iTunes: Re-Downloading your music
Yesterday, I discovered that I was missing some of the music that I had purchased a while back from the iTunes store. I looked everywhere for it - on external hard drives, iPods, you name it. Turns out that I obviously had missed it out when backing up. But iTunes doesn’t offer any re-download service which to me, seems ridiculous. I’ve lost music that I’ve paid for, you can re-rip a CD that you’ve purchased from a store, what’s the difference? Yes, there could be legal issue’s but I have some right to re-download the music that I have the paid license for, to listen to.
It just annoys me that Apple, (the biggest online store and music seller in the US) is stopping us from re-downloading music and listening to it. Yes, I can agree that it’s partly my fault for not correctly backing it up. But I should be able to get it from iTunes Store again?
What are your thoughts on this? Here’s a youtube video I made to watch.
7 Comments
William Hook on September 21st, 2008
I agree with you - they should offer you the ability to redownload stuff.
+1 for this as a feature in iTunes 8.1? 
Kiro on September 21st, 2008
Definitely agree with you since I’ve had the same problem!
James Bayliss on September 21st, 2008
@rmaspero - yes, but you have to email support, that takes 72 hours, and then it downloads every single track making you have duplicates.
@William
Haha, 8.1 indeed.
@Kiro
Thanks. 
Luke on September 21st, 2008
I’ve got this problem too, which i’ve had for about 3 years now (computer HD failed on us) and i’ve yet to retrieve my tracks - around 20 at the least. I’m going to email customer support and see what i can get out of them.
James Bayliss on September 21st, 2008
You can get them back by emailing support, but I’m asking for a service to re-download any of the tracks at any time.
dragonflylove on January 2nd, 2009
Hey there! I have been an itunes junkie for 4 years…have 5 ipod videos, and an itouch…..over 600gb of video/games/apps/music. My kids bought me an external hard drive for Christmas, a full TB of space. I transferred my stuff over…waited a couple of days, and then erased it from my other drives. Of course, the next morning, my external was not being recognized anymore. I tried every trick I know of and every trick tech support offered or that I found online…no dice. So, I wrote to itunes…via the support page online. I explained what happened, admitted that it was not their fault, and that I should have backed up my purchases, but could they please make an exception. I didn’t really think they would. But today I got an email, saying that I can re-download all of my purchases except any that are no longer offered. They even listed the ones I could not get….but they were, for the most part, free previews, etc. My itunes now says, “2640 items available for download.” How cool is that?? I just told them what happened…..everyone told me they would never do it….it would just be too much money….I have seasons and seasons of video…not much music…tons of games and apps. It amounts to between $2500-3000. I was shocked. So, give it a try…seriously. Ya never know….my New Year is certainly looking a whole lot better now!! Best Wishes!! BTW…if you have questions, dragonflylove@aim.com
Best Wishes….Happy New Year!
rmaspero on September 21st, 2008
ITunes will let you re-download all your music bought once a year but you can only re-download everything but when you do that you also get all music gifted to others.