Questions about downloaded albums in Apple Music

[iRock1]

I'm currently subscribed to iTunes Match, and after so much begging I've started the Apple Music trial period.

So I've just learned that I can “make offline” (stupid eufemism for downloading) any album in the Apple Music catalog. I do not plan to continue with a subscription plan after the trial period expires, so I'd like to know what will happen with that downloaded music that will be stored in my Mac.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think that that downloaded music has DRM, so it won't be played in that Mac. However, how does that restriction work? Is that music automatically deleted from my library? Does it display an error message every time I try to play it? Will it be able to be transferred to an iPod Classic while I still use Apple Music?

Please keep your answers as simple as possible. I had enough with the terrible explanations from Apple and all the confusion between iTunes Match, iCloud Library, Apple Music, etc. Definitely nothing user-friendly.

 

[jaaf]

Music from the Apple Music library that is made available offline (so music you haven't added to iTunes from somewhere else) is only available as long as you have an active subscription. If you cancel your subscription, you'll no longer be able to listen to these songs.

Even while you have your subscription, the iPod Classic isn't compatible with Apple Music, so you won't be able to move Apple Music songs onto there.

 

[Julien]

I'm currently subscribed to iTunes Match, and after so much begging I've started the Apple Music trial period.

So I've just learned that I can “make offline” (stupid eufemism for downloading) any album in the Apple Music catalog. I do not plan to continue with a subscription plan after the trial period expires, so I'd like to know what will happen with that downloaded music that will be stored in my Mac.....

The tracks will still be visible in your library in case you decide to renew but will be grayed out. You can simply delete them if you are not going to use AM.

 

[iRock1]

What a terrible thing going back to those dark years of the Internet, and locking songs with DRM again. Seriously.

 

[mpayne2k]

What a terrible thing going back to those dark years of the Internet, and locking songs with DRM again. Seriously.

It's not "again," this is standard practice for streaming services. You can still get DRM-Free if you buy the individual MP3s. I am still not too happy about NO option to sync to non-iOS devices (iPod Classic, Nano, Shuffle).

 

[Julien]

What a terrible thing going back to those dark years of the Internet, and locking songs with DRM again. Seriously.

So you want to do a free 3 month subscription and download all the music you want? Then you quite and keep all the music without paying a penny?

 

[iRock1]

So you want to do a free 3 month subscription and download all the music you want? Then you quite and keep all the music without paying a penny?

No, I want to pay the fee they are asking for, then play that music wherever I want — and that includes a device manufactured by the same company.

 

[iRock1]

It's not "again," this is standard practice for streaming services. You can still get DRM-Free if you buy the individual MP3s. I am still not too happy about NO option to sync to non-iOS devices (iPod Classic, Nano, Shuffle).

How is not "again"? I thought we passed that DRM crap long time ago.

And yes, I know it's getting common on all these streaming services, but that doesn't make it "right".

Anyway. I guess it's just another reason to stick with the old and classic method of buying and owning my own music.

 

[mpayne2k]

How is not "again"? I thought we passed that DRM crap long time ago.

And yes, I know it's getting common on all these streaming services, but that doesn't make it "right".

Anyway. I guess it's just another reason to stick with the old and classic method of buying and owning my own music.

Who cares what is right in the world? This is a streaming / on demand service, not a pay us $10 for an all you can keep buffet of music. Dude, AM is what AM is...get with the program or stick to purchasing individual albums. EDIT: took a step back from accusing you of illegally downloading, my bad!

 

[iRock1]

Who cares what is right in the world? This is a streaming / on demand service, not a pay us $10 for an all you can keep buffet of music. Dude, AM is what AM is...get with the program or stick to purchasing individual albums. EDIT: took a step back from accusing you of illegally downloading, my bad!

Of course I'll stick to purchasing individual albums or songs. However, being in a forum where we are entitled to discuss, I don't see why I should stop myself from commenting on what I think is wrong.

And yes, the frigging music industry is wrong. "Who cares about what's right in the world?".Everyone should, or at least all who are into music.

This illustrates my point: http://www.theverge.com/2015/6/5/8737537/apple-music-and-the-terrible-return-of-drm

 

[Julien]

...I do not plan to continue with a subscription plan after the trial period expires, so I'd like to know what will happen with that downloaded music that will be stored in my Mac....

No, I want to pay the fee they are asking for...

... I'll stick to purchasing individual albums or songs....

Contradiction or change of mind twice today or flip-flop-flip?

 

[mpayne2k]

Of course I'll stick to purchasing individual albums or songs. However, being in a forum where we are entitled to discuss, I don't see why I should stop myself from commenting on what I think is wrong.

And yes, the frigging music industry is wrong. "Who cares about what's right in the world?".Everyone should, or at least all who are into music.

This illustrates my point: http://www.theverge.com/2015/6/5/8737537/apple-music-and-the-terrible-return-of-drm

I understand your stance when it comes to DRM, but you are contradictory in your efforts. You can vote with your wallet by not supporting DRM file management of AM/Spotify, etc and continue buying mp3s with unfettered access across all platforms. That is what IS right with the world, being free to choose what you support.

Think about this, your complaint about Apple Music would apply to other services such as Netflix. They are streaming only. At no point do you own House of Cards or Orange is the New Black. Once you stop paying your dues, you lose access to these exclusive shows.

My point is, understand that AM is a streaming service, not a download service. The ability to download the files for offline use is just a perk, something even Netflix has flirted with for their video on demand strategy.

 

[iRock1]

I understand your stance when it comes to DRM, but you are contradictory in your efforts. You can vote with your wallet by not supporting DRM file management of AM/Spotify, etc and continue buying mp3s with unfettered access across all platforms. That is what IS right with the world, being free to choose what you support.

Think about this, your complaint about Apple Music would apply to other services such as Netflix. They are streaming only. At no point do you own House of Cards or Orange is the New Black. Once you stop paying your dues, you lose access to these exclusive shows.

My point is, understand that AM is a streaming service, not a download service. The ability to download the files for offline use is just a perk, something even Netflix has flirted with for their video on demand strategy.

Being able to download contents is the main difference between AM and a video-streaming service like Netflix. Now, I get that downloading music is not the main business here, but they could easily solve the problem and still give access to that music on other devices with some download limit, say 50 songs per month.

Additionally, you should at least be able to play as many songs from AM as you want on any Apple device—that's my main concern.

 

[mpayne2k]

Being able to download contents is the main difference between AM and a video-streaming service like Netflix. Now, I get that downloading music is not the main business here, but they could easily solve the problem and still give access to that music on other devices with some download limit, say 50 songs per month.

Additionally, you should at least be able to play as many songs from AM as you want on any Apple device—that's my main concern.

Agreed

 

[Tech198]

It's not "again," this is standard practice for streaming services. You can still get DRM-Free if you buy the individual MP3s. I am still not too happy about NO option to sync to non-iOS devices (iPod Classic, Nano, Shuffle).

yes, it was "again"

it is again because Apple has DRM at some stagae

http://www.theverge.com/2015/6/5/8737537/apple-music-and-the-terrible-return-of-drm
https://web.archive.org/web/20101007143742/http://www.apple.com/hotnews/thoughtsonmusic/

 

[iRock1]

Contradiction or change of mind twice today or flip-flop-flip?

I missed your post.

Haha, yes, I know it seems a little bit schizophrenic, but I was just putting different hypothetical scenarios in a direct and simple language as if they were facts (I'm lazy and English is not my first language). Truth is I never had a decision on whether continuing the subscription or not. And I still don't.

To be honest though, I never liked these streaming services, but in the last week I've started to see their appealing. As long as you have an Internet connection, it's an incredible way to complete your collection and explore new music. The problem is that I own nothing of it, and if I decide to quit tomorrow, or if Apple Music shuts down (both will happen, just that I don't know which one first), I lose all my playlists, ratings, etc. Even worse, I'm not able to play that anywhere I want (again, God bless DRM).

 

[whsbuss]

I missed your post.

Haha, yes, I know it seems a little bit schizophrenic, but I was just putting different hypothetical scenarios in a direct and simple language as if they were facts (I'm lazy and English is not my first language). Truth is I never had a decision on whether continuing the subscription or not. And I still don't.

To be honest though, I never liked these streaming services, but in the last week I've started to see their appealing. As long as you have an Internet connection, it's an incredible way to complete your collection and explore new music. The problem is that I own nothing of it, and if I decide to quit tomorrow, or if Apple Music shuts down (both will happen, just that I don't know which one first), I lose all my playlists, ratings, etc. Even worse, I'm not able to play that anywhere I want (again, God bless DRM).

There's always a chance things will stop/be canceled but do what some of us do. Purchase stuff you want to have forever so if it happens you can fall back. $9.99/mo is cheaper than $10 or so for albums to buy.

 

[swandy]

Being able to download contents is the main difference between AM and a video-streaming service like Netflix. Now, I get that downloading music is not the main business here, but they could easily solve the problem and still give access to that music on other devices with some download limit, say 50 songs per month.

Additionally, you should at least be able to play as many songs from AM as you want on any Apple device—that's my main concern.

Unfortunately Apple devices that you mentioned (Nano, Shuffle, etc.) have no access to the Internet either via Wifi or Cellular, so AM has no way to check if you are still paying the monthly subscription price and therefore the songs/albums you put on those devices are still eligible for you to play. So someone in theory could download thousands of songs to their computer, put them on their iPod and then discontinue the service. That is why only the iPod Touch (unfortunately just Gen 5) allows songs from Apple Music.

 

[iRock1]

There's always a chance things will stop/be canceled but do what some of us do. Purchase stuff you want to have forever so if it happens you can fall back. $9.99/mo is cheaper than $10 or so for albums to buy.

Yes, but you would be paying twice. That's what I don't like about that idea.

 

[whsbuss]

Yes, but you would be paying twice. That's what I don't like about that idea.

It seems that way but if you really like something, buy it.

 

[iRock1]

It seems that way but if you really like something, buy it.

Right, but I don't want to pay twice. That's the dilemma.

 

[Tech198]

hehe.. both are correct

however everything in the streaming world is like that ... paper backs that need to be bought again just to read "digitally" on iOS.... Its more convenience than anything else. But that old saying "why should i buy again"is a valid point. My parents use that same line to get out of watching movies on my mac mini, she already has DVD's off.

 

[mpayne2k]

I think one way to go about it is anything you'd want on a non iOS device just purchase a physical CD and rip it into iTunes. That way you'll feel like you're getting something instead of just a different version of a digital file. Also, its still cool to hold artwork and read lyrics, but I must seem old when it comes to that feeling.

 

[swandy]

Yes, but you would be paying twice. That's what I don't like about that idea.

Why do you think that Apple Music will just decided to cancel/drop the Apple Music service? They already have over 6.5 reported PAYING users in about a month since the free trial ended. They are almost at 30% of the total for Spotify after just starting. Now granted if YOU decide to cancel, then yes you will have to pay for whatever you liked from AM to gain access to it again. But that would happen with a subscription to any streaming service. I use Netflix a lot - and since a lot of their streamed movies come and go, if I want to permanently wish to have something in my library then yes I have to and purchase it.

 

[iRock1]

Why do you think that Apple Music will just decided to cancel/drop the Apple Music service? They already have over 6.5 reported PAYING users in about a month since the free trial ended. They are almost at 30% of the total for Spotify after just starting. Now granted if YOU decide to cancel, then yes you will have to pay for whatever you liked from AM to gain access to it again. But that would happen with a subscription to any streaming service. I use Netflix a lot - and since a lot of their streamed movies come and go, if I want to permanently wish to have something in my library then yes I have to and purchase it.

Regarding your first question, it's a simple as nothing lasts forever. Eventually the service will shut down, or will migrate into something else, or an album or artist that I like will be retired from the catalog.