Artist Photos Missing in iTunes 12.5.1

It seems to be another subtle form of coercion. If you don't buy the music from the apple store then your library will have annoying microphone avitars for the artists. Classic Apple.

HHave u not been reading this topic? Got nothing to do with purchased music.

Nope, that's not it. Artist photos are also missing for certain items I subscribed to from Apple Music or bought in the iTunes Store.

I believe that Apple is withholding artist images for tracks not purchased from the iTunes Store. Since most of my library is ripped from my (legally purchased) CDs, I have few images. That much is their right, I think the ghastly icon they have introduced constitutes punishment - we are customers after all (phones, pads, computers count as well as 79p music tracks). A tasteful grey icon would work so much better.

iTunes has a feedback feature (menu: iTunes->Provide iTunes Feedback). If you are unhappy with this situation, I suggest you tell Apple; if enough people do then they may change it. I have just done this, my words are below - take anything you want from these words but please be constructive and polite.

My Feedback to Apple:

Comment applies to iOS 10 as well as iTunes 12.5:

The placeholder Artist icon used when no image is available is entirely inappropriate. The use of colour makes it stand out in an otherwise monochrome UI; use of red brings it forward (visually). A greyed-out icon would be appropriate, both aesthetically and to meet the usual UI convention of grey being unavailable.

Plus: it's just tasteless! I understand if Apple chooses to keep artist images for music it supplied but to punish your customers for not doing so - sad and mean.

I think I see where the problem is. If the artist has a PROMOTIONAL photo for the Apple Store, we can see this picture for the artist. If the artist doesn't have one, it's the microphone icon. Before the update, when an artist didn't have a promotional photo, iTunes was taking one of their album artwork to represent the artist. Now it doesn't. But a LOT of artists (even on the Apple Store) doesn't have a promotional photo. So this is ridiculously wrong.

This may be why there are too few artists represented, but i still see inconsistency between iTunes 12.5.1 and iOS 10. On my iPhone is see an image for ABBA, AL Stewart, Asia, Alan Parson, and many others that are not seen on the Mac

It's a bug (missing artist images). Report it using Feedback Assistant (for additional weight, because I'm sure the iTunes teem knows about it).

WRT to large album covers in Artists view... That's a design decision - Submit feature request via Feedback Assistant to get a preference for setting size.

I believe that Apple is withholding artist images for tracks not purchased from the iTunes Store

Not true. Please read the thread.

I only use MacOS so I can listen to music while I use a Linux VM to work. Now, it makes no sense, probably a better idea to buy an iPod. OMG Apple ***!!!

Here is a great example of the horrible effects of the latest update of iTunes 12.5.1 (note: before this update, all Artists were showing a picture of the album of that artist).

Same problem here. All my artists has got a pink microphone on artist view.

A big shame.

EXACTLY. You hit the nail on the head.

As someone pointed out you can change the image by rightclicking on the iTunes app and choosing show package contents. Then go to the resources folder then rename MissingArtworkArtist.png. Replace it with the graphic of your choice. You can get as creative as you want.

Thanks for pointing out the MissingArtworkArtist.png, just removing the horrible background from the image makes this bearable for me and I don't have the urge to shut down iTunes anymore 😉

Awesome.... Thanks for that.

Image changed to faded out group pic. MUCH less jarring to look at.

Cheers