Xbox Music Pass Issues, AND MORE!!

[unstoppablekem]

I bought the Xbox Music Pass, and I've had it since I got my 920 in late 2012, and whenever I get a new windows phone, the ones downloaded through the pass don't save, only purchased ones, meaning if I want those songs again, which are MANY, I have to reinstall EVERY one of them, which is ANNOYING! I feel, and hope, that there is something simple that can fix this, and not only get the songs that I downloaded before, but to also get it on all my Xbox music devices. My iOS device, Android Device, the website, and Xbox.

I'm also having issues with songs I downloaded through the Xbox music pass in the store. I go to the Xbox music app (not the default music+videos app), and go to the playlist with those songs, and I get a strange error, which I explain in my video.

I explain everything in the video too, and I hope you all watch it so you can help me with these issues I'm having. Thanks.

 

[HeyCori]

Have you tried saving all your songs to an external hard drive or on your PC? I haven't had to do that in a while but that's usually how I transfer all my music.

 

[unstoppablekem]

Have you tried saving all your songs to an external hard drive or on your PC? I haven't had to do that in a while but that's usually how I transfer all my music.

These are songs from Xbox music pass though. Some are iTunes, some bought from zune/xbox music, most downloaded from Xbox music.

 

[spaulagain]

If you Downloaded them through the baked in Xbox Music + Videos app, then yes I believe that is normal. As that app does not sync with the cloud and requires an Xbox Subscription to play. I imagine when you install a back up of your phone, it only installs songs you have paid for because it might not be able to confirm or save DRM songs.

If you use the new Xbox Music stand alone app from the store, it should fix this. The new app works like the rest of the Xbox Music apps on Windows 8, etc. in that it cloud syncs your songs, including DRM from my experience. Especially if you have a "Music Server" at home where you keep your collection. I have a TB external HD at home that keeps all my music as the "server." All my DRM downloads syncs to that database.

 

[unstoppablekem]

If you Downloaded them through the baked in Xbox Music + Videos app, then yes I believe that is normal. As that app does not sync with the cloud and requires an Xbox Subscription to play. I imagine when you install a back up of your phone, it only installs songs you have paid for because it might not be able to confirm or save DRM songs.

If you use the new Xbox Music stand alone app from the store, it should fix this. The new app works like the rest of the Xbox Music apps on Windows 8, etc. in that it cloud syncs your songs, including DRM from my experience. Especially if you have a "Music Server" at home where you keep your collection. I have a TB external HD at home that keeps all my music as the "server." All my DRM downloads syncs to that database.

I have the new app installed, not sure what you mean. Do you mean I have to install each one now through the app?

 

[travis_valkyrie]

Did you download the songs from the Xbox Music app or through the Music+Videos hub?

From my experience, when downloading (or adding to collection) from Xbox Music app, it automatically adds the song to the cloud collection and downloads the song only within the app. So the file is not saved in the Music folder in the internal storage, and it won't be there when accessed from Windows Explorer. However, the song is added to your cloud collection and will appear as streaming in the Music+Videos hub - this is the one that uses the local storage.

When downloading songs with the Music+Videos hub through Xbox Music Store, this will not add to your cloud collection. Songs downloaded through this method will only be available to your phone and is saved in local storage. This could be what the error meant. If you look through in the Music+Videos hub, the songs in your FIFA 14 playlist should have streaming icon. Otherwise, if the songs are not there, then they could be music from other sources (such as from iTunes as you mentioned).

So you'll have to look at it this way: Xbox Music app is for managing songs, Music+Videos hub for playing music.

Putting the iTunes stuff aside as I have no experience putting songs from other sources to a WP device. I solely rely on Xbox Music for my main music collection, and use Nokia MixRadio and iHeartRadio for music discovery in addition to Xbox Radio.

 

[unstoppablekem]

Did you download the songs from the Xbox Music app or through the Music+Videos hub?

From my experience, when downloading (or adding to collection) from Xbox Music app, it automatically adds the song to the cloud collection and downloads the song only within the app. So the file is not saved in the Music folder in the internal storage, and it won't be there when accessed from Windows Explorer. However, the song is added to your cloud collection and will appear as streaming in the Music+Videos hub - this is the one that uses the local storage.

When downloading songs with the Music+Videos hub through Xbox Music Store, this will not add to your cloud collection. Songs downloaded through this method will only be available to your phone and is saved in local storage. This could be what the error meant. If you look through in the Music+Videos hub, the songs in your FIFA 14 playlist should have streaming icon. Otherwise, if the songs are not there, then they could be music from other sources (such as from iTunes as you mentioned).

So you'll have to look at it this way: Xbox Music app is for managing songs, Music+Videos hub for playing music.

Putting the iTunes stuff aside as I have no experience putting songs from other sources to a WP device. I solely rely on Xbox Music for my main music collection, and use Nokia MixRadio and iHeartRadio for music discovery in addition to Xbox Radio.

I downloaded the songs through the music+videos hub. Does that mean I have to install them through Xbox music, each one, or is there an easier way?

 

[travis_valkyrie]

If you want songs to appear on your other devices, add them through the Xbox Music app. Downloading from Music+Videos hub will not add songs to your cloud collection. This I know will solve your cloud collection problem, but as for the playlist, I have no clue as I cannot replicate the problem on my phone. For now, what I think will solve the playlist problem, is either redo it, and if that doesn't work, re-download all your songs from Xbox Music and skip the iTunes imports. It's inconvenient but it helps reduce the clutter and keeps consistency across devices.

UPDATE: Okay, I have successfully replicated the problem. First I downloaded a song from the Music+Videos hub and used the Xbox Music app to make a playlist. At first everything was fine until the playlist started to sync with other devices. Apparently the songs in the playlist cannot be found in the cloud, so this means it cannot be streamed or downloaded for offline use. Doing the same method using the Xbox Music app does not result this problem. So there, your solution now is do the same like I do -- download songs and manage cloud collection using Xbox Music app, but since this doesn't have a live tile I use the Music+Videos hub to play music.

 

[unstoppablekem]

If you want songs to appear on your other devices, add them through the Xbox Music app. Downloading from Music+Videos hub will not add songs to your cloud collection. This I know will solve your cloud collection problem, but as for the playlist, I have no clue as I cannot replicate the problem on my phone. For now, what I think will solve the playlist problem, is either redo it, and if that doesn't work, re-download all your songs from Xbox Music and skip the iTunes imports. It's inconvenient but it helps reduce the clutter and keeps consistency across devices.

UPDATE: Okay, I have successfully replicated the problem. First I downloaded a song from the Music+Videos hub and used the Xbox Music app to make a playlist. At first everything was fine until the playlist started to sync with other devices. Apparently the songs in the playlist cannot be found in the cloud, so this means it cannot be streamed or downloaded for offline use. Doing the same method using the Xbox Music app does not result this problem. So there, your solution now is do the same like I do -- download songs and manage cloud collection using Xbox Music app, but since this doesn't have a live tile I use the Music+Videos hub to play music.

As I downloaded many songs through the built in app with the music pass, is there an easy way to transfer them, or do I have to do EACH one through the new app?

 

[travis_valkyrie]

Since you downloaded them through the built in app, I suggest you copy the songs from your phone to your PC, then start Xbox Music on your PC and turn on Automatically add matched songs on your PC to your cloud collection via Charms > Settings > Preferences. This is the easiest method I could think of, if that doesn't work, then you'll have to add each one of them to your cloud collection.

 

[unstoppablekem]

Since you downloaded them through the built in app, I suggest you copy the songs from your phone to your PC, then start Xbox Music on your PC and turn on Automatically add matched songs on your PC to your cloud collection via Charms > Settings > Preferences. This is the easiest method I could think of, if that doesn't work, then you'll have to add each one of them to your cloud collection.

I did that, and it now works on my Surface Pro 2, but still doesn't work on my phone. Doesn't work on music.Xbox.com. does it need more time, as I did it like 30 minutes ago?

 

[latempete]

EDIT: I missed the last post where it didn't work for the op. I would still like to try since this has been driving me crazy!

I am having the same issue and I do understand your solution. I have a question though: If I were to do that, I have over 32GB of music music on my computer and, of course, want to be selective on what downloads on my phone. If I match everything will it try to download everything? I currently have auto download on. Would I need to turn that off?

 

[unstoppablekem]

Collection finally synced! Checked by going to my nexus 4.

But for some reason, I still get errors with the FIFA 14 playlist.

Sent from my Nexus 4 using WPCentral Forums mobile app

 

[unstoppablekem]

The collection (cloud, obviously) isn't showing on my 920. Strange, because it shows it on my nexus 4.

 

[InvisGhost]

What happens when you get a gray item in your playlist is that the device you're viewing the playlist on cannot find the song to play.

This could mean a couple of things:
* The playlist is broken and you should try recreating it again by searching for the songs, and adding them one by one from the marketplace.
* The playlist is pointing to local files that were on the device that the playlist was made on. This happens a lot when you have MP3 that you have your PC but aren't in the cloud. Removing those from the playlist and adding the versions you find the marketplace fixes this.
* [Very Rare] The song is not available on your device. I haven't seen this happen myself but I have heard of it.
* The Microsoft account on the phone itself is having a problem. The easy way to test/fix this is to download the stand-alone version of the Xbox Music app and see if it works there.

 

[Kevin Rush]

I want the great and wonderful ZUNE PC software to sync with WP8, like it did with WP7, Windows Mobile 6.5, and earlier. The ZUNE PC software is still the greatest, even since MS has removed some features. Check it out for yourself.

 

[InvisGhost]

I'm quite familiar with the Zune software. Yes it is nice but when it was designed they had no idea about some of the things that they have now. Cloud storage is one of those features. Either way, this isn't the place to debate that. You can create a new thread for yourself rather than hijack a thread from someone trying to fix a problem.

 

[Dos101]

I just started using Xbox Music Pass and have the same issue. Downloaded a bunch of albums using music pass through the Store app on Windows Phone. Go to Xbox Music app on my Surface 2 and I don't see any of what I downloaded. I think my foray into using Xbox Music will be short lived, completely useless if they don't work together, and I refuse to use the garbage app they call Xbox Music on Windows Phone.

 

[InvisGhost]

You need to add the songs to your collection. Doing so will cause the songs to be downloaded (if the settings are set to do that) and other devices will also download them. However this is the option to simply download the song which only downloads it on that device.

 

[HeyCori]

I just started using Xbox Music Pass and have the same issue. Downloaded a bunch of albums using music pass through the Store app on Windows Phone. Go to Xbox Music app on my Surface 2 and I don't see any of what I downloaded. I think my foray into using Xbox Music will be short lived, completely useless if they don't work together, and I refuse to use the garbage app they call Xbox Music on Windows Phone.

Download the Xbox Music app from the Windows Store. It's a separate app from the Xbox Music app that comes bundled with the OS. It should allow for your music to sync from your Windows Phone to your S2.

Xbox Music | Windows Phone Apps+Games Store (United States)


For those asking why there's a separate Xbox Music app, blame the carriers. Carriers won't let MS update any part of the OS without their approval, that includes updates to even something as basic as Xbox Music. Microsoft created an independent Xbox Music app in order to bypass carrier approval.