HT201223: If you can't burn CDs using iTunes for Windows

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blazerone29
Level 1 (1 points)

Q: I am unable to burn songs I have purchased through iTunes store to MP3 CD, and I am unable to convert these songs to MP3 as well.

This is ridiculous. I PAID for these songs (and many others), but some won't allow me to burn to MP3 CD (iTunes says I cannot burn iTunes Store songs to MP3 CD), and I can't convert them to MP3 either. This is NOT Apple Music. I OWN these files.

Windows 7

Posted on Dec 9, 2015 6:19 PM

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blazerone29

Q: I am unable to burn songs I have purchased through iTunes store to MP3 CD, and I am unable to convert these songs to MP3 as well.

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  • by hhgttg27,

    hhgttg27 hhgttg27 Dec 9, 2015 6:33 PM in response to blazerone29
    Level 5 (5,407 points)
    iTunes
    Dec 9, 2015 6:33 PM in response to blazerone29

    When were the songs purchased?  Older purchases use DRM and can't be converted - you'll need to subscribe to iTunes Match to replace the protected version with unprotected.  Otherwise, you should be able to set Import Settings (Edit > Preferences > General) to MP3 then right-click on the AAC files and convert them to MP3.  Having done so you should then be able to create an MP3 CD from a suitable playlist.

  • by blazerone29,

    blazerone29 blazerone29 Dec 10, 2015 9:32 AM in response to hhgttg27
    Level 1 (1 points)
    Dec 10, 2015 9:32 AM in response to hhgttg27

    Oh no. iTunes Match has WRECKED the music libraries for several people I know. You're telling me I have to PAY for the SAME SONGS AGAIN to be ablet o do this?

     

    I tried the right-click method. It won't let me do that either.

  • by turingtest2,

    turingtest2 turingtest2 Dec 10, 2015 9:42 AM in response to blazerone29
    Level 10 (85,885 points)
    iTunes
    Dec 10, 2015 9:42 AM in response to blazerone29

    Songs bought from the iTunes Music before September(?) 2009 may have DRM. What exactly does iTunes report in the Kind column for these tracks?

     

    tt2

  • by blazerone29,

    blazerone29 blazerone29 Dec 14, 2015 3:13 PM in response to turingtest2
    Level 1 (1 points)
    Dec 14, 2015 3:13 PM in response to turingtest2

    turingtest2, I get that already. My point is that I OWN these files, and they are restricting how I can use them. That's absurd.

  • by hhgttg27,

    hhgttg27 hhgttg27 Dec 14, 2015 3:29 PM in response to blazerone29
    Level 5 (5,407 points)
    iTunes
    Dec 14, 2015 3:29 PM in response to blazerone29

    Actually you've purchased a license to those songs and are subject to the conditions of that license at time of purchase. DRM restriction was applied to all iTunes Store purchases pre-2009; free upgrades to non-DRM "iTunes Plus" files were available for a considerable period of time thereafter, though now replaced by the equivalent function within iTunes Match.

  • by blazerone29,

    blazerone29 blazerone29 Dec 14, 2015 4:00 PM in response to hhgttg27
    Level 1 (1 points)
    Dec 14, 2015 4:00 PM in response to hhgttg27

    If this were just a streaming service, or if it were similar to Apple Music, I would wholeheartedly agree. But it's not. I legally purchased a copy of the file, which I was able to download and use at my discretion. It was promoted as being able to listen to your music ANYWHERE. Well, that's a lie. The idea that I should now have to pay Apple AGAIN for the exact same music is absolutely absurd.

  • by turingtest2,

    turingtest2 turingtest2 Dec 14, 2015 4:04 PM in response to blazerone29
    Level 10 (85,885 points)
    iTunes
    Dec 14, 2015 4:04 PM in response to blazerone29

    If they were bought with DRM you can burn to audio CD and then rip back to a format of your choice, but there will be some degradation of audio quality. Whether or not it is noticeable or significant only you can tell.

     

    tt2

  • by blazerone29,

    blazerone29 blazerone29 Dec 14, 2015 4:08 PM in response to turingtest2
    Level 1 (1 points)
    Dec 14, 2015 4:08 PM in response to turingtest2

    I read that somewhere and tried it. I'm not allowed to burn them to an audio CD. It tells me that "songs purchased from the iTunes Store cannot be burned to CD."

  • by turingtest2,

    turingtest2 turingtest2 Dec 14, 2015 4:26 PM in response to blazerone29
    Level 10 (85,885 points)
    iTunes
    Dec 14, 2015 4:26 PM in response to blazerone29

    Were these songs purchased prior to 2010 and downloaded in the old 128 Protected AAC format, or have you used any aspects of Apple Music or iCloud Music Library? I guess it is possible that Apple might have removed the burning ability for protected DRM in recent builds to simplify the management of protected tracks delivered using Apple Music, i.e. nothing can be burned, whenever you bought it. A workaround might be to temporarily install an older build of iTunes, create a temporary library, import your DRM tracks, burn them all out to CD, then reinstall the current version of iTunes and restore your main library. Or you could copy the physical files to any new computer that you want to play them on and authorize it to your account.

     

    tt2

  • by blazerone29,

    blazerone29 blazerone29 Dec 14, 2015 4:35 PM in response to turingtest2
    Level 1 (1 points)
    Dec 14, 2015 4:35 PM in response to turingtest2

    There's a significant difference between using the streaming service of Apple Music and BUYING songs from the iTunes Store.

     

    Here's a perfect example. I have MOVIES I PURCHASED from the iTunes Store at the same time as the songs. Guess what? I can BURN those movies to disc and WATCH THEM on non-iTunes software and devices.

  • by Chris CA,

    Chris CA Chris CA Dec 14, 2015 4:49 PM in response to blazerone29
    Level 9 (79,538 points)
    iPhone
    Dec 14, 2015 4:49 PM in response to blazerone29

    blazerone29 wrote:

    BURN those movies to disc and WATCH THEM on non-iTunes software and devices.

    No you cannot.

    You can burn them but they will not play.

     

    You cannot burn iTunes music purchases as an MP3 CD because you must first convert them to MP3.

    Then you will be able to burn them fine.

    How are you trying to convert them to MP3?

  • by blazerone29,

    blazerone29 blazerone29 Dec 14, 2015 4:50 PM in response to Chris CA
    Level 1 (1 points)
    Dec 14, 2015 4:50 PM in response to Chris CA

    Actually, YES, I can. I've done it - many times.

     

    These SONGS, however, CANNOT be converted to MP3 or burned to disc. I've tried converting them internally in iTunes as well as using a protected music converter. It simply cannot be done.

  • by turingtest2,

    turingtest2 turingtest2 Dec 14, 2015 4:58 PM in response to blazerone29
    Level 10 (85,885 points)
    iTunes
    Dec 14, 2015 4:58 PM in response to blazerone29

    I'm aware of the difference. Apple Music items can also be downloaded for offline use as opposed to streaming. I'm simply trying to establish exactly what the status of the tracks is supposed to be. Get Info > File tab should reveal which version of FairPlay is applied. I vaguely recall reading one or two posts immediately after Apple Music launched where a couple of users were reporting that newly purchased tracks were downloading with DRM. Perhaps the same happened to you. Right here, right now, I don't have access to any blank CDs to test the behaviour myself, but I could try to look at it tomorrow. I do have some old protected tracks archived somewhere and I could possibly try burning them tomorrow.

     

    tt2

  • by Chris CA,

    Chris CA Chris CA Dec 14, 2015 4:59 PM in response to blazerone29
    Level 9 (79,538 points)
    iPhone
    Dec 14, 2015 4:59 PM in response to blazerone29

    blazerone29 wrote:

    Actually, YES, I can. I've done it - many times.

    Never happened with Movies/TV shows.

    These SONGS, however, CANNOT be converted to MP3 or burned to disc. I've tried converting them internally in iTunes as well as using a protected music converter. It simply cannot be done.

    Did you pay for Apple Music? If so, and you download any music (even if you had it previously), it will have DRM.

    http://9to5mac.com/2015/07/13/how-to-fix-itunes-match-apple-music-drm-bug/

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