# Amazon music storage bad changes....



## The Hooded Claw

https://www.amazon.com/gp/help/customer/display.html?nodeId=201379330

It appears free music storage is going away entirely if I understand this correctly, and paid music storage uploads are already blocked, while the ability to play what you already have stored goes away in January 2019. I stumbled across an Internet article about this, if I got any notice from Amazon at all, I missed it. I have a lot of music from DVDs uploaded, and this will be a nuisance for me!

This article (the one I found that tipped me off) talks about some alternatives.

https://www.pcmag.com/article/358144/amazons-lump-of-coal-for-music-uploaders-and-ways-around-i


----------



## DawnB

it says "While you remain a paid member, you retain the ability to upload music and renew your subscription" so as long as you are a paid member & don't let it expire you can upload & download your songs.


----------



## The Hooded Claw

DawnB said:


> it says "While you remain a paid member, you retain the ability to upload music and renew your subscription" so as long as you are a paid member & don't let it expire you can upload & download your songs.


I saw that, but I've seen that access ends in January 2019. We will hope for clarity!


----------



## Atunah

Why would they do a stupid thing like that. I have a bunch of song stored on there I like to play all the time via the Fire TV and my stereo. I do pay for the 250000 song plan, although I don't have even close to that many. Just more than 250. I am confused, so will it stay there for me if I keep paying the fee or go away regardless in January 2019. 

And where else am I suppose to put my music now. 

I have songs that cannot be purchases on Amazon. They just aren't available, not really on any american service.  

Unfortunately everything on that link above is way above my paygrade and for geeks. I need plug and play. I don't have any clue about a server and I don't have a computer to keep on all the time anyway which is needed for that. I can't get plex to work if my life depending on it, I have tried for years on roku. I don't even see it on the fire. And I don't have a google home and don't want to . I have an Echo and dot already. 

Its not even about the money, if they had all that stuff on the amazon music thingie I would do it. But the stuff I uploaded is just not available. Those are my german CD's, german 80's mp3s and such. They do not exist in the american music market period. There are other obscure things that were never available on the american market on my account. Now I got to figure out how to download all that rare stuff and were to download it too.


----------



## Linjeakel

I have the paid subscription and I've never had any notification from Amazon about this - when were they going to tell us?

I can't remember offhand when my subscription is due for renewal, nor can I find anywhere that tells me. Hopefully, if Jan 2019 comes in the middle of a subscrption year, there'll be a partial refund. In the meantime it looks like I need to find a substitute service.

I'm assuming this is supposed to get us all to subscribe to Amazon Music Unlimited? I think I'll pass.


----------



## Atunah

Linjeakel said:


> I have the paid subscription and I've never had any notification from Amazon about this - when were they going to tell us?
> 
> I can't remember offhand when my subscription is due for renewal, nor can I find anywhere that tells me. Hopefully, if Jan 2019 comes in the middle of a subscrption year, there'll be a partial refund. In the meantime it looks like I need to find a substitute service.
> 
> I'm assuming this is supposed to get us all to subscribe to Amazon Music Unlimited? I think I'll pass.


I never got any email either. Mine was paid last in August, so that is when my year is reset.

You find the date when you go to your account on amazon. Scroll down to digital content and devices. There pick music settings.

The whole point was so I could play my playlists by just asking alexa, mostly the one via the Fire as I have the big stereo there. And my playlists of course are all mixed things often, my own cd's uploaded, obscure stuff I got overseas, prime songs and a few things I bought. I will lose that option as I don't have a clue how else to play my own music like that without this service.

But yeah, to not even tell those of us that have a subscription we pay for is really crappy.


----------



## DawnB

I called Amazon & was told as long as you don't let your paid subscription lapse it will still work after Jan 19 2019. (Mine renews in March). I've been given wrong info in the past so we shall see.

I hope they are right because as of now there are no other subscription upload your own music services that work with the Amazon Echo and I don't like using Bluetooth.


----------



## Sandpiper

I'm confused.  "Paid subscription" -- is that for music storage or Amazon Music Unlimited? I don't have many songs uploaded. I do have AMU. So am I OK with what's going on?



Atunah said:


> Those are my german CD's, german 80's mp3s and such. They do not exist in the american music market period. There are other obscure things that were never available on the american market on my account. Now I got to figure out how to download all that rare stuff and were to download it too.


Atunah, I have one German song in my music library -- Herrliche Berge. Takes me back to my trip to Switzerland and Austria in August 1970.


----------



## DawnB

Paid Subscription is $25 a year for Amazon Music Cloud, for uploading your own music collection. Its separate from  Amazon Music Unlimited


----------



## Sandpiper

I posted this on Amazon's Facebook page:



> Amazon discontinuing Music Storage is as negative to its customers as Apple messing with iPhone batteries. I don't have much music uploaded. Two albums in particular are old CDS and not available as MP3s. I have them and some others uploaded so I can play them on my two Echos and two Shows and one Tap. NOT NICE, Amazon. It looks like I can import it into Spotify and cancel Amazon Music Unlimited. Comments, Amazon??


----------



## jobo132435

Atunah said:


> Why would they do a stupid thing like that. I have a bunch of song stored on there I like to play all the time via the Fire TV and my stereo. I do pay for the 250000 song plan, although I don't have even close to that many. Just more than 250. I am confused, so will it stay there for me if I keep paying the fee or go away regardless in January 2019.
> 
> And where else am I suppose to put my music now.
> 
> I have songs that cannot be purchases on Amazon. They just aren't available, not really on any american service.
> 
> Unfortunately everything on that link above is way above my paygrade and for geeks. I need plug and play. I don't have any clue about a server and I don't have a computer to keep on all the time anyway which is needed for that. I can't get plex to work if my life depending on it, I have tried for years on roku. I don't even see it on the fire. And I don't have a google home and don't want to . I have an Echo and dot already.
> 
> Its not even about the money, if they had all that stuff on the amazon music thingie I would do it. But the stuff I uploaded is just not available. Those are my german CD's, german 80's mp3s and such. They do not exist in the american music market period. There are other obscure things that were never available on the american market on my account. Now I got to figure out how to download all that rare stuff and were to download it too.


Think you are being a might over,dramatic!250 songs is only a gig or two of storage, you can store them on an SD card or a memory stick or your kindle, or an mp3 player or all four, if you want to make sure you don't lose them

The real issue, is you will have. Difficulty playing them on the Amazon player, which isn't that big a deal as its not got that good sound qualify. Another blue tooth speaker, a music player, play them through your TV or head phones and your fine

Nb i think you can blue tooth or hard wire them from your kindle to the dot speaker? It's he echo that awkward


----------



## Atunah

jobo132435 said:


> Think you are being a might over,dramatic!250 songs is only a little over a gig, you can store them on an SD card or a memory stick or your kindle, or an mp3 player or all four, if you want to make sure you don't lose them
> 
> The real issue, is you will have. Difficulty playing them on the Amazon player, which isn't that big a deal as its not got that good sound qualify. Another blue tooth speaker, a music player, play them through your TV or head phones and your fine
> 
> Nb i think you can blue tooth or hard wire them from your kindle to the dot speaker? It's he echo that awkward


I don't think you are understanding my post. Its not about not losing the songs. I have them backed up. Course I could lose all those if all my backups break down. 
Its about playing it easy off my playlists, mixed in with my purchased stuff. The amazon player has whatever sound that comes through my receiver. I listen via my stereo and my fire TV using Alexa. I don't listen to music on portable devices. Just my big speakers. If I can't play those songs along with my other songs, it ruins my music experience. So yes, its stupid of them to stop that service. Especially the not telling any of us subscribers about it. Its more than 250 songs now, some of the "songs" are actually ripped full LP's that are also not available in the US or not available at all anymore anywhere.


----------



## Sandpiper

Atunah said:


> I don't think you are understanding my post. Its not about not losing the songs. I have them backed up. Course I could lose all those if all my backups break down.
> Its about playing it easy off my playlists, mixed in with my purchased stuff. The amazon player has whatever sound that comes through my receiver. I listen via my stereo and my fire TV using Alexa. I don't listen to music on portable devices. Just my big speakers. If I can't play those songs along with my other songs, it ruins my music experience. So yes, its stupid of them to stop that service. Especially the not telling any of us subscribers about it. Its more than 250 songs now, some of the "songs" are actually ripped full LP's that are also not available in the US or not available at all anymore anywhere.


Same for me too? It's not being able to simply voice request certain of my music to play that I have uploaded.


----------



## jobo132435

Atunah said:


> I don't think you are understanding my post. Its not about not losing the songs. I have them backed up. Course I could lose all those if all my backups break down.
> Its about playing it easy off my playlists, mixed in with my purchased stuff. The amazon player has whatever sound that comes through my receiver. I listen via my stereo and my fire TV using Alexa. I don't listen to music on portable devices. Just my big speakers. If I can't play those songs along with my other songs, it ruins my music experience. So yes, its stupid of them to stop that service. Especially the not telling any of us subscribers about it. Its more than 250 songs now, some of the "songs" are actually ripped full LP's that are also not available in the US or not available at all anymore anywhere.


I think you are misunderstanding mine! Amazons business model is to sell these devices at a lot less than their competition, some of these things are sold at less than it costs to make them. And then to make their profit from selling services, such as music or films or books. The. Echo is a third of the cost of the google version.

The cost of the cheap device is that you are largely tied to Amazon content, or that using non Amazon content is varrying shades of awkward, so awkward that you give up and use th Amazon content. There is no profit to Amazon if every one up loads there mp3s they got from elsewhere and most people won't throw out there echo and go and play three times more for another player, so they have. Got you hooked !

There,are a numbers. Of ways to consider this,strategy

1) decided that Amazon is unfair and pay more for your equipment to get the the option of using your own content

2) take the model at face value and find another way of playing your songs

3) or take the,cheap equipment and put some time and where effort in to defeating amazons restriction

What you can't do is take advantage. Of the subsidy AND have the same convenience of use as if you had paid far more

Amazon would just go bankrupt is they keep selling devices at a loss with out selling you content


----------



## Atunah

jobo132435 said:


> I think you are misunderstanding mine! Amazons business model is to sell these devices at a lot less than their competition, some of these things are sold at less than it costs to make them. And then to make their profit from selling services, such as music or films or books. The. Echo is a third of the cost of the google version.
> 
> The cost of the cheap device is that you are largely tied to Amazon content, or that using non Amazon content is varrying shades of awkward, so awkward that you give up and use th Amazon content. There is no profit to Amazon if every one up loads there mp3s they got from elsewhere and most people won't throw out there echo and go and play three times more for another player, so they have. Got you hooked !
> 
> There,are a numbers. Of ways to consider this,strategy
> 
> 1) decided that Amazon is unfair and pay more for your equipment to get the the option of using your own content
> 
> 2) take the model at face value and find another way of playing your songs
> 
> 3) or take the,cheap equipment and put some time and where effort in to defeating amazons restriction
> 
> What you can't do is take advantage. Of the subsidy AND have the same convenience of use as if you had paid far more


Um, we do pay more. We purposely paid for a subscription to let us upload our songs. We didn't expect anything for nothing. We paid for that feature. I have no clue what you even go on about.

So yes, you are still not getting it, sorry.


----------



## jobo132435

Atunah said:


> Um, we do pay more. We purposely paid for a subscription to let us upload our songs. We didn't expect anything for nothing. We paid for that feature. I have no clue what you even go on about.
> 
> So yes, you are still not getting it, sorry.


Just look at the maths, Amazon sell you a,speaker that should cost say200 dollars for 100 dollars, they then need you to buy 100 dollars of content before they make a profit, you paying 26 dollars a year to play our own content and not buy Amazon content doesn't make any sence to them. It will take them four years just to break even and that's with out the cost of the cloud service to them

They have clearly sold the device. With this promise and are now taking it away to max their profits.

That is sharp practise, or a bad miscalculation in the first place, but its what they do to some extent on all their devices

Buying Amazon devices only makes sence if you don't want to play your own content or you are techy enough to get round the restrictions. People who want point and play of their own content need to pay 300 dollars in the,first place to get the google device and avoid all Amazon product


----------



## NightReader

This really stinks. One of the reasons we invested in Echos is that we can play my music library in any room just by asking Alexa.  

After reading this, I tried to go look up my renewal date (I'm on the paid plan) and I can't even find a valid link to it.  Can anybody tell me where they hid it?


----------



## Linjeakel

As far as I can tell - if I'm reading it correctly - as long as you continue to renew your subscription and don't allow it to lapse, it will continue as normal. If you allow it to lapse, you can't renew it later and no new subscriptions are allowed. This is what it says on Amazon UK help pages. (bold sections emphasised by me).



> The Amazon Music Storage subscription plans (free and paid) are being retired. *Beginning January 15, 2018, no new subscriptions will be accepted.*
> 
> *If you upgraded your Amazon Music storage subscription prior to January 15, 2018, you can store up to 250,000 imported songs in supported file types*.
> Tip: For information about supported file types, go to About File Formats .
> 
> After upgrading, your Amazon Music storage subscription automatically renews on the last day of your annual billing cycle, if auto-renew is set to "On."
> 
> Important - Upcoming Changes to Music Storage Plans
> 
> Note: These changes only impact music you've imported. Music purchased from Amazon (MP3s or AutoRip from CDs) remains securely stored for playback and download.
> 
> *Paid 250,000 Song Storage Plan*
> 
> * While you remain a paid member, you're able to upload music and renew your subscription.*
> You can view and manage your Amazon Music storage subscription from Your Amazon Music Settings.
> 
> *If your current storage plan expires, you won't have the option to re-start your subscription.*
> After your subscription expires, your Amazon music purchases remain securely stored for free, but you will not be able to upload music.
> If you have more than 250 imported songs when your subscription period ends, you won't be able to access the additional songs.
> All songs that exceed the 250 song limit will be removed. See Downloading Your Music for more information on how to download your music. This needs to be done prior to the subscription expiration.
> You can download and play the remaining 250 songs for one (1) year after your subscription expires, when the remaining 250 songs will be removed.
> 
> Free 250 Song Storage Plan
> 
> On December 18, 2017, the ability to upload music was removed from the Amazon Music for PC/Mac app for Free 250 Song Storage plan members.
> As a Free 250 Song Storage plan member, you can continue to play and download music that you uploaded until January 2019. See Downloading Your Music for more information on how to download your music.
> 
> About Cancelling Your Subscription
> 
> Once cancelled, you are not able to upload additional music, or reactivate your subscription. If you have more than 250 imported songs when your subscription period is over, you won't be able to access the additional songs.
> 
> See Downloading Your Music for more information on how to download your music. This needs to be done prior to the subscription expiration.


One of the reasons I think it will continue, is that there is no mention of any refund if your already paid for subscription goes past the cut off date of Jan 19 - I feel certain they would have addressed that if it was going to stop before the end of the year you'd paid for. Mine is renewable in March so I'm going to let it auto renew for another year and see what happens in January next year. My interpretation is that it will continue as normal so long as I continue to renew, but I guess we'll see.


----------



## jobo132435

I have two reactions to this news 🎉 one is , we live in a world where pressing a button whilst sat on your,couch has become to much trouble and amazement that anyone has managed to managed to achieve a quarter million down loaded mp3s.


----------



## gdae23

I just received this email from Amazon, which is the first notice of any sort they've sent me about the changes. I uploaded about 70 tracks in the past, but didn't use the paid service.

When I went to my Music Settings, I didn't see any "Keep my songs" button as mentioned in their email. Has anyone found this? If you have, can you try to describe where it's located? Thanks.



> Amazon Music is retiring the Music Storage service, which allows customers to upload and store up to 250 songs in a personal cloud library. Our records indicate you have uploaded one or more songs through your Amazon account in the past.
> 
> To keep, download, and play your uploaded songs at no extra cost, simply open a web browser, go to your Music Settings and click the "Keep my songs" button to direct us to save your music to the cloud. Otherwise your uploaded songs will be removed from your library on April 30, 2018.
> 
> Your Amazon Music digital purchases will continue to remain securely stored for playback and download -- no further action is required to retain those. These changes will not impact your ability to stream Prime Music or Amazon Music Unlimited.


----------



## Sandpiper

I got that e-mail yesterday.  I don't have too many songs uploaded -- don't know the number.  I do subscribe annually to Amazon Music Unlimited.

Clicked on that link in the e-mail which took me to "Your Amazon Music Settings".  Scroll down a little to Music Storage section.  There is a big button -- Keep my songs.


----------



## Linjeakel

Linjeakel said:


> As far as I can tell - if I'm reading it correctly - as long as you continue to renew your subscription and don't allow it to lapse, it will continue as normal. If you allow it to lapse, you can't renew it later and no new subscriptions are allowed.
> 
> One of the reasons I think it will continue, is that there is no mention of any refund if your already paid for subscription goes past the cut off date of Jan 19 - I feel certain they would have addressed that if it was going to stop before the end of the year you'd paid for. Mine is renewable in March so I'm going to let it auto renew for another year and see what happens in January next year. My interpretation is that it will continue as normal so long as I continue to renew, but I guess we'll see.


Well I renewed my subscription at the beginning of March and now they're saying something slightly different:



> Your music storage subscription which enables you to import up 250,000 songs will expire on 02 March 2019
> 
> After this date, you will not be able to renew your subscription or upload more songs. To continue to play or download your uploaded songs at no additional cost after your subscription expires, select "Keep my songs." Otherwise, these songs will be removed from your library. Amazon Music digital purchases will remain securely stored for playback and download.


So I pressed the "Keep My Songs" button and that is now greyed out but it says next to it "Your songs will be available for playback and download from your library".

I'm now interpreting that to mean I won't ever be able to upload any more songs (after March next year), I won't have to pay any further subscription, but I will still be able to access all the songs above the free 250 that I uploaded previously.

Since I also have access to Prime Music I think that will do for me - I won't be paying £7.99 a month for AMU, that's for sure.


----------



## Atunah

I got no email, at least not yet. I'll have to go into my account to find out what the subscription date is, I don't know. 

I still don't know what to do about those songs now. I'll download them onto sticks, but that doesn't help me with playing the music. None of that stuff is in any streaming services, paid or not. 

They are ruining my fun. I use playlists I make doing chores around the house, etc. And many of those songs are mixed in with other songs, or I just have her play those songs.  

eta: looks like I will be done in August this year. Doesn't say anything about renewing again then, just that after august 2018 I cannot upload anymore. 

I clicked the button keep my songs and it does say that I will able to continue playing them, but I don't really trust that. They are already changing what they said last time about keeping the subscription as long as you keep paying. They can remove those songs at any time, whenever they want. 

I don't really trust those sticks as much to safely store either. Sigh.


----------



## Sandpiper

I have a limited number of songs uploaded. I don't pay for music storage. Again, I do subscribe to Amazon Music Unlimited which allows me to play their whole library of music.

This is what site says above Keep my songs button:



> Amazon Music is retiring the Music Storage service. Select "Keep my songs" to continue to play or download the up to 250 uploaded songs in your library. Otherwise, these songs will be removed from your library on April 30 2018. Amazon Music digital purchases will remain securely stored for playback and downloaded.


----------



## gdae23

Sandpiper said:


> I got that e-mail yesterday. I don't have too many songs uploaded -- don't know the number. I do subscribe annually to Amazon Music Unlimited.
> 
> Clicked on that link in the e-mail which took me to "Your Amazon Music Settings". Scroll down a little to Music Storage section. There is a big button -- Keep my songs.


Thank you, Sandpiper. It turned out the problem earlier was that I was using my iPad, and the button didn't show up on there. I just tried again using my laptop and the button showed up, so I was able to click on it and take care of this.


----------



## gdae23

I do use Amazon's Music Unlimited Service, but I also have quite a few albums that aren't available on Amazon.  Besides my Alexa speakers, I also have a few of the Sonos lowest price speakers, which I bought about a year before the Alexa devices came out, and I'm able to stream my own music on those. A few months ago, they did a software update which lets you link the Sonos and Alexa speakers and use some (but not all) voice commands to control the Sonos speakers.

If music is in the cloud (streaming services, Pandora, TuneIn Radio, etc.) you can use all the voice commands. For your own music not available on streaming services, you still have to start the music playing using the Sonos app on a computer or mobile device. (Wherever you have your music stored on the hard drive.) Once the music has started, you can use voice commands to go to the next or previous track, change the volume, check what's playing, etc. 

Sonos also has a newer speaker out, called the "Sonos 1" which has Alexa built in. That's currently $199. (I don't know if it can handle all Alexa functions like an Amazon device.) They are selling the older version, the "Sonos Play 1" for $149. That doesn't have Alexa built in, but if you already own Alexa devices, there's a way to link them as I mentioned above. I do realize this requires spending money on new hardware, but if you are able/willing to do that, it does provide one way to stream your own music.


----------



## Sandpiper

gdae23 said:


> I do use Amazon's Music Unlimited Service, but I also have quite a few albums that aren't available on Amazon. Besides my Alexa speakers, I also have a few of the Sonos lowest price speakers, which I bought about a year before the Alexa devices came out, and I'm able to stream my own music on those. A few months ago, they did a software update which lets you link the Sonos and Alexa speakers and use some (but not all) voice commands to control the Sonos speakers.
> 
> If music is in the cloud (streaming services, Pandora, TuneIn Radio, etc.) you can use all the voice commands. For your own music not available on streaming services, you still have to start the music playing using the Sonos app on a computer or mobile device. (Wherever you have your music stored on the hard drive.) Once the music has started, you can use voice commands to go to the next or previous track, change the volume, check what's playing, etc.
> 
> Sonos also has a newer speaker out, called the "Sonos 1" which has Alexa built in. That's currently $199. (I don't know if it can handle all Alexa functions like an Amazon device.) They are selling the older version, the "Sonos Play 1" for $149. That doesn't have Alexa built in, but if you already own Alexa devices, there's a way to link them as I mentioned above. I do realize this requires spending money on new hardware, but if you are able/willing to do that, it does provide one way to stream your own music.


I like world music. I have app. 50 Putumayo CDs. Putumayo doesn't allow their music to be streamed. I didn't and don't want to upload that many CDs into Amazon. I don't even know if they would play in that case because of Putumayo's restrictions. I have them in iTunes on my MacBook Pro. I can bluetooth my MBP and Show and play the Putumayos through the Show with limited commands.


----------



## NightReader

Resurrecting this thread to ask what everybody did when their music storage subscription ended.

I'm torn between trying to set up my own server using something like Plex, or going to Apple Music.  I just can't bring myself to consider Amazon Music since it seems like i would be rewarding them for ruining a good thing.  Plus, I can't see how you add your not-commercially-available songs to Amazon Music.  Does Spotify let you upload your unavailable songs?


----------



## gdae23

I have Sonos speakers, and you can easily play your own music on those, right off of any computer or mobile device that the music is stored on. You can also use Sonos with just about any streaming service. They've also integrated Alexa voice control into some of the newer speakers. It works fully for streaming services. For your own music, you still have to start the music playing using the Sonos app, but once it's playing, you can use Alexa to manage things like volume, going to a different track, etc. There is the expense to buy the speakers, though. I've heard of Plex but don't know anything about it so I don't know how that would compare in terms of cost.


----------



## Linjeakel

When my last subscription ended all but 250 of my uploaded music disappeared even though I'd had emails from Amazon saying if I went to the website and ticked a certain box, when the subscription ended *all* my uploaded music would be saved and still available although I would no longer be able to upload anything new.



> To keep, download, and play your uploaded songs at no extra cost, simply open a web browser, go to your Music Settings and click the "Keep my songs" button to direct us to save your music to the cloud. Otherwise your uploaded songs will be removed from your library....


That information arrived in the same email telling me that the service was being retired, so I took it to mean this would apply after the service stopped. The 'keep my music' box has now disappeared from the music settings/music storage area of the website, however if you click on 'learn more' it takes you to the help files, where it *still* says this:



> As of April 30, 2018, storage plans can no longer be renewed.
> While your membership is active, you can continue to upload music.
> *To play or download your previously uploaded songs after your subscription expires, go to Your Amazon Music Settings and select "Keep my songs."* This needs to be done before your subscription expires.


I took all this to mean that it would keep storing the songs I'd already uploaded indefinitely, but now I think it just meant if you didn't renew your subscription _while the service was still available_ you could still access stuff you'd already uploaded, not that you would still be able do it after they cancelled the service entirely.

Luckily I still have all my tracks on my PC - I just need a similar service that allows me to upload like this one did. I did start to look on the free Amazon Music to see if I could resurrect my playlists from there, but as Nightreader says, I feel inclined not to stay with them after what's happened.


----------



## Atunah

NightReader said:


> Resurrecting this thread to ask what everybody did when their music storage subscription ended.
> 
> I'm torn between trying to set up my own server using something like Plex, or going to Apple Music. I just can't bring myself to consider Amazon Music since it seems like i would be rewarding them for ruining a good thing. Plus, I can't see how you add your not-commercially-available songs to Amazon Music. Does Spotify let you upload your unavailable songs?


As far as I can tell the songs I had uploaded before are still there. I assume I just can't add anything. I currently have a sub to amazon music as they gave me 3 months free when I bought a dot and I am just into my first paid month. I incorporate my uploaded songs into playlists and usually play those. I love my music when I am cleaning and I have dots/echo downstairs, upstairs in several rooms. So its nice to just tell it to play. I have a sonos my husband hooked up to one of the dots, which is a wee bit more complicated as I have to say something specific to make it come out of that speaker. Another dot just has a bigger speaker plugged into it under the TV.

So far I was surprised to find some of the music I did on that service, especially since much of it is from my youth and from another country. They don't have all of it of course, none of them will.

It will still play one of my albums I have uploaded before if I tell it to. If I am not specific, it will just play something from that music service. For example I have a double CD from Elton John that was never released in the US. Kind of like a hits with other stuff, again, not based on the US. So that one I uploaded long ago as I prefer it over US based compilations. I usually make sure to tell it something about play from my music, or my album. I can't recall now exactly.

In the living room I just use the roku or firetv since I have the nice speakers there and "my music" is still there.

I haven't figured out yet what to do when I want to add my own stuff to it that I can't find in the music service or even to buy. There is no way to put that all together in the future.

I just tested out an album I uploaded while back and she still plays it. Again, something that was never released in the US and not just that, I had to convert an actual LP to digital to get that. I have to though ask very specific the artist which is a mouthful. Spencer Davis and Peter Jameson. I tried just one of them, nope. But it still pulls that stuff out from my music. So playlists can be mixed. I am glad though for now that I managed to get that one up into the cloud or it would be a pain to listen to it. Not sure how I would do that from my TV with the nice speakers. What other service is there that lets me do that.


----------



## Sandpiper

I imported very little music to Amazon.  I can get to all or at least more of it and request by voice.  I don't have extra speakers.  I just play through Echo, Shows, and Tap.  Pretty much all my music on on my MacBook Pro.  I got rid of a lot of, but not all my CDs.  I had two Bose Wave Music Systems.  Sold one.  Wish I'd kept both just in case . . . .


----------



## NightReader

Thanks for the info.  I'm still not sure what I'm going to do.  

I think my subscription ends in 2 days.  I guess I'll wait and see what still works.


----------



## Andra

So far it looks like all the music that I uploaded is still available in my Amazon music library.
Since I have an Android phone, I've also uploaded some of my stuff to Google so it's easier to transfer when I have to change phones.
I'm not sure what the best long-term solution will be.


----------



## Atunah

I think I remember there was a button to click to keep music that was already there. So far mine is there too still. But who knows how long it will be. 

I have most of it on a stick somewhere, haven't found it since my move yet. And also in one of the online cloud drives, amazons funny enough. But there is no way for me to play those from a storage. So they are for backup right now.


----------



## The Hooded Claw

I remember doing something that would supposedly keep my personal music alive, and it is still on Amazon Music (just tested it). I’ve got original CDs for it (I am a minor fan of obscure popular music from the 1900-1920 or so, and have a lot on CDs, but it will never make it onto online music services!). I haven’t bought my for awhile, so I don’t know what I’ll do if I find something I can’t buy in digital form.

As for which service to use, I canceled my Amazon music initially, and have been freeloading—Got a free subscription to Apple Music through Verizon for six months, went without a music subscription for awhile (though there is quite a bit of free music available with my Prime subscription. When free Apple Music ran out, I shifted to using a free trial subscription to Amazon Music for awhile. Not sure what I’ll do when it expires. I suspect I’ll go back to Apple. A new reason to prefer Apple just occurred to me—I now use a VPN for security when traveling, but Amazon hates the VPN and blocks it. So I won’t be able to access any Amazon Music subscription when hooked up to hotel wi fi. So I’ll pribably go back to Apple. I couldn’t really tell any difference between the Apple and Amazon music service. Of course there are other Music services out there such as Spotify as well...


----------

