Apple Music substitute my local songs to Apple music format

Just opened another thread 2 minutes after you, with the same problem

The 3 month trial period we all receive courtesy of Apple allows access to the iTunes store but not

full benefits such as downloading. Makes sense, it is free after all. Should you become an Apple

Member after the trial period, you receive many additional benefits, including downloads for off-

line listening. But remember, if you ever opt out of the $9.99/month Apple Service, all music you

Downloaded to your device for offline listening disappears. In other words, it remains on your

device while ur a member. How the previous downloads you made are removed is for another

Time. And if you have a big library of your own, iTunes Match is a wise option just in case you

decide to cancel Apple Music. Hope this helps.

Same problem...

That's definitely not supposed to happen. And when you refer to your "local songs" being affected, are these songs from iTunes Match service or what?

It sounds like your personal music, wherever its from, was comprised in the same manner as what will happen to a subscribers music downloaded from the Apple Service for off-line purposes should they choose to cancel their subscription. And all this occurred upon subscribing to the 3 month trial period I assume. Does iTunes Match play into this in any capacity assuming you also have it. Sorry this happened.

The user Wardy22 asking about the differences between iTunes Match and Apple Music received the following Apple response:

https://discussions.apple.com/thread/7080163

Basically, they state that matched Apple Music songs will not continue to play after the membership ends. This explains the existence of DRM inside re-downloaded songs from iCloud. Moreover this also explains why Apple consider iTunes Match and Apple Music “complementary” services. This has not been clear so far. The only matching difference between the two services seems to be precisely the presence or not of DRM inside re-downloaded songs.

I tried to add two new songs into my library. Both of them have been matched. In my case the status column says “Matched” and not “Apple Music”. If I delete and re-download them I get an m4a file without DRM. I’m still trying to simulate what you get – a protected version.

If all this is true, although “disappointing”, this doesn’t mean that our local library is being substituted automatically with DRM music. That happens only if you deliberately delete your original songs and then re-download Apple’s versions.

I got both the Matched and Apple Music statuses for .m4a files that I've added. Not understanding the criteria for each.

However, I deleted all songs that were identified as Apple Music, added their files again to iTunes, righ clicked and selected "Create AAC Version" (without changing anything). Then, I deleted the originals and the new versions are now Uploaded.

But if Apple Music recognizes these songs (to give them such status), why aren't they matching?

Anyway, at least that's a workaround so I won't get DRM protected files when redownloading them

I've discovered more issues. Once you sign out of your account, iTunes Match gets disabled. If you sign in again it asks if you want to use iCloud Music Library. If you click No here, then you can never activate iTunes Match again. In fact the entire iCloud Library gets disabled. You cannot upload anything to either iTunes Match or even Apple Music. If I try to "Add this computer" from the Account Info screen, it just opens the browser to download iTunes.

The DRM is being applied randomly. When I import a new album and add it to iCloud, some songs briefly say "Apple Music" and then quickly change to "Matched". Some songs directly say "Matched" or "Uploaded". These songs which briefly said "Apple Music" are re-downloaded with DRM. The songs which said "Matched" directly are re-download without DRM. The songs that said "Uploaded" randomly have DRM.

As I can no longer activate iCloud Music Library I cannot do any more testing. This is a major screw up.

I've managed to solve it for good!

1. Sign out
2. Create a new Apple ID and sign in
3. Say "No" to Apple Music trial
4. The Apple Music tabs will disappear from iTunes
5. Sign in to your old account and reactivate iTunes Match from Account Info (the browser opening issue was because I had the iTunes detector plugin disabled - it redirects to the browser and back to iTunes)
6. Apple Music tabs in iTunes will remain disabled for your account.
7. Test importing and matching / uploading

Now anything I match or upload gets re-downloaded DRM free. A quick way to check is to see if it creates an "Apple Music" folder in your iTunes Music folder. The DRM files are always stored there.

It broke again. I was able to upload and download DRM free for around 15 minutes. Now again everything is being uploaded as "Apple Music" which quickly changes to "Matched" and downloaded with DRM.

Request Apple support to terminate your Apple Music trial. That should solve the issue.

I think many people with large music libraries might

take more concern with keeping their library in tact, DRM

free. Please note that Apple Music is a rental music service.

The use of DRM assures you can't keep the music streamed

or downloaded should you cancel the $9.99 service. The

use of iTunes Match will assure all your music will remain

DRM free should you cancel Apple Music. If you canceled

iTunes Match since Apple Music also uploads your music,

simply resubscribe to iTunes Match before cancelling the

new Apple Music Service. All your music purchased, burned

cd's, etc. will then be DRM free. Any music procured from

Apple Music was intended as a rental and therefore never

owned by you in the first place.

iTunes Match is working for me now. Everything is uploaded / matched DRM free.