I just installed iTunes 12.4 on my MacBook Pro.
Can someone tell me how I can start Genius from a certain song.
I see that I can create a playlist with the Genius suggestions. But I want to just play the songs, not save the playlist.
I also found that I can start Genius for a random song, but not a song that I choose.
Maybe I just can't find how to start Genius from one certain song.
MacBook Pro with Retina display, OS X El Capitan (10.11.5), null
Just discovered by accident that starting Genius for a song is back! 🙂 Thanks Apple!
The Genius feature is meant to create a playlist of songs that go well together (based on automated input from iTunes users). So that's what it does. It creates that playlist using your selected song, and you can start playing your song from there.
Until yesterday you just could start a Genius from any song without saving a playlist. It was just called "Start Genius".
This seems to be gone now. 😟
You can still play your song (and the rest of the Genius playlist) from the playlist that is created.
So I have to create a playlist to play similar songs and afterwards have to delete the playlist again?
Maybe it is easier to re-install the old version of iTunes, because most of the time I listen to music by just starting a Genius and later start another one.
Just let the previous Genuis playlists "accumulate." You can go back to one that you liked, and Refresh it to get a new set of songs. Periodically, delete the ones you don't want to keep from your iTunes library.
because most of the time I listen to music by just starting a Genius and later start another one.
Then, it doesn't really matter if there are old Genius playlists in your iTunes library... 🙂
So you tell me to create a playlist with every song in my library? So see you next month! 😉
Also if I accumulate the playlists, it is not very likely that I have already created a playlist with the song I want to choose right now.
And I guess new songs in my library won't be added to old playlists.
So what was one click before is now more complicated.
But now we have the option to start a Genius with a random song (under Controls). For whatever reason?
Every song? Why would you need or want to do that...? No, use Genius like you did before. Create a Genius playlist with a selected song, like you did before. Then play that playlist. Yes, each one you create using Genius becomes a playlist on your iTunes library, but how is that "every song in my library"?
And I guess new songs in my library won't be added to old playlists.
There is a Refresh button on the playlist, if the playlist is a Genius playlist. If you Refresh an existing Genius playlist, new songs (that are appropriate for that Genius playlist) are eligible to be added.
I never created a Genius List before. I just started Genius with a song.
For example I listen to Kiss by Prince and just clicked on Start Genius. One hour later I select Graceland by Paul Simon and Start Genius. Two Hours later I choose Space Oddity by David Bowie and again click on Start Genius. I could do this without saving any Playlist.
Now I have to choose the song, create a Playlist and start it. Later I have to create a new Playlist, and later another one.
And I guess I seldom started a Genius with the same song twice or more.
Thank you for trying to convince me of using Genius Playlists, but I don't see any sense in it, when I will use the same playlist only in the far future or never again. And I do not want to clutter my list of Playlists.
It just worked perfect for me, but maybe I was the only one to use the "Start Genius" feature. But who will use then the new Start Random Genius feature?
I have to agree with George. "Start Genius" as it worked in 12.3 was simple. Please bring it back!
Good to know I am not the only one missing the "Start Genius" feature.
Me too. Very annoying having to create playlists all the time
Genius playlists appear in the sidebar on the left, below Music Playlists. A Genius playlist has this icon 
next to it.
Create a Genius playlist: Select a song, then choose File > New > Genius Playlist.
Change the maximum number of songs in a Genius playlist: Click 
next to the song total and choose a number from the pop-up menu.
Get new songs based on the same song: Click Refresh.
An apple article is there : iTunes 12 for Mac: Use Genius Shuffle, Genius playlists, or Genius Mixes
@appreciate: not the point. Myself & the original poster want the old functionality back, of playing a track, then clicking to start Genius from that track. Not creating a playlist every time. Maybe you didn't understand the question?
I think they're clearly pushing people to use the Apple Music radio station for specific songs. The option is there for a track: "Start Station". "Start Genius" for one song is gone for good, apparently.
Genius for a certain song
