Has iTunes Store now stopped selling music?

[MacBiter]

It's a year or more since I last bought any music (using Sierra VM). I went to the Store a few days ago via iTunes 12 in my High Sierra VM, logged into my account and found the following:

• I could search for music, see all the tracks, play previews, see how much each track or album was ... BUT
• ...there was no Buy button by the tracks
• ...if I clicked the price button there was a menu of options, none of which were Buy, though there was a 'Gift this ...'
• ...I tried the Gift option, to use myself to gift it to, but it said I needed to set up a payment method, even though.........
• .........I have a credit balance! (I've always used iTunes gift cards to pay for music).

Finally, I noticed that the Store wasn't labelled "iTunes" now, but "Music" (I don't have a separate account with Apple Music, but with an iTunes Account I wouldn't need one?)

So have the days of buying music via iTunes now ended?

 

[Jimmysb]

Using the Music App, went to iTunes store



Then within there (i didn't search further) the option to buy:



So not sure what you are doing.

 

[ferrarr]

Whether in iTunes or Music, you may need to re-Authorize your device for purchases.

And yes an iTunes account is the only one you should need, especially if you don't use iCloud for anything. Maybe you can log out of your account inside iTunes or Music, then log back in.

 

[MacBiter]

Using the Music App, went to iTunes store

View attachment 39938

Then within there (i didn't search further) the option to buy:

View attachment 39939

So not sure what you are doing.

Yes, I saw all that - but what happens if you click the down arrow next to the price? That's where I saw a list of options including 'Gift to...', but not 'Buy'.

 

[MacBiter]

Whether in iTunes or Music, you may need to re-Authorize your device for purchases.

And yes an iTunes account is the only one you should need, especially if you don't use iCloud for anything. Maybe you can log out of your account inside iTunes or Music, then log back in.

I believe that's only true in order to play DRM purchases from long ago? An unAuthorised Mac will still play your iTunes music, but not DRM 'Protected' tracks.

In any case, I've just been into my Sierra VM where I last bought music - that's the same, it only has a list of options such as 'Add to wish list', 'Gift this music', etc, not the option to Buy. I haven't changed anything in iTunes in that VM yet no longer get the option to Buy.

I have noted that there are '5 computers authorised' (Apple has never ever ever since the beginning of time been helpful in offering a list of WHICH computers are Authorised...). However, there's also a Manage Devices item which shows that this iMac and my iPad are devices where I can purchase content with my Apple Account. I'm assuming that VM's take authorisation from the host Mac, and are not regarded as separate 'computers' in iTunes, in which case - as I did previously in the Sierra VM - I can buy content with my Apple Account.

So something has happened in the last year or two that stops us buying music via iTunes.

 

[ferrarr]

The way I see VM's is they only use the host hardware, the VM does all the negotiating between the guest and host OS versions.

 

[MacBiter]

The way I see VM's is they only use the host hardware, the VM does all the negotiating between the guest and host OS versions.

Quite so. I couldn't buy music any longer in my host's OS Mavericks, so a couple of years ago (?) I used iTunes 12 in the Sierra VM where I COULD still buy music and then download it to the host iTunes. However, neither there nor in the 10.13 VM can I buy music now.

Something's happened ...

 

[Jimmysb]

Yes, I saw all that - but what happens if you click the down arrow next to the price? That's where I saw a list of options including 'Gift to...', but not 'Buy'.

Currently on my iPad, and I am given the option to buy.

 

[MacBiter]

Currently on my iPad, and I am given the option to buy.

I'd have no problems on my iPad, where Music is the basic app, not iTunes. But I don't use my iPad for music, either to play (except in YouTube) or buy. It's on my Mac where the problem lies, and that's where my 60GB iTunes music folder is.

 

[ferrarr]

What is the native OS that the host machine is running? Maybe that OS is no longer supported by the iTunes Store?

What OS versions can you use?

 

[Jimmysb]

I'd have no problems on my iPad, where Music is the basic app, not iTunes. But I don't use my iPad for music, either to play (except in YouTube) or buy. It's on my Mac where the problem lies, and that's where my 60GB iTunes music folder is.

On my Mac, through music and the screenshots earlier, when I click on a song, I get the option to buy:


The only reason the buy is greyed out is because I have removed my email address.

 

[MacBiter]

What is the native OS that the host machine is running? Maybe that OS is no longer supported by the iTunes Store?

What OS versions can you use?

I use Mavericks, which a few years ago stopped being supported - first I couldn't play previews, then I couldn't buy. So I bought via my Sierra VM, but now not even my High Sierra VM gives me the option to buy, even when I'm signed into my Apple / iTunes Account. High Sierra is as far as I can officially go.

 

[ferrarr]

Sign out of iTunes account, then sign back in, if that doesn't work, you may have to use a different device with newer OS versions.

Your iPad Air should also have the iTunes Store app. Try that to purchase what you want.

 

[MacBiter]

Sign out of iTunes account, then sign back in, if that doesn't work, you may have to use a different device with newer OS versions.

That worked! I could click on the price and after entering my password again I was able to Buy. Thank you.