Playlist View Options function disappeared in iTunes

Yes, this option to control what columns show at the top of the window seems to have disappeared. Previously it was accessed with the keyboard shortcut COMMAND + J. Doing a Get Info on a song shows that all of the information's there, but there doesn't seem to be a way to control what data fields display as column headers. Changing the pulldown menu in the upper right corner from Playlists to Songs brings back the columns as they used to look, but no options seem to exist for changing that view. Also, I seem to recall a thumbnail showing on the left hand side in the Songs view, but I could be mistaken. The Playlist view shows it, but it's too big, and I can't seem to find a way to shrink it down. Additionally, the Playlist view has column headers I don't want, but they don't seem to be changable.

Wow! This is incredible that Apple would remove the option of choosing the columns to view (and PRINT!) for a playlist. I want my comments printed with a playlist, along with the BPM. I don't want (nor do I have the room) for the other information to print with the song title.

Hopefully someone at Apple is listening somewhere.

That is indeed incredible. Another example of "Apple, what are you guys thinking?!" Really, let's take an already mediocre software and make it worse, step by step.

I don't want to see the genre or the release year. These are things I know by myself. There are other more interesting bits of information.

I have to agree. How do you listen to a new playlist of songs and rate the ones you want? There is rightclick functionality, but use it and you don't see any visual feedback (ie you cannot add star ratings to your playlists anymore).

iTunes is a necessary evil simply to listen to music on your iDevice but now its on the verge of total redundancy.

Wish I could be helpful here, but it seems Apple has moved from supporting mature users to redesigning their apps based on focus group input from youngsters who interface the entire world via their phones.

The latest modifications to iTunes prove my curmudgeonly point!

I hate it, but have no alternative, especially with a very large iTunes library.

Caroline 😟

I, too, am disgusted by Apple's apparent lack of faith in its long-term users, by not allowing us, or newcomers, to continue to view our playlists as we would like to see them. This version of iTunes seems like a rush job, just to get Music off the ground, iTunes users be ******. Why would they take away such a simple functionality as changing the column views for playlists, and the ability to rate songs in your playlists? This just seems like one step forward (Music), and two giant leaps backwards.😠

I am also disappointed that the column headings in my playlists have disappeared with iTunes v. 12.2.0.145. Is there a way to uninstall the update and go back to the last version? This is really frustrating!

Remember to give Apple feedback on iTunes via: https://www.apple.com/feedback/itunesapp.html

Read this (including the comments) about various view options in iTunes 12.2, what is available where, and how to configure it --> http://www.mcelhearn.com/itunes-12-2-new-playlist-view-option/

it seems Apple has moved from supporting mature users to redesigning their apps based on focus group input from youngsters who interface the entire world via their phones.

Yes, but if you compare the purchasing habits of the 13-45 years olds and the 45+ year olds you can see to whom they are catering. Realize corporate loyalty for any company isn't a matter of bottom-line warm and fuzzies (though ads will claim it is) it is financial. I have been using Apple products twice as long as any 15 year old out there but I bet in terms of actual purchases they are getting more out of that 15 year old (and will in the future) than they do out of me (who has no modern iPhone, and has never bought anything from the iTunes Store). I too do not like what they are doing with the software and hardware design but from a impersonal marketing perspective (and think of all those shareholders) I cannot blame them.

I understand aiming for center of mass, and that us gray hairs won't be around as long as the kiddies. Apple's just catering to their market, present and future. Same thing happened when they released the glossy Cinema Displays. Great for watching movies and playing games, but virtually unusable for high-end color correction for print. Not just us graphic geeks anymore, it would seem.

What confuses me about the iTunes discussion at hand is that you're still able to view and sort playlists as you once were by choosing Songs from the upper right pulldown menu. They kept that in, but left out the ability to customize column headers, even as they left all the data to drive it accessible in the Get Info box. Not sure why they had to strip away the CMD + J functionality.

As per William's suggestion, I'll definitely submit feedback on the issue. Unless I'm just missing where they've hidden the CMD + J functionality in the new interface, I'll have to assume someone made a decision to do away with it... for some strange reason.

Actually, might've just stumbled onto something. If you choose "Songs" in the upper right corner (vs. "Playlist", which seems to be the new default), you'll see your playlists displayed as they used to be. Then, right-click on the column header bar, and a pop-up menu will appear that gives you the option to turn on and off all the various column headers. Problem apparently solved. I think.

Why they had to do away with CMD + J? Who knows. Certainly doesn't appear to be any documentation highlighting this new functionality.

:-\

Thanks,Poomshanka, your fix was helpful, although it seems I have to change "Playlist" to "Songs" in the URH corner for every Playlist,pretty labor intensive.

Caroline

I also found that if I "recycle" an old playlist (one made before I installed the update, 12.2.0.145), it retains the original column headers even when I bring in all new songs, so that's my fix for now!

Thanks for that! I use iTunes to play background tracks on live gigs and the big fonts messed up my ability to see a set-list at a glance. Now it's all good.

Great answer! Solved a problem that drove me crazy for months!