The Art of Acquiring Music Without Subscription: A Comprehensive Guide to Buying Songs on Apple Music
In today’s digital era, music streaming services have become an integral part of our daily lives. With the advent of subscription-based models, it has become increasingly common for consumers to opt-in for a monthly fee in exchange for access to vast music libraries. However, what if you’re not willing or unable to commit to such subscriptions? Fear not! This article will provide a step-by-step guide on how to buy songs directly from Apple Music without the need for subscription.
Understanding iTunes and Apple Music Integration
To start with, it’s essential to comprehend that buying music on Apple Music is actually facilitated through its parent platform – iTunes. Think of it as an underlying layer that allows you to purchase individual tracks or albums, which can then be accessed within your Apple Music account. The wonderful news? This means you don’t necessarily need a subscription to acquire specific songs.
Enabling Purchases in Your App Store Settings
Before diving into the process, make sure your App Store settings are correctly configured for making purchases. To do this:
- Launch the Settings app on your iOS device or find it in System Preferences (for macOS).
- Scroll down and tap/select “iTunes & App Stores” (or “iCloud”).
- Ensure that you’re signed into your Apple ID by entering your password or Touch ID/Face ID, if prompted.
- Check the toggle next to “Use iTunes Match” – we’ll discuss this later in the article.
Locating and Selecting Your Desired Song
Now that purchases are enabled, let’s navigate to find our desired song on Apple Music:
- Launch Apple Music on your device or open it within System Preferences (for macOS).
- Search for a specific artist, album, or track using the search bar at the bottom of the screen.
- Browse through results until you find your target song.
Purchasing Your Selected Song
Once you’ve found your desired song:
- Tap/click on it to enter its detailed view.
- Locate and tap/select “Buy” – this should be available only if purchases are enabled in iTunes & App Store Settings.
- Confirm the purchase by tapping “Buy [Song Name]” (or select a different price option, if applicable).
- Wait for the song to download onto your device.
iTunes Match: The Enabler of Your Purchases
Earlier, we briefly touched upon iTunes Match – an optional feature that enables cross-device syncing and purchases on Apple Music without subscription requirements. To use it effectively:
- Sign in with your Apple ID, if you haven’t already.
- Ensure iTunes Match is enabled by toggling the switch (step 4 under Enabling Purchases).
- Allow a few minutes for iTunes to sync your music library.
With this setup, any tracks you purchase or add through other means will become available across all your devices signed into with the same Apple ID and iCloud account.
Purchasing Multiple Songs: A Suggestion
While not essential for our purpose of buying individual songs without subscription, it’s worth mentioning that purchasing multiple songs at once can lead to some intriguing benefits. For example:
- Bundle deals might become available for certain tracks or albums.
- Your purchase history may be more easily accessible.
Conclusion: Unlocking Music Freedom Without Subscription
By following this step-by-step guide and ensuring the right settings are in place, you’ve successfully bought a song on Apple Music without needing subscription to unlock access. Whether it’s an occasional track or entire album, these purchases can provide temporary music freedom without the need for continouus membership.
So go ahead – explore those hidden gems and your favorite artists’ discographies!