Apple Music merge/replace question

[derickson328]

Hi all,

In Apple Music, I chose to merge music in the beginning so I could keep the stuff in my library which is not in Apple Music's library. The problem is that when listening to music in For You, music that plays which is in my library does not show as being in my library. If I want to download the song, I have to hit the "add to library" button which creates a duplicate in my library. Now I have a bunch of duplicate copies, Apple Music copy and previously owned copy of the same songs.

Would switching to "replace" instead of merge fix this? If so, how do I go back and get that option again on iOS? I do not have a mac.

Thanks. Sorry if this is a confusing question as written, or the answer already exists and I didn't see it.

 

[Tartarus]

No, your question is not confusing at all.
This problem as you described it only occurs when some songs in your iCloud Music Library aren't matched with existing songs in Apple Music.
To solve this issue you have to match the song title with the one in Apple Music. Also, make sure that other metadata is the same as the ones on Apple Music.

After you've made sure all metadata is the same, find that song on your iPhone in the music app, delete that song from your library.
Locate the deleted song in iTunes on your Mac or computer and choose to add that song back to iCloud Music Library.
iTunes will now first try to match that song with Apple Music and if by any weird chance it will not succeed to match it, it will upload it back to your iCloud Music Library.

When I first started out with Music, at the very first day, most songs in my own library weren't simply available yet on Music. So they all were uploaded instead of matched.
I then chose to create a Smart Playlist with all 'uploaded' songs in it.
Every once in a while I open that playlist on my iPhone, delete the song from my library and add it back to iCloud Music Library on iTunes on my computer. Out of the 1500 songs that initially were uploaded I have now around the 300-400 songs that still aren't matched. I have yet to make time to figure out what the culprit is, but I'm confident I will succeed.

Good luck and let us know if above instructions have helped you out.

 

[derickson328]

That was really informative, thank you! I'll give that a try.

 

[cyberbiker6]

Tartarus,

1. By “Apple Music” do you mean the iOS device Music App?

2. How do I access my iCloud Music Library?

3. I could not see any indication of whether the Purchased songs listed in the iTunes Store app on my iPhone XR are ‘Matched’ or not. Can that only be determined using iTunes on Mac or Windows computer?

4. I just subscribed to Apple Music. If I delete the Music app on my phone, then reinstall it again, will it download DRM free songs for all those that are Matched?

 

[Tartarus]

Tartarus,

1. By “Apple Music” do you mean the iOS device Music App?

No, I mean the service. You can access Apple Music with the Music app on your iPhone.

2. How do I access my iCloud Music Library?

Enable it in Settings > Music > Sync Library

3. I could not see any indication of whether the Purchased songs listed in the iTunes Store app on my iPhone XR are ‘Matched’ or not. Can that only be determined using iTunes on Mac or Windows computer?

That is correct. You can only see it in iTunes on a Windows or Mac or in the Music app, if you’re already on Catalina

4. I just subscribed to Apple Music. If I delete the Music app on my phone, then reinstall it again, will it download DRM free songs for all those that are Matched?

Don’t delete the app.
And yes, you’re assumption is correct. iTunes will download DRM free songs for Matched songs.
That won’t do anything.
On your Mac or Windows computer, delete the downloads for Matched songs and download it again.