agodfrin

Q: Apple Music replacing my private music with downloads from iTunes store

I just subscribed to Apple Music as a trial. So far everything was going well until ...

 

Over time I have uploaded a number of CDs to my iTunes library on my Mac, and synced on my iPhone.  I was listening to a track while driving (from my iPhone through  the car audio). Then I got home, turned up my Mac and went to listen to the same track ... and it was not the same at all. The one from the CD was a live performance, the new one was a studio recording. Very different.

 

A bit of googling confirmed that this is what Apple Music does: it essentially activates the iTune Match functionality and silently replaces all your songs from whatever is in the iTunes store. One guy on Reddit was complaining that he had lost a vast number of live recordings that way.

 

Note Check your Apple Music library settings - Apple Support actually warns you about that:

 

"if you already have music on your device, you'll be asked if you want to Merge or Replace the music. Choose Merge to add the songs currently on your device to your library.* If you select Replace, the music on your device is replaced with your Apple Music library.'

 

I must have foolishly chosen "Merge" when asked. The problem is that when U turn off "iCloud Music Library", all my private songs disappear. Only the purchases from iTunes Store remain. All my private songs have been uploaded to this "iCloud Music Library". I need to turn the library back to see them again.

 

Thankfully, the majority of my songs match those in the itunes store. Just a small number of tracks have been override by iTunes store versions. The solution seems to be this:

1) force download of all my private music from the iCloud library

2) Disable the iCloud music library

3) delete and reimport the CD with the replaced tracks

4) And of course, cancel my Apple Music subscription.

MacBook Pro, OS X Yosemite (10.10)

Posted on Jul 23, 2015 1:05 AM

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Q: Apple Music replacing my private music with downloads from iTunes store

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  • by agodfrin,

    agodfrin agodfrin Jul 23, 2015 1:12 AM in response to agodfrin
    Level 1 (13 points)
    Mac OS X
    Jul 23, 2015 1:12 AM in response to agodfrin

    Actually, my plan does not work. I forced the download of one of my private albums, then deactivated the music library and ... it's not there. I still only see my iTunes purchases.

     

    Apple, I want my music back and I want it unchanged!

  • by Jimzgoldfinch,

    Jimzgoldfinch Jimzgoldfinch Jul 23, 2015 2:54 AM in response to agodfrin
    Level 6 (9,090 points)
    iTunes
    Jul 23, 2015 2:54 AM in response to agodfrin

    Hi,

    Apple music like iTunes Match doesn't change or alter your original file:

     

    iCloud Music Library: Understanding differences between Apple Music and iTunes Match - Apple Support

     

    Extract:

    "When Apple Music adds these matched songs to your iCloud Music Library, Apple Music doesn’t change or alter your original music files that reside in iTunes for Mac or PC or on your iOS devices from which they were added. We make these matched songs available to your other computers or devices in high quality 256 Kbps AAC, and they can be played on them only while your Apple Music membership is active."

     

    When you subscribe to match, you can delete and replace the original file with the matched version. If you plan to only stream, you will be able to download prior to expiry. You will keep upgraded/ downloaded tracks after your annual subscription expires.

    When you subscribe to Apple Music, you can delete and replace the original file with the matched version but this will have DRM. If you plan to only stream, you will not be able to download after expiry of Apple subscription. It would seem that DRM is applied to uploaded tracks as well.

     

    What happened to your original library on your computer? Do you have a back up?

     

    Jim

  • by Neil Mc,

    Neil Mc Neil Mc Aug 20, 2015 10:27 AM in response to agodfrin
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Aug 20, 2015 10:27 AM in response to agodfrin

    I'm having the same problem. Did you find a fix?

  • by agodfrin,

    agodfrin agodfrin Aug 20, 2015 10:39 AM in response to Neil Mc
    Level 1 (13 points)
    Mac OS X
    Aug 20, 2015 10:39 AM in response to Neil Mc

    Not fully.

     

    I ended up deleting the album that had the wrong track. That also removed it from all my devices (iPhone, iPad). Then I re-imported it from the CD, and the same phenomenon happened: this time it remained as-is on my MacBook, but when I tried listening to the problem track on my iPhone, I again got the wrong one.

     

    So I deleted the album again, disconnected my Macbook from the network, re-imported the CD yet again, and CHANGED THE NAME OF THE SONG (just added the word "GOOD" at the end of the name. I then reconnected the network. The versions on my iPhone and iPad are now the correct ones from the original CD, not Apple's lame copy.

     

    Albert

  • by agodfrin,

    agodfrin agodfrin Aug 20, 2015 10:45 AM in response to Jimzgoldfinch
    Level 1 (13 points)
    Mac OS X
    Aug 20, 2015 10:45 AM in response to Jimzgoldfinch

    After a look around, I realized that my original private music (= things I imported from CDs) are still on my MacBook in the iTunes library on disk (/Users/albert/Music/iTunes/iTunes\ Media/Music).  So that is good.

     

    But when I deactivate the iCloud Music Library, they disappear from iTunes. I have not yet cancelled my Apple Music trial subscription. I just hope that once I cancel it, this music will reappear. If not, I will have to re-import it from the existing files ...

     

    I wish I never tried Apple Music. What a disaster.

  • by Jangla,

    Jangla Jangla Sep 3, 2015 8:39 AM in response to Jimzgoldfinch
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Sep 3, 2015 8:39 AM in response to Jimzgoldfinch

    @Jimzgoldfinch

     

    None of what you say matches my experience.

     

    I have never had iTunes Match. My Apple Music subscription ran for 2 days during trial period. Apple Music has replaced some of my rare remixes (and a ton of album artwork) with vanilla versions of tracks. Now my subscription is over, I DO NOT have my music back - it's still the versions Apple deemed to swap in for them. I'd estimate something like 2 dozen (that I've found so far) are gone thanks to Apple Music.

  • by Jimzgoldfinch,

    Jimzgoldfinch Jimzgoldfinch Sep 3, 2015 9:31 AM in response to Jangla
    Level 6 (9,090 points)
    iTunes
    Sep 3, 2015 9:31 AM in response to Jangla

    Hi,

    Apple music like iTunes match scans your library on your computer to determine what can be matched or needs to uploaded. It does not change the originals on your computer.

     

    Did you make a back up before subscribing to Apple music? If so, I suggest that you restore your library from your back up.

     

    Jim

  • by Benjamin3000,

    Benjamin3000 Benjamin3000 Feb 29, 2016 4:53 AM in response to Jimzgoldfinch
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Feb 29, 2016 4:53 AM in response to Jimzgoldfinch

    Hi,

    I actually found that it DOES change the private songs that you add to your library. I ripped the Adele 25 cd(which isn't even on apple music btw) and added it to my library. Once I decided to merge the icloud with my itunes library, the album was replaced with one full of piano covers by Victoria Adelene. So frustrating...

    Is there any solution to this?

  • by Diamond Back,

    Diamond Back Diamond Back Apr 14, 2016 3:26 PM in response to agodfrin
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Apr 14, 2016 3:26 PM in response to agodfrin

    Same prob.

     

    Uploaded my music files. All explicit files were altered by Apple music to bleep out some wording in songs. Really does irk me allot. Apple music does indeed mess with the music files you originally upload if it sees that the file can be matched.

  • by CedarMountain,Solvedanswer

    CedarMountain CedarMountain Apr 16, 2016 4:06 AM in response to agodfrin
    Level 1 (14 points)
    iTunes
    Apr 16, 2016 4:06 AM in response to agodfrin

    I have the same problem.    Songs that I ripped from CD's have randomly been replaced with different versions.    Worse - I stupidly sold and gave away a lot of my old CD's and can no longer find the original version.    In a few cases - the replaced song is completed different - different artist - one has even been replaced by a foreign singer in a foreign language.   

     

    Apple has damaged my own personal library of music, perhaps irreparably.

     

    The other problem is that I have an Ipod Classic for my car and when I try to synch it, it will not synch songs that I own but that Apple mistakenly thinks is part of Apple Music.    So I cannot transfer songs that I own (and in many cases purchased on iTunes) because Apple has matched this song to something in Apple Music (which will not synch to an older device).

     

    So once again, Apple has basically seized my property and will not allow me to access it.

     

    Not only is this frustrating (and I am a long-time and continuing customer of Apple), I wonder how this can even be legal?     How can Apple commandeer MY music and deny me access to property I have rightfully purchased?

  • by Jimzgoldfinch,

    Jimzgoldfinch Jimzgoldfinch Apr 16, 2016 1:51 PM in response to CedarMountain
    Level 6 (9,090 points)
    iTunes
    Apr 16, 2016 1:51 PM in response to CedarMountain

    DI'd you back up your music before subscribing to iTunes Match? If so, you can restore your music from the back up.

     

    Jim

  • by in-desperate-need-for-help,

    in-desperate-need-for-help in-desperate-need-for-help Apr 19, 2016 2:54 PM in response to Benjamin3000
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Apr 19, 2016 2:54 PM in response to Benjamin3000

    I've had this problem for a very long time to, but I finally seem to have found a solution. Find the album that Apple Music is playing instead of yours. Edit the songs in the album (iTunes, Right Click, Get Info). Rename the album and the songs to things like "SUCKY VERSIONS OF MY GOOD MUSIC" as I have done, also change the sorting, artist, composer, and whatever else. Once everything syncs, you should be able to play your music fine. If this doesn't work, try re-importing your music if you still have the original.

  • by Huichelaer,

    Huichelaer Huichelaer May 29, 2016 12:06 PM in response to agodfrin
    Level 1 (4 points)
    May 29, 2016 12:06 PM in response to agodfrin

    Hello all.

     

    I had the same problem. All of a sudden, my entire list of music was deleted from my iPhone and all the music was only available by wifi connection. I tried to download all of the songs again, but then some songs were replaced by different versions that I didn't want. For instance a live version would be swapped for a studio version. Bad Apple...

     

    But this worked for me and could work for you if you have a backup of your songs on your pc/mac:

     

    Step 1: I deleted all of the music from my iPhone.

    Step 2: I switched off the iCloud music library.

    Step 3: I made a playlist "All Music" in iTunes and put all my songs that I have in iTunes in it.

    Step 4: Connected my iPhone to iTunes.

    Step 5: I dragged this playlist to my iPhone. All of the songs started transferring to my iPhone.

    Step 6: (optional) I turned my iCloud music library back on.

     

    Now, again, I have all of my precious songs back on my device. Including live versions and all of those songs that I had on my iPhone before. Hallelujah!

     

    I hope this works for you too.

     

    Now please get me an update in which I can get rid of those stupid album art like soundtrack or greatest hits nonsense. I want Original album art!!!

     

    Please let me know if it works for you too.

  • by DJDirtyDiamond,

    DJDirtyDiamond DJDirtyDiamond Jun 21, 2016 5:48 AM in response to agodfrin
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Jun 21, 2016 5:48 AM in response to agodfrin

    I love apple music besides no 320K Files and the fact that you can't toggle a switch to play cloud versions on apple music or your version. I DJ and i have many acapella tracks and i listen to a cloud bases radio mixes apple suggest and all of a sudden a track i may have is in there and the track is labeled correctly but its playing my acapella version  cause of the match feature and its very frustrating. seems like a easy fix. Any solutions for me also a song fader for transitions would be a nice implement  please, Spotify has it and also its on iTunes on a computer bring to app please !!!!  podcast option in iTunes on the app would be amazing and a dark mode option done with rant!!! just see so much potential

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