[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]

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]

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?

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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.