists it defaults to a standard colour 'design' which has nothing to do with the original album or artist.

I contacted apple support who advised this was to make it more aesthetic and pleasing, and that there is no option to revert to have album artwork.

Is it just me, but surely most music lovers would much prefer to see album artwork rather than an impersonal and featureless design on their playlists - or at the very least have the option to choose this.

The design patterns and colours vary but not by much, so if you have lots of playlists as I do, they're all going to look pretty much the same and difficult to distinguish (very boring also!)

All other competitors Spotify, Qobuz etc I'm aware of allow album artwork on their playlists

Be interested what others think - if you agree submit feedback to Apple in the hope they change it back! Product Feedback - Apple

I'm a loyal apple user have used music for years, but seriously if this issue if not fixed I'll be transferring to another platform

Tom

iPhone 12 Pro, iOS 17

Posted on Nov 24, 2023 1:16 PM

Top-ranking reply

alcilan

Level 1

34 points

Posted on Apr 28, 2024 6:10 AM

Okay, I'm going to try to document how I get my album art in my playlists. It may get messy, as this Apple Community forum format isn't the best to work with but I'll try it and hope it helps someone. Apologies in advance if this method doesn't work for you.

Please note: This only works using the Music app on a Mac. I can't find a way of doing it on the iPhone but if you then sync your playlists from Mac to iPhone, the playlist artwork will also show up on the phone.

Playlist Step 1 :

Select an album in Music (on Mac) using the three dots that show up when you mouse over an album and click on them. Then, from the pop up menu, choose 'Add to Playlist', then 'New Playlist'. You'll now see the new options we all know... and hate!

Playlist Step 2 :

Use the left arrow or just click on the small image icon (shown here with a red arrow) to the left of those dots to select this blank option.

Do not click on the plus sign or add any artwork.

Playlist Step 3 :

Now just type in a playlist title and click create.

Playlist Step 4 :

If you now go to your list of playlists and select the one you've just created, you should see it has had your album artwork automatically added, just as it is in your list of albums.

Playlist Step 5 :

Now go and select some more albums and use 'Add to Playlist', making sure you add them to this new playlist, whatever you've called it. When you next select that playlist, you should see that Apple Music has created a collage just as it used to do.

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180 replies

Apr 20, 2024 6:14 PM in response to jjfromn

This doesn’t work any more. Apple doesn’t want people to use album art of artists instead some boring random art they made with no meaning.

highcroft777 Author

Level 1

45 points

Dec 16, 2023 1:14 AM in response to Ian Robinson3

Agree, was aware re camera option and fine if you want your own photos, but searching for consistent album cover artwork then uploading and saving, is a pain to say the least. If your playlist includes several different albums, the nice collage of artwork from the first 4 tracks that used to be generated automatically - well that's impossible to do yourself

Spoken to Apple already, told the only thing to do was to register issue with formal Product Feedback - supposedly that's what they look at....

Jan 7, 2024 9:11 AM in response to highcroft777

I feel exactly the same way about this, it’s very frustrating. I’ve submitted feedback about this to Apple and have included a link to this forum; you’d like to think that they then can’t possibly fail to acknowledge this forum when a customer clearly points it out!

…well, unless the Apple Music team exercise ignorance in dealing with feedback!

Jan 22, 2024 11:36 AM in response to highcroft777

Yea I have been using the old behavior literally since iTunes was released, and I hate this new behavior. I don't want to have to download the album artwork again to make the playlist have the album Artwork.

I too submitted feedback to Apple, though I don't expect them to listen unless this gets plastered all over the internet.

GaiaRose

Level 1

8 points

Feb 22, 2024 7:42 AM in response to highcroft777

I'm glad I came across this thread, because I initally thought there was something wrong with just my apple music app.

It seems that Apple have decided to not support the automatic playlist cover creation. Instead now, for my meditation playlist, I have an awful brown playlist picture, instead of the usual album covers. My older playlists still have their original album covers. This new colour thing only applies to new playlists, and I dont like it! It's all either marbly brown, or brown smoke style or black with brown dots. It's ugly! Yuck! Or, I can upload my own chosen photo, but I don't have pictures saved of all the albums that I have stored on my apple music app.

Please apple, bring back the previous auto cover genrator. Why should there only be a marbly, smokey brown 💩 pic for the playlist!? Ugly!

Feb 25, 2024 4:38 PM in response to jjfromn

I tried this before commenting but unfortunately all I got was a plain graphic and not the album art.

I do not subscribe to Apple Music streaming. I am making playlists from tracks I’ve imported from CDs and/or downloaded from the iTunes Store. Not sure if this makes a difference.

Dec 4, 2023 2:53 AM in response to highcroft777

I am also having that issue. The only thing we can really do is use the Apple product feedback form in the hope that Apple fixes whatever is wrong, or makes it the way it used to be.

joeinpdx

Level 1

29 points

Dec 22, 2023 10:00 AM in response to kliesel

Very well said. I have found this to be a troubling trend with Apple over the last few years. "improvements" That take freedom of choice from the user.

Dec 27, 2023 1:48 AM in response to noidontwantusername

Feedback - Apple Music - Apple

Jan 13, 2024 11:45 AM in response to highcroft777

Ta. I’ve reverted to creating my own playlist artwork. See attached for one I created this week. That’s shared in Apple Music if you search for it. Here’s a link. New music playlist

Jan 17, 2024 5:01 AM in response to highcroft777

I want the option to go back to using album art as well. So much so that I am throwing a hail mary and actually submitted feedback!

Feedback - Apple Music - Apple

Mar 5, 2024 2:19 PM in response to jjfromn

It’s NOT SOLVED. The process you’re talking about is the old way. It’s is not resolved.

Jan 19, 2024 11:44 PM in response to highcroft777

Yep. It’s a disaster how these baby undergraduates, who have never used classic itunes, ruin what used to be the best music player.

Every iteration of Apple Music on Mac has got worse. It is shocking and this current version is the worst by far.

i have 2 Mac Minis and I wish I’d left one just as a media server instead of updating it to this Android wanna be

Jan 23, 2024 12:52 AM in response to highcroft777

I think there has been a change! For the past two weeks my new playlists have taken the first four album covers as a default setting. I can live with that instead of that boring color.

My next battle is trying to get them to respond to choosing how we view those playlists!

Everytime I log on the playlist view has reverted to viewing as playlists when I want to view as songs. I also want to have the option to choose my view options!

Who will join me on this crusade!

Jan 23, 2024 3:10 AM in response to highcroft777

I can attest to this! I created a test playlist just now and it took the first four artworks displaying it correctly.

But a minute later, it reverted to the crappy generic artwork!

I have duplicated a custom playlist and so far it’s holding up the first four album artworks… if anything changes, I’ll post here again.

I know there’s good in you, Apple, you’re so close!

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Apple Music no longer shows album artwork on playlists