Apple Music and subscription

Help and Support
1

So do I understand this right? It is not possible to have a subscription on Apple Music. All the music files which I bought in the past wil be converted into DRM files, which cannot be read by Volumio. I this a right conclusion? I hope I am wrong. :slightly_smiling_face:

2

There is indeed no ā€˜Apple Connectā€™ option in Volumio, if that is what you mean. Apple does not offer program interfaces like Spotify or Tidal do, that the Volumio developers would need to make this happen. Apple provides a closed ecosystem of services, which has proā€™s and conā€™s for the end user. What you can do is use a Volumio device as Airplay receiver, so you can stream your audio content to your audio system: works great.

3

Yes, I use AirPlay and it works indeed! But what I mean is that the actual files, aac files, will be changed into unreadable DRM aac files (for Volumio). Yes before that happens I can copy those files, but all the future files will have DRM. Am I right?

4

Iā€™ve been out of the Apple ecosystem for a while. What I remember is that DRM on bought music has been abolished by Apple already since a few years. You should check their terms of service what it means in your particular case (e.g. in case you use Music Match, which is known for its weird DRM policy).

5

The DRM was introduced again when Apple started its streaming service Apple Music.

6

It doesnā€™t look like they touch your previously purchased music, they just find matches in their streaming catalog for use outside the home. Iā€™m not sure what they do to any music that you upload to the iCloud music server. I found some info here.

https://discussions.apple.com/thread/8103038

7

Thanks. I read the info, but nothing is said about DRM. May be I will phone them for some clarification.

8

Iā€™ve got an Apple Music subscriptionā€¦ and (at least for me in U.K.) anything I re download which I have purchased from the iTunes Store is still DRM free. Music downloaded from Apple Music does however have DRM.

If you actually look in the folder structure (at least with Mac), within the ā€œMusicā€ folder, you have a Music folder where iTunes downloads go (along with any music you import yourself) and separately an Apple Music folder where DRMā€™d files go.

9

Thanks, that clarifies a lot.