Groove Music App Is Now Totally Useless! What Other Free PC Based Music Apps Are There For Windows 10? (1 Viewer)

[Scott Merryfield]

Hmmm... Haven't seen this bug before, but I also manage my ripped music on a (networked) drive external to my PC.

Here is a description of the bug that I am encountering.

 

[ManW_TheUncool]

Here is a description of the bug that I am encountering.

Hmmm... actually, I wonder if I haven't noticed the bug because I simply haven't ripped much of any music in a long while and previously might've just (re)imported all the music folders (w/out copying/moving them) from my NAS last time I did quite that much, including the last iTunes upgrade I did (apparently to v12.12.2.2) maybe as far back as when I did my DIY PC build ~3 years ago. My current preference settings do indicate it's pointing to the default iTunes location, but all the music files are only on my NAS drive (and yes, still playable as expected).

Maybe you could try (re)importing from your external drive (using the File --> Add Folders to Library command). Just make sure your Advanced Preferences are set to *not* "Copy files to iTunes Media folder when adding to library" -- it's on the same tab as where you change the folder location.

Think I did used to have the folder location pointing elsewhere, but that may have been long ago before this bug...

_Man_

 

[Scott Merryfield]

Maybe you could try (re)importing from your external drive (using the File --> Add Folders to Library command). Just make sure your Advanced Preferences are set to *not* "Copy files to iTunes Media folder when adding to library" -- it's on the same tab as where you change the folder location.

Yeah, I got bit by that once already when setting up my new Windows 11 PC -- I didn't notice the bug that changed the location and ended up with two copies of every media file on my external drive. Had to perform a data restore.

I think I am going to try Media Monkey before messing with iTunes anymore. I have it installed on my PC, and at first glance it seems to do what I need, but I have to spend more time checking out everything I do with iTunes for my music. There is also an Android version which allows synching files from my PC to phone. I have a significant portion of my library on my phone, so having software to sync between the two would be helpful (I just manually move files now). I am using a different app to play music on my phone, so I would have to see how MM works there, too.

 

[Tony Bensley]

My Groove Music app seems to be an off and on again thing!

 

[Scott Merryfield]

My Groove Music app seems to be an off and on again thing! View attachment 174446

So, are you saying you got your groove back, Stella?

 

[Tony Bensley]

So, are you saying you got your groove back, Stella?

For the moment yes, LOL!!

CHEERS!

 

[Thomas Newton]

I actually did use iTunes for a minute about a decade ago, but I guess it was never quite my cup of tea. Too bad Apple's apparently phasing out the app for those who do love it. What a shame.

CHEERS!

It sounds like Apple plans to replace iTunes for Windows with separate Music, TV, and Devices apps. The Music app will still play local files.

This is similar to what they did on the Mac, a few major versions of macOS ago, when Apple split iTunes into Music, TV, etc., with iPhone synchronization functions moving into the Finder.

https://www.gsmarena.com/apple_will...with_music_tv_and_devices_apps-news-57187.php

 

[DaveF]

I think I was trying Media Monkey like 15 years ago on Windows 98, before I got an iPod and started using iTunes (and then switched to the Mac rather than going Windows XP)

 

[Scott Merryfield]

I think I was trying Media Monkey like 15 years ago on Windows 98, before I got an iPod and started using iTunes (and then switched to the Mac rather than going Windows XP)

I have been playing with Media Monkey quite a bit the past few weeks -- both on my PC and android smartphone. I think that MM can completely replace iTunes for managing my digital music library. It's really quite similar. The free version has some limitations, but nothing that I cannot work around. Probably the biggest limitation is that ripping music to MP3 is limited to 192Kbps -- the paid Gold version unlocks higher bit rate options. However, I was finally able to get my old ripping / compressing program -- Exact Audio Copy with LAME -- working again on Windows 11, so this is not an issue for me. The free android version does not support syncing with the PC version, either, so I have not tried that feature. I am still using my old method of manually copying music from PC to smartphone -- I have to do this to the USB thumb drives that are used in our two vehicles anyway. I may give the syncing feature a try at some point, though. You can sync a limited number of files for free before needing to purchase.

I actually prefer the android app over Rocket Player, which I had been using previously to play music stored on my phone. It has a similar look / feel to the desktop app, and there are no advertisements even in the free version. Other than the syncing feature, the other features unlocked in the paid version are not that appealing.

So far, I have been maintaining dual databases by importing new music files into both Media Monkey and iTunes, but that damn iTunes bug with an external location of music files is becoming very annoying (I forgot to manually change the location a couple of times after launching iTunes again, and newly imported files would get stored in the default C: drive location, causing me to have to delete the entry from the database and start over). Once the new Apple apps for Windows have been out for awhile, I will try them to see how they work-- right now, you have to uninstall iTunes to even try them, and I am not ready to do that. If that bug still exists in the standalone music app, that will end my use of Apple for managing my music library. I still need the Movies feature for purchasing new streaming movies & TV shows in the Apple Store, though.

 

[Tony Bensley]

I have been playing with Media Monkey quite a bit the past few weeks -- both on my PC and android smartphone. I think that MM can completely replace iTunes for managing my digital music library. It's really quite similar. The free version has some limitations, but nothing that I cannot work around. Probably the biggest limitation is that ripping music to MP3 is limited to 192Kbps -- the paid Gold version unlocks higher bit rate options. However, I was finally able to get my old ripping / compressing program -- Exact Audio Copy with LAME -- working again on Windows 11, so this is not an issue for me. The free android version does not support syncing with the PC version, either, so I have not tried that feature. I am still using my old method of manually copying music from PC to smartphone -- I have to do this to the USB thumb drives that are used in our two vehicles anyway. I may give the syncing feature a try at some point, though. You can sync a limited number of files for free before needing to purchase.

I actually prefer the android app over Rocket Player, which I had been using previously to play music stored on my phone. It has a similar look / feel to the desktop app, and there are no advertisements even in the free version. Other than the syncing feature, the other features unlocked in the paid version are not that appealing.

So far, I have been maintaining dual databases by importing new music files into both Media Monkey and iTunes, but that damn iTunes bug with an external location of music files is becoming very annoying (I forgot to manually change the location a couple of times after launching iTunes again, and newly imported files would get stored in the default C: drive location, causing me to have to delete the entry from the database and start over). Once the new Apple apps for Windows have been out for awhile, I will try them to see how they work-- right now, you have to uninstall iTunes to even try them, and I am not ready to do that. If that bug still exists in the standalone music app, that will end my use of Apple for managing my music library. I still need the Movies feature for purchasing new streaming movies & TV shows in the Apple Store, though.

That's really annoying regarding iTunes. I'll certainly never use their app again, anytime soon!

As it stands, Groove Music has been working for me these past few weeks. Not I've used it much lately, but when I use it, it works.

CHEERS!