Bring back the Sidebar in iTunes 12

Tringle, there have been no features taken away at all. The sidebar is still there, but it's features have been limited. These features are still there but replaced to a top bar. You have to click 2 inches a little more up the screen and then to the right. No big deal, just works a little different. For some that means improvement (and don't share the opinion things have to be "fixed", Joe Dawson, because they aren't broken in the first place). Others disagree. But you can still do in iTunes 12 what you did in iTunes 11. Just in a different way. So what?

Sure, the sidebar is different and somewhat limited. Now, if only you could adjust the font size so it is legible. Tiny and kind of grey isn't my idea of an improvement. I will be sending feedback to Apple.

I'd rather have Cover Flow back! 🙂

If Apple and other users like this change, perhaps Apple could consider doing with the sidebar as they always have in the past: Make it optional!

In OSX some people love their app doc at the bottom, some on the left, some on the right, and some hide it away, preferring to use the launchpad. You know, just as Apple has historically done on a lot of products: OPTIONS and CUSTOMIZATION.

In the mean time: Stupid change. There are a number of stupid changes in the iTunes update.

Disagree with the camera roll remark, but other than that, excellent comment.

Yes, selecting Playlist from the top of the screen shows the sidebar, but it then breaks the Search Library functionality. Pre 12, searching a song name when displaying all music, would move you to that song in the library, but, in 12, in Playlist view, Search creates a new playlist with the name of the searched song. It does not move to that song in the library.

Totally agree! We have used it for years because you could navigate everywhere from one single place. When will they ever learn not to mess with stuff?

Disagree with you. The sidebar was the one place you could navigate to anywhere. That is the concept that they have removed. More clicks equals more frustration.

Totally agree, Apple must be mad upsetting so many customers by getting rid of the sidebar - bring it back!

Then we disagree indeed. Now the sidebar and one of the top bars are combined the place where you can navigate to everywhere. What's the big deal?

For people who use iTunes to manage their music this is an improvement.

I don't need everything in one sidebar if I loose view on my playlists and need to scroll down everytime I want to add or change anything to my playlists.

I do that every day.

The other functions I use once or twice a week. And they are permanently visible in a place they don't bother me, just one click away in the top bar, and that fine with me.

I was just about to post the same comment on bringing back the old sidebar...when I discovered the selectable items in the triple dot menu. This allows you to expand the horizontal sidebar. Now I have my podcasts back in one click. *sigh of relief*

Well said Joe, and I'm sure it reflects the views of countless thousands of iTunes users (including myself) who are annoyed that Apple has at a stroke, decreased the funtionality of iTunes in general. Another little chestnut which is close to my heart, is the fact that I used to be able to see all my iOS devices and be able to drag a song or a movie from my Mac to the sidebar of whatever device I wanted it on and it would go wirelessly. Now, it would appear that you have to have the device plugged in to the computer to even see it, so this for me is a totally backward step and Apple needs to take note. I'm a great believer in the old saying - "if it aint broke, don't fix it" and it looks like this is another example of just that!

Please sir, can we have our sidebar back??

I haven't found any problem with Search. When I search for a song in Music with the Playlist Sidebar visible, all the songs with that name appear in the main window, just as they did before. Same with artists.