Option i.r.o. MY MUSIC id'ed as Apple Music

[Cassady]

Hello all,

No doubt this has been covered in the past - but hoping there are new options to get around the above?

Switched on Apple Music about two months back.
I have terribly slow upload speeds, and with my 120GB Photos library doing it's damnedest to override everything else to get into the Cloud, so the rest was pretty much crawling along...

This explains why I wasn't paying all that much attention to what was happening over in iTunes, while it was doing its things getting integrated with Apple Music...

So, came across this article on iMore, about how to check the status of your music...
And, lo & behold, I'd say close to 60% of the songs in my iTunes library are now marked as "Apple Music"...

Which apparently means that if I ever unsubscribed from Apple Music, those will disappear, and I won't be able to play them anymore...

Just to be clear, that 60% are my songs, ripped from CDs etc. over the years...

Where do I even begin?
Time Machine back-up?

Or do I first try other options?
[doublepost=1470592830][/doublepost]Please say it ain't so???

This 9to5Mac article explains how to get around the bug... "Remove Download", keep file, re-download the song....
But. But... 1 by friggin 1?? Can this be?
[doublepost=1470593534][/doublepost]Oh. Joy.

So you can do it by selecting them as a group. But the 'fix' offered by the 9to5Mac article, doesn't appear to be working. After re-downloading the songs, they are still marked as Apple Music...

 

[M. Gustave]

Can you please write your problem clearly? I have no idea what 'bug' you're talking about.

 

[Cassady]

Can you please write your problem clearly? I have no idea what 'bug' you're talking about.

The 'bug' being spoken of, is where original music (from a user's personal library), after being uploaded to the iCloud music library, is then incorrectly marked/converted to "Apple Music", as opposed to "Matched".

The difference is significant, in that the former is DRM protected, whilst the latter is not.

So currently, 60% of MY music has suddenly had DRM protection added to it, by the conversion bug.

Does that makes things clear?

What status had been assigned to your music, assuming you are only using Apple Music and have iCloud Library activated?

 

[Cassady]

Could someone please check things in their library? Assuming you're using Apple Music only (never subscribed to Match) and have iCloud library activated - is your music marked as Matched, or as Apple Music (in the iCloud status column)?

 

[Julien]

Sorry (if English is a 2ed language) but your post is hard to read. So you subscribed to Music and then deleted all your original music files from iTunes? You then downloaded them from Music? There is no reason to do this. Simply replace all your Music iTunes tracks with your original ACC or ALAC backup tracks and then don't delete them. You will only get Apple Music files on your iDevices.

Apple has been known to 'screw' with some metadata (like artwork) but will not replace or change the files themselves.

 

[Cassady]

Sorry (if English is a 2ed language) but your post is hard to read. So you subscribed to Music and then deleted all your original music files from iTunes? You then downloaded them from Music? There is no reason to do this. Simply replace all your Music iTunes tracks with your original ACC or ALAC backup tracks and then don't delete them. You will only get Apple Music files on your iDevices.

Apple has been known to 'screw' with some metadata (like artwork) but will not replace or change the files themselves.

Thanks Julien - nope. English is very much my 1st language, but I'm beginning to have doubts - given how confusing my post is to people!

But I appreciate you trying to help, so will try and set everything out properly.

1.) I subscribed to Apple Music.
I have never subscribed to iTunes Match.

2.) I switched on iCloud music library - so that I could download Apple Music songs to my devices, to listen to when off-line.
On my iPhone and iPad, all is is as one would expect.

3.) Over on iTunes on my Mac, when I switched on the iCloud music library, iTunes started uploading my songs to the Cloud, to "match" them, and make them 'part' of the iCloud library, so that I can - again - listen to Apple Music songs AND my own songs on all my devices.
This upload process was taking very long, since my Photos were also being uploaded to iCloud, and I do not have a very robust ADSL connection.
At times, the uploading process was stalled, and not completed.
But can be restarted - and I'm almost done with getting everything uploaded.

4.) In iTunes, in the column view - when you are looking at your Songs list - I switched on the "iCloud Status" column view.
This is simply a column, confirming what the iCloud "status" is, of all your songs that are in your iTunes library, on your Mac.
I wanted to "see" what the status was of my songs, to see how many still needed to be uploaded, how many were matched etc.

5.) The "iCloud status" options are listed in the iMore article I linked to in my 1st post, are as follows:

"Uploaded" - music is now on the Apple Music servers;
"Matched" - matched with songs Apple has on its servers;
"Purchased" - bought from iTunes store catalogue;
"Apple Music" - Apple Music songs that you have downloaded to a device, to be played offline. These songs are not yours, they belong to Apple, and will be removed if you cancel Apple Music;
"Ineligible" - for voice memos etc.

6.) So, given that I have only had Apple Music for about two months, I have not downloaded many Apple Music songs, or albums yet, to listen to offline - 250 max.

7.) Therefore, given that the size of my iTunes library is about 70GBs - I would expect that the vast majority of my music, when all the uploading was complete, would have their status as either "Uploaded", or "Matched" - along with "Purchased" for the songs/albums I have bought through iTunes over the years.

8.) This is not the case. Easily 2/3rds of MY music is now listed as being "Apple Music" files, in the iCloud status column.

So - put differently, iTunes uploaded my music into the iCloud music library, but instead of "matching" them, has mistakenly classified these songs (my songs) as being "Apple Music" songs - songs Apple seems to think I have downloaded FROM Apple Music, when I have not. They are my songs.

This is the Bug I am speaking of, that has been widely reported over the past year or so.

9.) The recommendations in the various articles, was to click on "Remove Download" on the song in question (that is incorrectly marked as "Apple Music"), and then "re-download" that song from the iTunes cloud servers. This was supposed to 'restore' that song to its original state, i.e. as MY song.

It doesn't. Following the procedure above, sees the song being re-downloaded as an "Apple Music" song!!

10.) I haven't done anything in terms of deleting songs/replacing. All I did, was try the suggestion at 9.) above, without any success.

TL :: DR >>> 60-70% of MY music, after switching on iCloud Music Library, is now marked as being Apple Music, when it's bloody-well not! They are MY songs - always have been - never Apple Music songs!

I hope this now clarifies things?



Any suggestions?
Are YOUR original songs marked as "Matched/Uploaded" or as "Apple Music"?? Could you please check, and let me know?

 

[M. Gustave]

As @Julien said, unless you deleted the local songs on your Mac, and then redownloaded them, they can't be drm copies, regardless of what iTunes says.

Regardless, you save a backup of your iTunes library beforehand, so no matter what happens you're ok.

I actually dug out my laptop just to check what you're saying, and there are only three statuses: Uploaded, Purchased, and Apple Music. No "Matched".

Are you on an old version of iTunes? Current is 12.4.3.1.

 

[Julien]

Also you maybe confusing iCloud Status with the Kind (format) of file you actually have. Add the Kind field to see what your files are. As you can see my ALAC files that I ripped from CD's are still ALAC but their iCloud Status is Apple Music.

iCloud Status just means that any file downloaded will be an Music file. If the files on you Mac are still original the "Kind" should be ALAC or ACC (or original format).

 

[Cassady]

As @Julien said, unless you deleted the local songs on your Mac, and then redownloaded them, they can't be drm copies, regardless of what iTunes says.

Regardless, you save a backup of your iTunes library beforehand, so no matter what happens you're ok.

I actually dug out my laptop just to check what you're saying, and there are only three statuses: Uploaded, Purchased, and Apple Music. No "Matched".

Are you on an old version of iTunes? Current is 12.4.3.1.

Yip, thankfully have a backup.
And running 12.4.3.1 as well.

But wanting to avoid having to re-build my library, if at all possible!

I'm hoping they aren't DRM copies (not sure how to confirm if they are), but as mentioned - I assumed that with them marked as "Apple Music", they would be?
[doublepost=1470670049][/doublepost]

Also you maybe confusing iCloud Status with the Kind (format) of file you actually have. Add the Kind field to see what your files are. As you can see my ALAC files that I ripped from CD's are still ALAC but their iCloud Status is Apple Music.

iCloud Status just means that any file downloaded will be an Music file. If the files on you Mac are still original the "Kind" should be ALAC or ACC (or original format).

I might be confused, but only due to what I read in that iMore article.
Granted, it's from 2015 - but there is clearly stated that the iCloud status sets out the parameters surrounding the rights to the song - i.e. a status of Apple Music, means its DRM'ed??

If that has changed, then I'll be over the moon. If not - well, that's what I'm trying to sort out.

Thanks for the screenshot.

Here are a few from my library:
NOTE >> I sorted these according to "Kind", NOT iCloud status.

The above, downloaded from Apple Music - so described as expected.

The above, bought directly from BruceSpringsteen.com (or whatever his online store is called) - this is a live recording of one of his concerts that I attended.
Why are some "Matched" and some "Apple Music"?

The above, purchased from iTunes BEFORE subscribing to Apple Music. So, as expected.

The above, ripped from my SNG cd.
Again, some have status as "Matched", some as "Apple Music".


So, I guess the question now surrounds the importance of "iCloud Status", as opposed to the "Kind" description?

In short, if one of MY songs has as status "Apple Music" (as opposed to "Matched") - what does that mean? Is it DRM'ed??

 

[Julien]

....


So, I guess the question now surrounds the importance of "iCloud Status", as opposed to the "Kind" description?

In short, if one of MY songs has as status "Apple Music" (as opposed to "Matched") - what does that mean? Is it DRM'ed??

The only type of file that has DRM is an Apple Music AAC audio file shown in your first pic (or if you have a many years ago bought from iTunes DRM track that will be listed as AAC Protected audio file [I think]). All the screen shots you show your music that you owned is in the original file format. No other file format has DRM so none of the music you bought can have DRM. Only the Apple Music ACC audio files can have DRM.

iCloud Status is about the way the music track is stored in iCloud. Since you have the original flies on your Mac the iCloud Status only applies to your iPhone (iDevices) when you download a music file.

 

[Cassady]

The only type of file that has DRM is an Apple Music AAC audio file (or if you have a many years ago bought from iTunes DRM track that will be listed as AAC Protected audio file [I think]). All the screen shots you show your music that you owned is in the original file format. No other file format has DRM so none of the music you bought can have DRM. Only the Apple Music ACC audio files can have DRM.

iCloud Status is about the way thematic track is stored in iCloud. Since you have the original flies on your Mac the iCloud Status only applies to your iPhone (iDevices) when you download a music file.

Julien - (and M Gustave) - the penny has finally dropped.
Thank you for being so patient.

I failed to appreciate that Serenity Caldwell (in the iMore article) was indirectly(?) referring to the "Kind" - as is evident from the loupe in her various screenshots.

What threw me was this wording, right at the top of that article:
"
A primer on uploaded, matched, purchased, and Apple Music
Before we go over how to find these statuses on your Mac, this is what each of them means.
"

So I saw the various examples of the Status ("Uploaded"/"Matched") as being they key. To be fair, that article is a bit misleading. She refers to Status, but the loupe in the picture, is focused on "Kind"?
This is especially so given how the article ends, where she says to switch on the "iCloud Status" field, with no mention of Kind.

If I understand what you both are saying, provided KIND stays as it should, and is NOT "Apple Music AAC Audio File", I should be OK. What's mine, is still mine?

Has that changed?
Why did iMore get the above so wrong?
They appear to be suggesting the Status of the song is important?

 

[dsemf]

... or if you have a many years ago bought from iTunes DRM track that will be listed as AAC Protected audio file [I think])...

You were very close: Protected AAC audio file.

DS

 

[Julien]

You were very close: Protected AAC audio file.

DS

Thanks, after reading what I wrote AAC Protected audio file even sounds backwards.

 

[riverfreak]

EDIT: I have removed the comment stating I had the same issue as the OP. Apparently, the OP was confused about file types and statuses. My post below illustrates an annoying and frustrating aspect of Apple Music, particularly if you want to use music that YOU OWN with other Apple products, like iMovie. If you want to do something as stupid and arcane as that, you will actually need to sync each of your devices with an iTunes library that does NOT have iCloud Music Library enabled. Go figure.

Here's a song that was originally in my collection. It's a DRM free m4a.

After matching, it was labeled as Status: Apple Music, Kind: Apple Music AAC audio file.

Clicking on the iCloud download icon results in a file that carries DRM:

Conclusions:

1. Apple Music will replace some (but apparently not all) of your music with DRMed variants if you choose to download them.

2. The DRMed versions are pretty much useless should you want to, say, use them in things like iMovie.

3. Like any Apple cloud related service, be darn sure you have a backup.

 

[Julien]

I have the EXACT same problem of the OP.

Conclusions:

1. Apple Music will replace some (but apparently not all) of your music with DRMed variants if you choose to download them.

2. The DRMed versions are pretty much useless should you want to, say, use them in things like iMovie.

3. Like any Apple cloud related service, be darn sure you have a backup.

No you don't have the same problem since the OP didn't have a problem but only had a misunderstanding of their music track's file formats and now realizes all is fine. On the other hand it seems you don't understand the way Music works.

You don't have a choice to download a music track that is located in your Mac's Library so this can ONLY happen if you deleted the local music track from your Mac. You must have deleted the music file from your Mac's library for it to offer downloading from Music. If you then download from Music then of course you will get the Music track since you DELETED your original. This is 100% your responsibility since Apple can't recover the original format music track you deleted and can only offer the Music track to replace it.

The exception will be from music tracks that were NOT matched to Music tracks and had to be uploaded from your music library. In this cace you will get the same track in the same format that was uploaded.

 

[riverfreak]

No you don't have the same problem since the OP didn't have a problem but only had a misunderstanding of their music track's file formats and now realizes all is fine. On the other hand it seems you don't understand the way Music works.

You don't have a choice to download a music track that is located in your Mac's Library so this can ONLY happen if you deleted the local music track from your Mac. You must have deleted the music file from your Mac's library for it to offer downloading from Music. If you then download from Music then of course you will get the Music track since you DELETED your original. This is 100% your responsibility since Apple can't recover the original format music track you deleted and can only offer the Music track to replace it.

The exception will be from music tracks that were NOT matched to Music tracks and had to be uploaded from your music library. In this cace you will get the same track in the same format that was uploaded.

Wrong. The file still exists on my file system. I didn't delete anything. Once the matching process is complete, Apple Music essentially considers every file remote and streams everything (unless you choose to download). Check your network monitor of choice if you do not believe me.

If you DO choose to download by clicking on the iCloud icon, it will download a copy of the file to a dedicated "Apple Music" folder. If you have thrown away the original copies, you will truly be screwed. My point is that if you want to rely on AM to sync music that you can use as you see fit, you will be sorely disappointed.

Try it, you'll see.

Edit: Oh, and to say I don't understand how AM works would be a serious understatement.

 

[Julien]

Wrong. The file still exists on my file system. I didn't delete anything. Once the matching process is complete, Apple Music essentially considers every file remote and streams everything (unless you choose to download). Check your network monitor of choice if you do not believe me.

If you DO choose to download by clicking on the iCloud icon, it will download a copy of the file to a dedicated "Apple Music" folder. If you have thrown away the original copies, you will truly be screwed. My point is that if you want to rely on AM to sync music that you can use as you see fit, you will be sorely disappointed.

Try it, you'll see.

Edit: Oh, and to say I don't understand how AM works would be a serious understatement.

Sorry but this not how it works unless you delete your music files. Once Music is completed the scanning/matching and uploaded of non Music tracks your music library stays the same (other than some metadata may be changed). Any music that you own and played on your Mac will be the same local music files as before you started the Music subscription. As long as you don't delete your original music tracks there will be no Music tracks downloaded or streamed to your Mac, except for 'new' music you didn't own. It will play the local original files in their original format the same as if you didn't have Music. Only music tracks synced to your iDevices will be Music files.

Here is a great article that can help you understand the way it works with your current library.
http://www.macworld.com/article/306...ple-music-doesnt-delete-your-music-files.html

EDIT: Here is another good article too.

http://www.imore.com/no-apple-music-not-deleting-tracks-your-hard-drive-unless-you-tell-it

 

[riverfreak]

Sorry but this not how it works unless you delete your music files. Once Music is completed the scanning/matching and uploaded of non Music tracks your music library stays the same (other than some metadata may be changed). Any music that you own and played on your Mac will be the same local music files as before you started the Music subscription. As long as you don't delete your original music tracks there will be no Music tracks downloaded or streamed to your Mac, except for 'new' music you didn't own. It will play the local original files in their original format the same as if you didn't have Music. Only music tracks synced to your iDevices will be Music files.

Here is a great article that can help you understand the way it works with your current library.
http://www.macworld.com/article/306...ple-music-doesnt-delete-your-music-files.html

I *never* said *anywhere* that Apple Music deletes your local files.

What I *did* say (and what the MacWorld article to which you link fails to address) is what happens AFTER the matching process. Try it with a nascent library and see what happens. Once matching is complete, a matched file is listed as being cloud-based. That's *with* the local file intact in its original location. Don't take my word for it. Try it for yourself. And see what happens when you download that file -- where it goes, what kind it is.

It makes absolutely ZERO sense to me that music I own would magically accrue DRM when downloaded onto one of my iDevices or another computer. Try using that file in, say, iMovie. Nope, you can't which really sort of defeats the purpose. I guess the upshot of this is that iTunes Match (according to MacWorld) does NOT add DRM when you go to re-download content that you own. Why AM can't do the same is absolutely 100% beyond me. I realize that iCloud Music Library is not a backup service, but syncing content that I own -- even if it has been matched -- certainly should NOT have DRM attached to it. That BLOWS.

 

[Julien]

.....It makes absolutely ZERO sense to me that music I own would magically accrue DRM when downloaded onto one of my iDevices or another computer. Try using that file in, say, iMovie. Nope, you can't which really sort of defeats the purpose. I guess the upshot of this is that iTunes Match (according to MacWorld) does NOT add DRM when you go to re-download content that you own. Why AM can't do the same is absolutely 100% beyond me. I realize that iCloud Music Library is not a backup service, but syncing content that I own -- even if it has been matched -- certainly should NOT have DRM attached to it. That BLOWS.

I already coved this and it is not applicable since the OP did NOT download Music to their Mac and that was not their perceived problem. The OP thought that Music had replaced his/her original music tracks with Music DRMed tracks, which is not the case. This is what this thread is about. The first post is just a little confusing. Read post number 8 where I correctly answered the OP question.

The reason any downloaded Music is DRMed is actually simple. It is about the licensing agreement that Apple has and Apple's use of the Music Match software to power Music. I like most wish Apple would directly sync the original files from my iTunes library (most of mine are CD rips to ALAC) to my iDevice. However this is not the method Apple chose to implement. It was easer to use the Match method and since the tracks are coming from Music they must by licensing agreement contain DRM. There is no way for Apple to download a DRM free track from Music.

 

[riverfreak]

I already coved this and it is not applicable since the OP did NOT download Music to their Mac and that was not their perceived problem. The OP thought that Music had replaced his/her original music tracks with Music DRMed tracks, which is not the case. This is what this thread is about. The first post is just a little confusing. Read post number 8 where I correctly answered the OP question.

The reason any downloaded Music is DRMed is actually simple. It is about the licensing agreement that Apple has and Apple's use of the Music Match software to power Music. I like most wish Apple would directly sync the original files from my iTunes library (most of mine are CD rips to ALAC) to my iDevice. However this is not the method Apple chose to implement. It was easer to use the Match method and since the tracks are coming from Music they must by licensing agreement contain DRM. There is no way for Apple to download a DRM free track from Music.

Fair enough. But why the discrepancy between iTunes Match and iCloud Music Library? The two are functionally equivalent, but obviously not operationally so.

My guess is they cheated. Because AM allows you to download music for offline listening -- including music that you do not own -- they simply treat ANYTHING that's in "My Music" as belonging to them. That, to me, sux big time, and is evidence of how ill-considered and under-tested apple music truly is.

 

[Julien]

Fair enough. But why the discrepancy between iTunes Match and iCloud Music Library? The two are functionally equivalent, but obviously not operationally so.

My guess is they cheated. Because AM allows you to download music for offline listening -- including music that you do not own -- they simply treat ANYTHING that's in "My Music" as belonging to them. That, to me, sux big time, and is evidence of how ill-considered and under-tested apple music truly is.

It is all about licensing. Music is covered by completely different contracts than iTunes and Apple must segregate them. The ONLY time Apple can offer an iTunes download (non DRM) is when the music track was originally purchased from iTunes. If Apple offered an iTunes download (non DRM) track that you did not buy from iTunes then Apple would be required to pay the license holder for a sold track, even if Apple did not charge you. Again there is no way Apple can offer anything other than Music tracks as a download replacement or iDevice synced unless it was the original upload or if you bought the track through iTunes. Streaming licensing agreements (which Music falls under) preclude downloading ANY music under any conditions for any reasons that is not DRMed. Apple (or any streaming service) has no say so or lead way in this matter. If you download it from Music (or any streaming service) it must be DRMed period.