Creating Aperture slideshow gets DRM message about protected songs

Do I have to purchase ITunes Match, let it upload my 9000 songs then manually go in, delete songs then request them back in an unprotected format?

iTunes Match will convert "Protected" songs to "Purchased" songs, but only, if the song is currently sold in the iTunes Store as an unprotected version. Before signing up for iTunes match, make sure, the songs you specifically want to convert are now offered as an unprotected version. Not all of them are, unfortunately. iTunes Plus used to have the same problem. For some songs are still no DMR free versions available.

For some of the "Protected" songs it helped to simply burn an Audio CD in iTunes (as you are entitled to do for backup) and to reimport that CD into iTunes.

Regards

Léonie

Do I have to purchase ITunes Match, let it upload my 9000 songs then manually go in, delete songs then request them back in an unprotected format?

With iTunes Match you will see the matched versions in your iTunes Library, along with the original versions. You then can delete the originals, if the matched version is of a higher quality.

When I select a protected song and use "Show in Store", the link will take me to the album.The protected albums have a text below the cover - the copyright of this song is owned by EMI ...".

But I am not sure, if the absence of thos label will be enough to guarantee a DMR free song.

As a test I looked at the song "Guajira - Cana de Azucar" by Sabicas. There was was no indication of a "rights owned by".

I bought and downloaded the song and it downloaded as DMR free "Purchased".

But there may be protected songs in your library, that are no longer sold at the iTunes Store at all, and those will not be converted by upgrading to iTunes match. In that case the link to to the store will take you some similar album, but not to the song you want to convert.

Great that it works for you now 🙂