iTunes Match vs. Apple Music

[UKFan643]

Hello all,

I just have a question regarding iTunes Match and Apple Music. I currently subscribe to both and my Match subscription is coming due on the 14th. I'm wondering if I need to keep it active or not. As I understand it, the only real bonus for me would be that songs that are not available in Apple Music would not be available to download on any of my devices from the cloud. So, for example, if I have an album that is not on Music but I have previously matched, I will only be able to access it from my computer, not my iPad or iPhone. Is that right?

Thanks!

 

[swandy]

Not exactly. If you are referring to your own music that you "matched" via iTunes Match, then if that particular album is not available through Apple Music, then iCloud Music Library (the matching part of Apple Music) will upload it to make it available on your other devices. For example - on the iMac that I set up AM/ICML, I have lots of albums by The Beatles, Bob Seger and Neil Young - none are on AM, but the tracks were uploaded and I can play them on my other devices and computers.
The two main differences between ICML and iTunes Match are (1) what they are matching to - ICML to Apple Music and iTunes Match to the iTunes Store, which has a larger library of songs and (2) for some people, the fact that songs that you download from ICML - even your own matched songs - to another device (not the one where you originally set up ICML) will be downloaded with Apple Music's DRM, which is generally not an issue for most listeners, but if you like to use another app to listen to your music (like a DJ might), you can't because of the DRM.

 

[whsbuss]

Hello all,

I just have a question regarding iTunes Match and Apple Music. I currently subscribe to both and my Match subscription is coming due on the 14th. I'm wondering if I need to keep it active or not. As I understand it, the only real bonus for me would be that songs that are not available in Apple Music would not be available to download on any of my devices from the cloud. So, for example, if I have an album that is not on Music but I have previously matched, I will only be able to access it from my computer, not my iPad or iPhone. Is that right?

Thanks!

I don't do Match but I have lots of albums/songs that are not in Apple's library nor their iTunes store. I just add them to my iTunes library and they automatically upload to my iCloud Music Library, available on all my devices under my AppleID.

 

[bobr1952]

I had both and let my subscription to Match run out in September--for me, no difference--I mostly stream anyway so I'm happy with just AM. I did upload a lot of music with Match previously and it is all still there in the Cloud--and of course on the external drive the music resides on. I've listened to some non-AM artists like the Beatles that I had previously Matched and streaming that music works fine.

 

[whsbuss]

I had both and let my subscription to Match run out in September--for me, no difference--I mostly stream anyway so I'm happy with just AM. I did upload a lot of music with Match previously and it is all still there in the Cloud--and of course on the external drive the music resides on. I've listened to some non-AM artists like the Beatles that I had previously Matched and streaming that music works fine.

I have all my Beatles collection uploaded on AM and its available on all my devices.

 

[gsmornot]

I want to be sure I'm clear because I have an expiration coming soon too. I was just going to pay again until I had more time to get back to this to look at the details. I have both Apple Music and Match.

Matched songs-Songs I have in my personal collection that have been matched to a song in the iTunes library and made available on any device that has my iTunes login. If I delete a song from my desktop and download it again Match will give me a DRM free 256k copy. Without match, I can have a copy on my PC but it will have Apple Music DRM, right? If I ever unsubscribe from Apple Music the higher quality copy leaves and I am left with my original lower quality file. I think.

Unmatched songs-Songs are uploaded and made available on my devices with Match and they are made available with Apple Music. If there is no match then there will be no change in quality and no Apple file to replace my file. This part of the service seems the same between the two options.

So, if I understand correctly, the main difference is in DRM vs DRM Free versions of songs that are matched then downloaded on to a device. With Match I get copies that will or should play on any type of device, with Apple Music files I would need to use a device that is logged into my subscription. Do I have this correct? If so, I'm still not sure if this is a big deal for me. I was a collector in the past but mostly that was part of just how it was. If you wanted to listen to something on demand you had to have a physical media or you had to own a digital copy that you could access. I think I have reached a point that I no longer want to actively manage a collection that is over time growing old. I still like many older songs but if over time a few were no longer available for some reason to stream I could find others that were and be fine. I think I'm done with Match but maybe you guys can comment to let me know if I'm reading this correctly.

 

[bobr1952]

I want to be sure I'm clear because I have an expiration coming soon too. I was just going to pay again until I had more time to get back to this to look at the details. I have both Apple Music and Match.

Matched songs-Songs I have in my personal collection that have been matched to a song in the iTunes library and made available on any device that has my iTunes login. If I delete a song from my desktop and download it again Match will give me a DRM free 256k copy. Without match, I can have a copy on my PC but it will have Apple Music DRM, right? If I ever unsubscribe from Apple Music the higher quality copy leaves and I am left with my original lower quality file. I think.

Unmatched songs-Songs are uploaded and made available on my devices with Match and they are made available with Apple Music. If there is no match then there will be no change in quality and no Apple file to replace my file. This part of the service seems the same between the two options.

So, if I understand correctly, the main difference is in DRM vs DRM Free versions of songs that are matched then downloaded on to a device. With Match I get copies that will or should play on any type of device, with Apple Music files I would need to use a device that is logged into my subscription. Do I have this correct? If so, I'm still not sure if this is a big deal for me. I was a collector in the past but mostly that was part of just how it was. If you wanted to listen to something on demand you had to have a physical media or you had to own a digital copy that you could access. I think I have reached a point that I no longer want to actively manage a collection that is over time growing old. I still like many older songs but if over time a few were no longer available for some reason to stream I could find others that were and be fine. I think I'm done with Match but maybe you guys can comment to let me know if I'm reading this correctly.

It seems to me you would be ok to get rid of Match. I let mine expire in September and see no difference in the way I listen to music. The only problem I see in your example is deleting the original files from your computer. You should not do that if you let your Match expire. I have all my original music files on an external drive--so they are safe from manipulation. If you delete your original, you will end up with a DRM copy--so just hang on to your originals and you will be fine. I mostly stream and it works fine for me for songs that I matched--like my Beatles collection. The originals are safe on my external drive, but I can stream all I want with AM.

 

[nburwell]

I have both AM and iTunes Match. I'm paid up until March 2016 for Match, but I'm not renewing it next year since I really on stream music nowadays. While I have an okay collection of music I purchased on Amazon and iTunes, I don't really see the benefit of continuing my iTunes Match subsciption. Plus, the $25 I would have spent can pay for two months of AM instead.

 

[Tech198]

If DRM worries u, use Apple music + iTunes match together, will get DRM-free songs,

If u use only Apple music only any matched songs will be DRM on them including matched ones.

alternatively just use iTunes match only.

couldn't be simpler