Major bug concerning Apple Music streaming (Mac only, iOS is OK).

[B/D]

Hello everybody. (First off I have the latest version of OS X and iTunes on a Late 2013 iMac.)

Since iTunes 12.4 I've noticed a pretty major bug where whenever a song played from an album/playlist is <1 minute in length, the next song will never be played and the progress bar suggests that it's perpetually buffering. This is obviously a massive pain as it means for many albums I have to reset the app's course after every short interlude track!

After running fswatch I got a better idea of what was going wrong. It looks like the way AM handles streaming is when the current song is a minute from the end, iTunes signals the next track in the queue to start downloading so that it's ready to play when the current song is over. However, when the song is less than a minute long the next song's download is never initiated, apparently because some "one minute remaining" event is never triggered! This means the app just sits waiting for a download to finish that has in fact never started.

Here is a sample of the fswatch output, taken from a stream of "There Is Love In You" by Four Tet from the first time the album was played since a cache wipe, started from the beginning and left to play, ideally until the album's end. However, you will see that the tracks mysteriously stop downloading after "Pablo's Heart", a song with a track length of 0:12!

Fri Jun 3 11:09:25 2016 ~/Library/Caches/com.apple.iTunes/SubscriptionPlayCache/000000004EAA99C4/Downlo ads Created IsDir

Fri Jun 3 11:09:25 2016 ~/Library/Caches/com.apple.iTunes/SubscriptionPlayCache/000000004EAA99C4/Downlo ads/Angel Echoes _ There Is Love In You _ Four Tet.tmp/download.m4p Created PlatformSpecific AttributeModified IsFile

Fri Jun 3 11:09:25 2016 ~/Library/Caches/com.apple.iTunes/SubscriptionPlayCache/000000004EAA99C4/Downlo ads/Angel Echoes _ There Is Love In You _ Four Tet.tmp Created AttributeModified IsDir

Fri Jun 3 11:09:25 2016 ~/Library/Caches/com.apple.iTunes/SubscriptionPlayCache/000000004EAA99C4/Downlo ads/Angel Echoes _ There Is Love In You _ Four Tet.tmp/Info.plist Created Updated PlatformSpecific AttributeModified IsFile

Fri Jun 3 11:09:26 2016 ~/Library/Caches/com.apple.iTunes/SubscriptionPlayCache/000000004EAA99C4/Downlo ads/Angel Echoes _ There Is Love In You _ Four Tet.tmp/Info.plist Created Updated PlatformSpecific AttributeModified IsFile

Fri Jun 3 11:09:27 2016 ~/Library/Caches/com.apple.iTunes/SubscriptionPlayCache/000000004EAA99C4/Downlo ads/Angel Echoes _ There Is Love In You _ Four Tet.tmp/download.m4p Created Renamed Updated PlatformSpecific AttributeModified IsFile

Fri Jun 3 11:09:27 2016 ~/Library/Caches/com.apple.iTunes/SubscriptionPlayCache/000000004EAA99C4/08/06/ 05/download.m4p Renamed IsFile

Fri Jun 3 11:09:27 2016 ~/Library/Caches/com.apple.iTunes/SubscriptionPlayCache/000000004EAA99C4/08/06/ 05/000000004EAA99C4-0000000014DB6568.m4p Renamed IsFile

Fri Jun 3 11:09:27 2016 ~/Library/Caches/com.apple.iTunes/SubscriptionPlayCache/000000004EAA99C4/Downlo ads/Angel Echoes _ There Is Love In You _ Four Tet.tmp/Info.plist Created Removed Updated PlatformSpecific AttributeModified IsFile

Fri Jun 3 11:09:27 2016 ~/Library/Caches/com.apple.iTunes/SubscriptionPlayCache/000000004EAA99C4/Downlo ads/Angel Echoes _ There Is Love In You _ Four Tet.tmp Created Removed AttributeModified IsDir

Fri Jun 3 11:09:27 2016 ~/Library/Caches/com.apple.iTunes/SubscriptionPlayCache/000000004EAA99C4/Downlo ads Created Removed IsDir

Fri Jun 3 11:12:27 2016 ~/Library/Caches/com.apple.iTunes/SubscriptionPlayCache/000000004EAA99C4/Downlo ads Created IsDir

Fri Jun 3 11:12:27 2016 ~/Library/Caches/com.apple.iTunes/SubscriptionPlayCache/000000004EAA99C4/Downlo ads/Love Cry _ There Is Love In You _ Four Tet.tmp/download.m4p Created PlatformSpecific AttributeModified IsFile

Fri Jun 3 11:12:27 2016 ~/Library/Caches/com.apple.iTunes/SubscriptionPlayCache/000000004EAA99C4/Downlo ads/Love Cry _ There Is Love In You _ Four Tet.tmp Created AttributeModified IsDir

Fri Jun 3 11:12:27 2016 ~/Library/Caches/com.apple.iTunes/SubscriptionPlayCache/000000004EAA99C4/Downlo ads/Love Cry _ There Is Love In You _ Four Tet.tmp/Info.plist Created Updated PlatformSpecific AttributeModified IsFile

Fri Jun 3 11:12:28 2016 ~/Library/Caches/com.apple.iTunes/SubscriptionPlayCache/000000004EAA99C4/Downlo ads/Love Cry _ There Is Love In You _ Four Tet.tmp/Info.plist Created Updated PlatformSpecific AttributeModified IsFile

Fri Jun 3 11:12:29 2016 ~/Library/Caches/com.apple.iTunes/SubscriptionPlayCache/000000004EAA99C4/Downlo ads/Love Cry _ There Is Love In You _ Four Tet.tmp/Info.plist Created Updated PlatformSpecific AttributeModified IsFile

Fri Jun 3 11:12:30 2016 ~/Library/Caches/com.apple.iTunes/SubscriptionPlayCache/000000004EAA99C4/Downlo ads/Love Cry _ There Is Love In You _ Four Tet.tmp/Info.plist Created Updated PlatformSpecific AttributeModified IsFile

Fri Jun 3 11:12:31 2016 ~/Library/Caches/com.apple.iTunes/SubscriptionPlayCache/000000004EAA99C4/Downlo ads/Love Cry _ There Is Love In You _ Four Tet.tmp/Info.plist Created Updated PlatformSpecific AttributeModified IsFile

Fri Jun 3 11:12:32 2016 ~/Library/Caches/com.apple.iTunes/SubscriptionPlayCache/000000004EAA99C4/Downlo ads/Love Cry _ There Is Love In You _ Four Tet.tmp/Info.plist Created Updated PlatformSpecific AttributeModified IsFile

Fri Jun 3 11:12:33 2016 ~/Library/Caches/com.apple.iTunes/SubscriptionPlayCache/000000004EAA99C4/Downlo ads/Love Cry _ There Is Love In You _ Four Tet.tmp/download.m4p Created Renamed Updated PlatformSpecific AttributeModified IsFile

Fri Jun 3 11:12:33 2016 ~/Library/Caches/com.apple.iTunes/SubscriptionPlayCache/000000004EAA99C4/09/06/ 05/download.m4p Renamed IsFile

Fri Jun 3 11:12:33 2016 ~/Library/Caches/com.apple.iTunes/SubscriptionPlayCache/000000004EAA99C4/09/06/ 05/000000004EAA99C4-0000000014DB6569.m4p Renamed IsFile

Fri Jun 3 11:12:33 2016 ~/Library/Caches/com.apple.iTunes/SubscriptionPlayCache/000000004EAA99C4/Downlo ads/Love Cry _ There Is Love In You _ Four Tet.tmp/Info.plist Created Removed Updated PlatformSpecific AttributeModified IsFile

Fri Jun 3 11:12:33 2016 ~/Library/Caches/com.apple.iTunes/SubscriptionPlayCache/000000004EAA99C4/Downlo ads/Love Cry _ There Is Love In You _ Four Tet.tmp Created Removed AttributeModified IsDir

Fri Jun 3 11:12:33 2016 ~/Library/Caches/com.apple.iTunes/SubscriptionPlayCache/000000004EAA99C4/Downlo ads Created Removed IsDir

Fri Jun 3 11:21:41 2016 ~/Library/Caches/com.apple.iTunes/SubscriptionPlayCache/000000004EAA99C4/Downlo ads Created IsDir

Fri Jun 3 11:21:41 2016 ~/Library/Caches/com.apple.iTunes/SubscriptionPlayCache/000000004EAA99C4/Downlo ads/Circling _ There Is Love In You _ Four Tet.tmp/download.m4p Created PlatformSpecific AttributeModified IsFile

Fri Jun 3 11:21:41 2016 ~/Library/Caches/com.apple.iTunes/SubscriptionPlayCache/000000004EAA99C4/Downlo ads/Circling _ There Is Love In You _ Four Tet.tmp Created AttributeModified IsDir

Fri Jun 3 11:21:41 2016 ~/Library/Caches/com.apple.iTunes/SubscriptionPlayCache/000000004EAA99C4/Downlo ads/Circling _ There Is Love In You _ Four Tet.tmp/Info.plist Created Updated PlatformSpecific AttributeModified IsFile

Fri Jun 3 11:21:42 2016 ~/Library/Caches/com.apple.iTunes/SubscriptionPlayCache/000000004EAA99C4/Downlo ads/Circling _ There Is Love In You _ Four Tet.tmp/Info.plist Created Updated PlatformSpecific AttributeModified IsFile

Fri Jun 3 11:21:43 2016 ~/Library/Caches/com.apple.iTunes/SubscriptionPlayCache/000000004EAA99C4/Downlo ads/Circling _ There Is Love In You _ Four Tet.tmp/Info.plist Created Updated PlatformSpecific AttributeModified IsFile

Fri Jun 3 11:21:44 2016 ~/Library/Caches/com.apple.iTunes/SubscriptionPlayCache/000000004EAA99C4/Downlo ads/Circling _ There Is Love In You _ Four Tet.tmp/download.m4p Created Renamed Updated PlatformSpecific AttributeModified IsFile

Fri Jun 3 11:21:44 2016 ~/Library/Caches/com.apple.iTunes/SubscriptionPlayCache/000000004EAA99C4/10/06/ 05/download.m4p Renamed IsFile

Fri Jun 3 11:21:44 2016 ~/Library/Caches/com.apple.iTunes/SubscriptionPlayCache/000000004EAA99C4/10/06/ 05/000000004EAA99C4-0000000014DB656A.m4p Renamed IsFile

Fri Jun 3 11:21:44 2016 ~/Library/Caches/com.apple.iTunes/SubscriptionPlayCache/000000004EAA99C4/Downlo ads/Circling _ There Is Love In You _ Four Tet.tmp/Info.plist Created Removed Updated PlatformSpecific AttributeModified IsFile

Fri Jun 3 11:21:44 2016 ~/Library/Caches/com.apple.iTunes/SubscriptionPlayCache/000000004EAA99C4/Downlo ads/Circling _ There Is Love In You _ Four Tet.tmp Created Removed AttributeModified IsDir

Fri Jun 3 11:21:44 2016 ~/Library/Caches/com.apple.iTunes/SubscriptionPlayCache/000000004EAA99C4/Downlo ads Created Removed IsDir

Fri Jun 3 11:26:57 2016 ~/Library/Caches/com.apple.iTunes/SubscriptionPlayCache/000000004EAA99C4/Downlo ads/Pablo's Heart _ There Is Love In You _ Four Tet.tmp/download.m4p Created Renamed Updated PlatformSpecific AttributeModified IsFile

Fri Jun 3 11:26:57 2016 ~/Library/Caches/com.apple.iTunes/SubscriptionPlayCache/000000004EAA99C4/11/06/ 05/download.m4p Renamed IsFile

Fri Jun 3 11:26:57 2016 ~/Library/Caches/com.apple.iTunes/SubscriptionPlayCache/000000004EAA99C4/11/06/ 05/000000004EAA99C4-0000000014DB656B.m4p Renamed IsFile

Fri Jun 3 11:26:57 2016 ~/Library/Caches/com.apple.iTunes/SubscriptionPlayCache/000000004EAA99C4/Downlo ads/Pablo's Heart _ There Is Love In You _ Four Tet.tmp/Info.plist Created Removed Updated PlatformSpecific AttributeModified IsFile

Fri Jun 3 11:26:57 2016 ~/Library/Caches/com.apple.iTunes/SubscriptionPlayCache/000000004EAA99C4/Downlo ads/Pablo's Heart _ There Is Love In You _ Four Tet.tmp Created Removed AttributeModified IsDir

Fri Jun 3 11:26:57 2016 ~/Library/Caches/com.apple.iTunes/SubscriptionPlayCache/000000004EAA99C4/Downlo ads Created Removed IsDir

Interestingly, I can't find anyone else with this issue online so I have to assume this is a rare and isolated bug considering its impact. Is there any setting I can enable/disable to avoid this issue? The only way to "fix" it for me is to either:

1. Double-click on the song trying to "buffer" and force it to start the download again (i.e. for the first time). Sometimes this is a bit funky if other tracks on the album are already cached, and can skip ahead to later songs.
2. Have the next song already cached so that missing the download doesn't matter.
3. Restart iTunes (note that this doesn't fix the bug, just the current track not playing.)

Thanks for your time! Happy to relay any more information as required.

 

[zhenya]

Not encountered it that I can recall before, but I can confirm that I see the same behavior.

 

[B/D]

Well, at least now I know for sure that I dont have a software problem....

Have sent detailed feedback and logs to apple about it last night and, escalated the issue today to engineering department trough Apple Care over the phone. Hope they fix it quickly, because this make Apple Music very uncomfortable to use on Mac.

Excuse my English, I´m from Spain.

 

[Joe Rossignol]

Well, at least now I know for sure that I dont have a software problem....

Have sent detailed feedback and logs to apple about it last night and, escalated the issue today to engineering department trough Apple Care over the phone. Hope they fix it quickly, because this make Apple Music very uncomfortable to use on Mac.

Excuse my English, I´m from Spain.

Have you updated to iTunes 12.4.1? I am not able to reproduce this bug on that version.

 

[zhenya]

12.4.1.6 here and it's repeatable.

 

[B/D]

Yes, everything up to date. Keep in mind that you have to wait until a track<1 minute in length completes a full playback, from the beginning to the end . If you skip part of the song clicking near the end of the progress bar, the next song will load.

Strange, isn´t it?
[doublepost=1466627776][/doublepost]Here´s an example of the issue. As you can see, the track before the one that get stuck, is <1 minute in length

 

[Tech198]

Yep... seen the same...

I have iTunes 12.4.1 and i have several under one minute songs in in playlist from Apple music..... the same exact thing happens..

I have several songs, so it seems the pinpointed a 0:59 seconds.. anything under, the next songs plays ok.

Tested and its due to Apple music...

If u download (offline) and then play they are ok.

 

[B/D]

Yes... and given that many albums have songs <1 minute in length (mostly classical music and film scores) , this is pretty annoying... I have to make available online every album that I want to listen, to make sure the playback doesn't stop. After listening to it,, I delete it, which is ridiculous and defeats the porpouse of a streaming service.

IOS and Apple TV streaming are perfectly OK.

 

[B/D]

I will keep tracking this with Apple over the phone. A case has been opened. If anyone, somehow, finds a temporary fix, please, post here. Also if anyone else is having this issue, please, post here and send feedback to Apple. This need to be fixed as soon as posible, as it is a major bug, i think.

Thank you everyone.

 

[Joe Rossignol]

Have you updated to iTunes 12.4.1? I am not able to reproduce this bug on that version.

Scratch that: https://www.macrumors.com/2016/06/23/itunes-12-4-apple-music-bug-60-seconds/