Why do I now have to pay 10.99 per month to listen to the same songs I bought on iTunes over ten years ago?

I screwed up. I had my playlist of specific songs, in a specific order, that I would listen to when I did my power walks. I seldom, if ever, made any changes to that playlist. Yesterday, I decided to make a small change, but because I don't do it regularly, I wound up deleting some of the songs on the playlist. No big deal, I thought. I bought those songs on iTunes. It shouldn't take a lot to figure out how to get them back on the playlist. To my huge dismay and disappointment, I found the only way I could access the songs I already bought was by signing up for the Apple Music subscription for $10.99 a month. That's right, $131.88 a year. Corporate Greed at it's finest. How much you want to bet me it doesn't go up to $11.99 next year, then $12.99 the year after, and so forth. Before we know it, I'll be paying $19.99 at month to listen to the same **** songs. I just want my beloved playlist back so I can get on with my power walks. What's going on here?

iMac 27″, macOS 10.15

Posted on May 23, 2025 11:46 PM

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4 replies

May 24, 2025 06:08 AM in response to tonyfilmmaker

....I found the only way I could access the songs I already bought was by signing up for the Apple Music subscription for $10.99 a month. ....

Tony, That is not correct. If you have the songs backed up and/or already in your library, you can sync them to your phone. Also, if you are still using the same Apple ID, are in the same country, and the content is still available, you should be able to redownload fresh copies at no charge. Follow the steps in here:

Redownload music from the iTunes Store on your iPhone or iPad - Apple Support


May 25, 2025 01:57 PM in response to tonyfilmmaker

You do not have to subscribe to the Apple Music streaming subscription service to listen to purchased music that you already bought. Manual synchronization from your computer to your phone is still an option.


Sync your iPhone, iPad, or iPod using your computer - Apple Support


For songs that you purchased through the iTunes Store (as opposed to ones you purchased on CD or from other online sites), I believe that re-downloading them directly to the iPhone is also an option.

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Why do I now have to pay 10.99 per month to listen to the same songs I bought on iTunes over ten years ago?

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