Adding all purchased iTunes music to the Apple Music library

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Level 1

10 points

Adding all purchased iTunes music to the Apple Music library

I finally got a MacBook. I deleted my entire Apple Music library because I want to start fresh. I’m trying to redownload all my purchased iTunes music to my computer and add it to my Apple Music library. However, when I click on the check available downloads option it doesn’t seem to download all the previously purchased music. When I go to the purchased music page it is really quirky. It lists all the music by artist but there is no way to select all the music and when you click on an artist it doesn’t download the entire music album. Are there any scripts for MacOS that connect to the Apple Music app and add all purchased music back into the library and download it all?

Posted on Dec 29, 2023 4:14 PM

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Answer 1

turingtest2

Level 10

274,386 points

Dec 30, 2023 3:11 AM in response to JeffyCupcake

See Hide and unhide music, movies, TV shows, audiobooks, and books - Apple Support to unhide any hidden content that you want access to. Make sure that View > All Music is checked. Create a new smart playlist with the rule Location is not on this computer. In that playlist use Ctrl+A to select all then right-click and select Download from the context menu.

tt2

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Answer 2

turingtest2

Level 10

274,386 points

Dec 30, 2023 1:00 PM in response to JeffyCupcake

You can sort on the iCloud Status columns, grab tracks with similar properties and download or add to your iCloud Music library as appropriate.

As for artwork I have a script called EmbediTunesArt that can embed artwork into any track that doesn't have it as long as at least one track has associated or embedded artwork.

tt2

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Answer 3

javaliga

Level 10

119,857 points

Dec 29, 2023 7:03 PM in response to JeffyCupcake

Unfortunately, as far as I know, redownloading music is a one at a time process:

Redownload music - Apple Support

You might make this feature request to Apple using this link:

Product Feedback - Apple

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Answer 4

JeffyCupcake Author

Level 1

10 points

Dec 29, 2023 8:17 PM in response to picas

There is no All Albums under purchased. There might be when looking in the library but if the purchased items are not in the library than that doesn't help.

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Answer 5

JeffyCupcake Author

Level 1

10 points

Dec 29, 2023 7:29 PM in response to picas

The download all button only downloads all the music on that page. Each page is limited to 250 items. It doesn’t download the entire library of Purchased Music. What is really annoying is when you click to download an album it only downloads all the songs in the album by the artist on the left-hand side. So in compilation albums it doesn’t download the entire album.

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Answer 6

JeffyCupcake Author

Level 1

10 points

Dec 29, 2023 8:36 PM in response to picas

Why do you have an "All Albums" and I don't??? I tried clicking on all the buttons on the page but I can't get it to come up. I've been messing around for weeks with this. First on my Windows PC then with my new MacBook Pro I bought a couple days ago. I guess I'll have to try tech support again but that's a process. lol

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Answer 7

JeffyCupcake Author

Level 1

10 points

Dec 30, 2023 12:13 PM in response to turingtest2

Thank you. I tried all that just now. However, it seems there are two separate libraries. If the music is not in the Apple Music library then it won't show up with the "Location is not on this computer" rule even if All Music is checked. When I go to the iTunes purchased list and click the cloud button to download it then it adds it back into the Apple Music library. I need to figure out some easy way to get all my music into my Apple Music library from my iTunes purchased library.

Also, I still haven't found a way to get Apple Music to embed all the artwork into the m4a files when I download them from the iTunes purchased page. The artwork shows up fine inside the Apple Music app but if I want to use the m4a files in any other programs the artwork isn't there because it's not embedded in the files.

I might try apple support again but so far they haven't been helpful. Maybe they can tell me why someone else has the All Albums option on the purchased page and I don't. I tried leaving feedback with Apple too. Maybe they're working on it. I know they're trying to kill off iTunes and it seems like it's still cobbled together into Apple Music for purchased music. Maybe when they fully transition they will have an easier way to download all purchased music or at least have a way to go album by album.

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Answer 8

JeffyCupcake Author

Level 1

10 points

Dec 30, 2023 1:13 PM in response to turingtest2

I can’t sort by iCloud status because they aren’t in my library. I’ll try your script. The album art shows up on the iTunes purchase page it would be so easy for them to add an option to embed it in the file. lol

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