Difference between iTunes Match and Apple Music?

HI,

THis is Apples support doc iCloud Music Library: Understanding differences between Apple Music and iTunes Match - Apple Support

Jim

HI,

if you discontinue itunes Match, you should not lose any music. You keep your music in your iTunes library, this includes all your original tracks and all tracks that you upgraded using match. In addition you should maintain a separate back up as a matter of course.

Here is another article worth reading lhttp://www.macworld.com/article/2943703/how-itunes-match-and-apple-music-work-to gether.htmlp

http://www.mcelhearn.com/apple-music-matches-files-with-metadata-only-not-acoust ic-fingerprinting/

Jim

Hi,

Both Apple music and iTunes match are similar in that they scan you iTunes library to determine what can be matched or needs to be uploaded. You can then access the music across your other devices.

The main differences are:

1. With iTunes Match, all of the songs that are matched or uploaded using iTunes on your Mac or PC during your iTunes Match subscription can be downloaded DRM-free (if matched) or in their uploaded form and are yours to keep. These songs can continue to play after your iTunes Match subscription ends. However, Apple music adds DRM and you lose access to them after your subscription expires. PS If you have kept your music on your hard drive and also made a back up, this would not be relevant as you would still have access to all your own music after subscriptions expire.
2. You can upgrade your matched tracks from lower bit rates - DRM free. If you upgrade and download with Apple music, DRM is added (those tracks will be lost when Apple music subscription expires.
3. With Apple music you can access, play and make available offline to music in iTunes store. Access lost once subscription expires. You don't have this with iTunes match.
4. The matching process between match and Apple music is different http://www.mcelhearn.com/apple-music-matches-files-with-metadata-only-not-acoust ic-fingerprinting/ The iTunes match process is more accurate but Apple music is a bit more hit and miss as a result. I don't know why they don't use the same matching processes.

At the end of the day, it is your decision but if you have your original music on your hard drive and maintain a separate back up and you don't need to worry about upgrading your tracks, you probably don't need iTunes Match.

Personally, I use both although my match subscription is not due until April

Jim

how about you answer this

load of my music isn't available on my phone

@ohneSchatten, I must be a bit dense as well - because like you, I still am not 100% sure what happens (or doesn't happen) once I cancel my iTM subscription as a current AM user. I wish I'd seen your post earlier, as I just opened a thread containing pretty much the same questions here:

Questions about canceling iTunes Match (Apple Music user)

I'd love to know if you did experience any issues after November 5 and if your library was affected in any way. I'm mainly worried that something might get screwed up (I have invested an enormous amount of time into adding custom artwork, lyrics and metadata to my files over the last decade) and the thing I read about the different catalogues for AM and iTM confuses me as well. I understand that all the tracks that were matched, subsequently deleted and then re-downloaded as DRM free AAC versions should remain unchanged and I guess the same is true for my uploaded CD rips. Can you still access all your tracks on all your devices just like before? Did you notice any differences regarding your music files / iCloud Status / artwork / metadata / etc. in your iTunes library?

I agree that Apple could have done a better job at explaining in clear language what's going to happen if long time iTM users cancel their sub. I've read a bunch of articles about the subject but none of them clearly stated "this is what's happening to your library when you cancel iTM." So now I hope you can tell me, so that I can make an informed decision 😉 Thanks in advance!

I've been researching this question and came across this article...not sure if it answers your questions entirely but I thought it was well written:

http://www.citymac.com/blog/2015/07/02/whats-the-difference-between-apple-music- and-itunes-match