Q: Has iCloud Music Library changed the way it works?

Earlier this year I've started using Apple Music on a family membership.

I was living in Brazil at the time.

I had iCloud Music Library activated on my two macs and it this is how it used to work:

• I had my local files on my iTunes library (like CD's I've ripped and songs I bought from the iTune Store);
• I had Apple Music added to my iTunes library (some were downloaded to my computer, some were not);
• I had playlists with local files only;
• I had playlists with mixed files: Apple Music songs and local files;

I moved to the UK and had to cancel my family membership and switch iTunes store location.

A few weeks later I am back on Apple Music, but now a single membership.

When I activated iCloud Music Library, the following happened:

• Most of my songs started to show as duplicates. Each song from the duo had a different cloud icon next to it: one cloud with an "x" in the middle and another with the arrow pointing down;
• Any local file that was part of a playlist has been removed from the playlist – which resulted in many empty playlists.

I try the Apple support chat, the guy tells me I should try starting a new test iTunes library and if that solves the problem, I should consider moving my library to a new playlist.

I could export my playlists, but I'd miss all the metadata such as ratings or play count.

That is not an option.

So I call Apple support and the guy explains to me something among the lines (can't recall the exact words):

It probably used to work differently. Now, iCloud music library wants you to use Apple Music equivalent songs to the ones you have on your library. And only with those Apple Music songs you will be able to have the playlists and no duplicates.

Having said all that:

1. Did iCloud used to work differently? Seamlessly with my local files?

And now it just wants me to "substitute" my files with Apple Music files?

2. Is there a workaround for this?

I don't want to start a new library neither substitute my files.

I'm sorry for the long wall of text.

Message was edited by: enniofranco