“I recently wrote for this column about problems with iCloud not matching the correct versions of songs. This is a huge source of frustration for music lovers who want their music in the cloud,” Kirk McElhearn writes for Macworld. “But iCloud Music Library has other annoyances. One of these is the iCloud Status that you may see in your iTunes library: No Longer Available.”
“Record labels and artists are free to choose whether to allow their music to be available on streaming services. There are still some holdouts,” McElhearn writes. “Things get complicated when music that you have added to your iCloud Music Library from Apple Music is pulled. Labels can withdraw the right to stream certain songs and albums at any time, but you won’t be notified. You may see albums and songs in your library, but their titles are a slightly lighter color (depending on the view), and their iCloud status is No Longer Available.”
McElhearn writes, “It’s hard to spot these tracks, unless you go to play one, or unless you make a smart playlist.”
Read more in the full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: We agree with McElhearn that as use of music streaming services becomes more pervasive, it’s likely that the record labels “do like Disney does with movies, making old albums available to stream, then pulling them to try to drum up sales.” As McElhearn suggests, Apple could help users better identify this issue by displaying a notification when iCloud Music Library tracks switch to “no longer available.”
One of the many reasons I buy music, and don’t subscribe to it.
Exactly. This just pits the nail in streaming subscription services for many. In my opinion all movies and music ever made should be available at all times. Or just burn the negatives & tapes. End of story.
There needs to be another amendment in regards to people’s pop culture rights that still provides payment to the artists and copyright holders but gives 24/7 access to all. That may sound silly but I hate these distribution games. You are either in or out, for good.
Cannot up vote this enough.
If they figure out this problem, I might – might – try AppleMusic.
Until then? No, thank you. I’ll stick with the music I own.
It’s the craziness of the record labels. That’s why I never want all streaming.
It’s especially annoying when you ripped your own music and it disappears from iCloud music library…
It’s not too difficult to get it back though… you just delete it from another device and select the local copy and click add to iCloud
It’s quite annoying that this constantly keeps happening on a $10/mo service…
With iTunes Match it was a little more acceptable considering the price but even that was still annoying…
Streaming rules change or go out of business, that’s why I purchase everything.
iTunes purchases have been removed many times. From Asa to elp to bob Seeger. To name a few that i used to own and cannot redownload. Its important to save to disc any iTunes purchases. Apples too untrustworthy.
I’m sorry, I just go that one step further and try to avoid using the cloud at all. Hard drives, BDs, flash etc., may be old tech but at least I have more control over them.
The cure to greedy, clueless contracts with fickle media companies is buying physical copies, ripping them at whatever quality level you wish and storing them locally. You know, what we had before streaming (pay forever vs pay once).
DavGreg – Agree, and I like how you stated it.
Call me old-fashioned, but I like the idea of buying something, and being able to use it. I really, really, hate these subscription services. They are awful.
This has happened to me a few times – that’s why I do what most do – BUY MY MUSIC. I’d rather pay what ever for a favorite song, then for it to be gone one day.
Another thing, ASCAP is making it harder for services to stream music by raising royalty fees and listening to artists that are against putting there music on services such as iTunes, Apple Music, etc.
I have been a very vocal supporter of the monthly subscription concept, but not until Apple Music came on the scene. Like Steve Jobs, I used to believe that people rent movies and buy music (for obvious reasons — you watch a movie a few times in your life, at most, but listen to favorite music every day). However, Apple Music changed my mindset. Ability to access virtually every album ever recorded, practically anywhere in the world, was worth much more than $15 per month (for a family of five). Now I download the stuff I listen to often, and stream those things I’m curious about, but never have to think twice whether I’m willing to spend $10 for an album or not.
However, if this ever does happen to me, and an albu that I have downloaded from Apple Music becomes ‘Not available’ my subscription will be terminated within 60 seconds. I love Apple Music precisely because it gives me access to practically all commercially recorded music. If some of that music ends up withdrawn, the only valid reason for the subscription (for me) will disappear, and I’ll have to revert back to buying music, with a sour taste of wasting money on a service that promised one thing and delivered less.
does someone know how to download cydia for my ipad running on ios 8.1.3?
Seriously? A couple artists or albums disappear and you ignore the other 30 million songs that are available? Talk about throwing the baby out with the bath water.