How to remove "recently added" music from iOS Music app?

Question

Level 5

5,210 points

How to remove "recently added" music from iOS Music app?

Annoyingly, the iOS adds a section of music called "Recently Added." I can't remove it, and it holds 894 songs that I've purchased over the past few months. They hog up an immense 18GB of space, which I want to use for the music and playlists I want on my iPhone.

Why does Apple think they know better than I do. I buy music that's rubbish, and I figure it out after a couple of plays. I never want to see that junk on my iPhone ever again.

Please, someone have a cure, short of throwing my iPhone against the wall and jumping up and down on it.

iPhone 6 Plus, iOS 8, Black, 64GB, Sprint

Posted on Dec 14, 2015 12:50 PM

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Answer 1

sberman

Level 10

267,753 points

Dec 14, 2015 12:55 PM in response to OrangeMarlin

"Recently Added" is a playlist that is copied to your iPhone from iTunes on your computer. It is a smart playlist.

It actually takes no additional storage space at all on your iPhone. It is merely a convenient way to group songs for you.

If you don't care for this playlist, delete it from iTunes on your computer.

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Answer 2

OrangeMarlin Author

Level 5

5,210 points

Dec 14, 2015 1:09 PM in response to sberman

I don't see a smart playlist anywhere on iTunes entitled "Recently Added." There's something called "Purchased" which I cannot edit. I'm going to see if deleting the "Purchased" playlist helps my situation. I can create a smart playlist to show my recent purchases, if I want I supposed.

I am not sure I agree with you on the additional storage space. Here's what I observe:

I have a 64GB iPhone 6 plus. On the bar at the bottom of iTunes, it says I have 2560 songs on my iPhone.
On the iPhone 6 plus tab on iTunes, when I click on music, it says I'm syncing 1711 songs. There are 849 mystery songs.
When I cancel syncing of any song from iTunes to my iPhone, it still says I have 849 songs on my iPhone. When I go to the iOS Music App, I can actually see and play the 849 song. They are not in the cloud.
When I go to Settings>General, it says that I have all of those songs.

But I'll try what you suggest, even though I don't actually see the "Recently Added" playlist. I'm going to guess that purchased is my problem.

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Answer 3

sberman

Level 10

267,753 points

Dec 14, 2015 1:16 PM in response to OrangeMarlin

When I go to "Playlists" in iTunes, I see this in the side bar. "Recently Added" is not in the same area as "Purchased":

I added "iCloud Rate", "Top 25 Least Played" (smart playlists) and "American Idol" by the way.

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Answer 4

OrangeMarlin Author

Level 5

5,210 points

Dec 14, 2015 1:17 PM in response to sberman

I must have deleted it years ago or something.

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Answer 5

OrangeMarlin Author

Level 5

5,210 points

Dec 14, 2015 1:18 PM in response to OrangeMarlin

I'm stumped.

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Answer 6

sberman

Level 10

267,753 points

Dec 16, 2015 10:45 AM in response to OrangeMarlin

Do I understand correctly you wish to delete those 849 songs from your iPhone? Is that your objective?

If so, why not try this:

Cancel the syncing of all songs to your iPhone.
Remove (delete) those 849 songs from your iPhone.
Resume the sync of all songs that you wish to your iPhone.

Do those 849 songs re-appear?

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Answer 7

OrangeMarlin Author

Level 5

5,210 points

Dec 14, 2015 1:27 PM in response to sberman

Unfortunately, I would have to delete those 849 songs one by one. I don't have that much time in life. 😁

However, I'm going to try to delete a handful. Let me see if that works.

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Answer 8

OrangeMarlin Author

Level 5

5,210 points

Dec 16, 2015 10:45 AM in response to OrangeMarlin

I am a doofus.

I figured out that podcasts are part of the "audio", and I had one set of podcasts that were over 250 episodes and about 9GB of space.

I'll remember this if someone ever asks.

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Answer 9

Dec 16, 2015 11:17 AM in response to OrangeMarlin

For what it's worth, the "Recently Added" section in the iOS Music app is not related to the "Recently Added" smart playlist that you may or may not have in iTunes.

As of iOS 8.4.1 (I believe) there is a separate "Recently Added" category at the top of the "My Music" category. This is completely independent of the playlist, and cannot be removed. This category represents the albums of your three most recent iTunes purchases, whether or not they are actually on your device. You can remove the songs that you've recently added to your device, but this section of the iOS Music app cannot be deleted. It is, as sberman noted, a convenience that Apple deems useful for users. If you feel otherwise, tell Apple:

http://www.apple.com/feedback/iphone.html

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Answer 10

OrangeMarlin Author

Level 5

5,210 points

Dec 16, 2015 11:16 AM in response to rockmyplimsoul

Thank you for your answer. Like I said I figured out what my issue was, podcasts, but I was frustrated why I couldn't remove the Recently Added section of iOS Music. Good to know that I can't remove it.

It is frustrating that Apple does these things, but that's why I come here, people have the answers.

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Answer 11

pkgoode

Level 1

8 points

Apr 3, 2017 3:29 AM in response to OrangeMarlin

"If you feel otherwise, tell Apple"
Like Apple listens or cares. Recently Added is on the phone because Apple wants it there for its own reasons. When those reasons go away, so will Recently Added.

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