Just Added

I encountered this problem myself when I tried to access this section for new music as I usually do and have done every Tuesday for many years. When I contacted tech support, here's what they said:

I have asked assistance from my supervisor regarding this and I was asked to inform you that this change was implemented by the iTunes Store system engineers to help customers search for their music easier and faster since it shows different genres when viewing new playlists.

Not only do the icons suck compared to the text, I can't navigate past the first page of any genre using "Just Added." For instance, if I select the "Alternative" genre and try to click on page 2, it reverts to page 2 of "All Genres." So, I can't browse specific genres at all. The "Just Added" feature was the prime reason I''ve stuck with iTunes despite the astronomical increase to $1.29 per tune.

You're exactly right. Please email tech support if you would. The only way to get their attention is to get everybody you can to voice their concerns. Otherwise, the best source of new music on the planet has been ruined.

Yes, I emailed them earlier in the week. Didn't get a reply.

Sorry about that. I've spent a lot of $$$$ on iTunes. That is about to change unless they make it easier to search within the genres for the stuff I want. It's a rinky **** site now as far as I'm concerned. I have over 16,000 custom selected songs in my iTunes library. I may even consider moving the whole thing to another type of library altogether if they don't make some serious changes. Are there other customers out there like me?

"Just added" went from bad to worse. I was just almost done gritting my teeth from the "it's not a bug, it's a feature" change that stopped allowing keyboard navigation-back to the Apple II cursor only scrolling.

Now that they've gone to Icon mode, something anyone with a volume of music hates, It takes me LONGER to find the music I want and the "Just added" criteria was already lacking a search by date function. As you've all noticed, the sorting by genre function is most certainly a work-in-progress. Select Blues and you will still see many of the same artists that were not only pumped in "all genres" but the same bands being shilled on the Home Splash page. Is Coldplay and Sonic Youth really a good fit in EVERY genre?

C'mon Apple, the myth of a good or bad corporations has validity, but you can be smart.

Let's keep this discussion going all you serious music collectors out there. Apple has rendered iTunes "useless" for all who need a comprehensive search vehicle that allows you to search within a genre and keep the search going for a specific kind of music within a genre. It used to be simple to do this, but now they have ruined the site in my opinion.

Just when I think it can’t get worse...

Here we are a week later, Tuesday is new release day and “Just added” is now gone. Shades of the once favorite quick link “New Arrivals” list view. I figure is someone high up said make it great for bitty screens. All I know is this experience is now like leaving the Rock record store to go next door and see the Alternative record store and they both have big cardboard displays of the latest fad artist but little else. Add that Apple’s genre criteria lacks a certain legitimacy (Los Lobos in Electronica?). EX- I hate Top-40 Country but love many other Country facets, so my visit to Country / Americana reveals only 31 albums, none from this year; Bluegrass has two from 2012. That’s sad AND bad business, WHERE IS THE MUSIC?

Listen Apple, I’ve spent $1000 a year on music most of my life, but all these Big Box record store promo displays don’t help if you aren’t making the music available, let alone visible. PUHLEEZE give audiophiles some way to find the music we want. A simple searchable database would be ideal, but a list view and three criteria would probably get us close enough.

Yep Just Added is gone. Not showing up anywhere...not even when I do a search.

Glad I don't depend on iTunes for much anymore. Only on Tuesdays for new music but I'm starting gravitate towards AMZ for that now too. I only download music I just can't find anywhere else from iTunes, and now I can't even find that.

Thanks for nothing Apple.

So now we don't know if Apple has gone back to the drawing board with its icon-polluted Just Added or abandoned it entirely. If the latter, I will rely on the New Releases section at allmusic.com as my Just Added resource and Amazon as my go-to music store. I've been gravitating toward AMZ anyway, since the songs generally cost less there, and I'm fine with mp3s.

I couldn't agree with you more. I spend about the same as you and love collecting music. I don't understand what the people at Apple are thinking. Steve Jobs would never have allowed this to happen. Can you imagine what he would have thought?

My sentiments exactly. allmusic.com for a list of new stuff and Amazon for a store. A good combo. Meanwhile, everybody keep the comments coming, and thanks, Apple, for ruining the best music store on the planet. If you're planning on doing something to correct this, it sure would be nice to hear from you instead of keeping all your great customers in the dark like you usually do. I am an avid Apple user and supporter across the board, but this has been one big turn-off.

Thanks so much for this discussion. I was frustrated as many were with the new icon format for Just Added. It simply would not let me view only blues. Every time I tried to go back a page it would go to all the Just Added rather than just blues.

Sad part is as usual iTunes wants us all to think this is just our individual problem rather than a systemic problem. Thanks to all of you and your comments I was able to again verify that this is a SYSTEM issue. I should have come to the forums first for honest comments and suggestions!

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Here is the email discussions I had with iTunes Support:

Follow-Up

Hello again,

I wanted to send a quick note to see if you are still experiencing any difficulties with the iTunes Store. Resolving your issue is important to me, so please don't hesitate to reply if you need any further assistance.

Sincerely,

Mark (Last name deleted)
iTunes Store/Mac App Store Customer Support

Please Note: I work Monday to Tuesday, Thursday and Friday 9:15AM-9:00PM CST

Thank you for allowing me the opportunity to assist you.

=====

I replied: Not sure because it appears that the Just Added feature I really enjoyed using for new blues music on iTunes has disappeared! Can you verify this or tell me what I am now missing?

=====

Previous communications about this issue:

Hi Customer

Thank you for the feedback you have provided. This is Mark again from iTunes Customer Support and I'm sorry for the frustration it has caused you.

Apple takes your feedback seriously and we appreciate the information you have given us on how we can further improve iTunes. We will definitely work towards improving your experience in the future. If you have any further questions related to this request, please feel free to reply to this email.

Have a great day!

Sincerely,

Mark
iTunes Store/Mac App Store Customer Support

Please Note: I work Monday to Tuesday, Thursday and Friday 9:15AM-9:00PM CST

Thank you for allowing me the opportunity to assist you.

=====

ME: Thank you, Mark, for the information on how to offer feedback which I would ever have found without your email. That alone is very frustrating.I can tell you that I have used the feature to report my frustration with the "Just Added" feature. Of course when trying to use it again I can tell you that although I was on the "Blues" page of the "Just Added" section it still brought up several pages of non-blues releases. Never a problem before the change. I will AGAIN use the feedback page to report this issue but wanted you to know, also.

=====

On Wed, May 2, 2012 at 1:58 PM, iTunes Store
<iTunesStoreSupport@apple.com>wrote:

> Hello >
> Thank you for taking the time to contact Apple about improving iTunes. My
> name is Mark and I understand that you were having difficulties with the
> new feature. I appreciate your patience on this and I apologize for the
> frustration you have experienced with this.
>
> Apple recognizes that no one is better qualified to provide feedback about
> iTunes than the people who use it.
>
> I encourage you to use the iTunes Feedback page to submit your comments:
> http://www.apple.com/feedback/itunesapp.html
>
> Your efforts to share your feedback are very much appreciated.
>
> Please let me know if you need any assistance with the iTunes Store, I'll
> be more than happy to help you.
>
>
>
> Sincerely,
>
> Mark
> iTunes Store/Mac App Store Customer Support
>
> Please Note: I work Monday to Tuesday, Thursday and Friday 9:15AM-9:00PM
> CST
>
> Thank you for allowing me the opportunity to assist you.
>
> Product : iTunes Store
> Support Subject : Other iTunes Store Topics
> Sub Issue : changes to Just Added feature

> See additional info below
> What device did you use to connect to the store? Windows computer (PC)
> Which operating system is installed? Windows 7
> What version of iTunes is installed on your computer? iTunes 10.6
> Choose the iTunes Store or App Store for your country: United States
> Item title:
> Order number:
> Details:
> Just wanted to comment on the new design of the Just Added feature. I like
> to see new blues releases every week. Now when I click on the blues tab and
> then select an album to view when I click the back button It returns to the
> entire list of Just Released albums even though blues is still selected.
> And despite clicking on the bluse link again and again it doesn't return to
> the blues only selections. VERY frustrating. I use a windows laptop with
> Windows 7 Home Premium and this was never an issue until the new design
> appeared this week. Thanks!
>
>
>
>

Keep it coming, everybody! This has been and is becoming even more of a great discussion. FYI, I have been through all the new stuff this week on iTunes. Then I went to allmusic.com and Amazon for new releases, started finding new stuff I didn't find on iTunes this week, and then I went back to iTunes to look up new stuff that caught my interest. For whatever it's worth, most of the new stuff on Amazon was on Itunes; you just have to look it up by item in the power search section under music. The music is there; there's just no "Just Added" section anymore where you can find it and, if the geniuses at iTunes choose to leave out some of your favorites, you just have to look them up by title once you know they have been released. And the only way you will know they have been released is from Amazon or allmusic.com. I advise everyone to flood tech support with emails about this. It's the only way to get their attention.

another great source for new release info is http://www.newmusictipsheet.com/

i don't understand why apple messed this up, but at this point i don't think i care.