My songs in my library won't play

My now ex-boyfriend was playing around in my itunes before he dumped me, now my songs in my library (all 764) won't play. I had them backed up on a jumpdrive but he deleted all those too. I ran my restore 2000 program on my hard drive and nothing could be restored. However, I ran the restore program on my jumpdrive and found almost all of them, but nothing plays in my library anymore. Some of the songs even have the exclamation point next to them. Will someone take mercy upon my soul and PLEASE help me? I'd like nothing more than to shove in his face the fact that he didn't kill my music. Do I need to delete my whole libray and then copy all the songs from the jumpdrive and paste them back into the library?

The only way to backup non-Tunes purchases to iCloud it to subscribe to iTunes Match.
The message you are getting means that iTunes can't find the actual music files.
You can:
- iTunes: Finding lost media and downloads
- You can redownload most iTunes purchases by:
Downloading past purchases from the App Store, iBookstore, and iTunes Store

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How can I download a previously downloaded purchase to my iTunes library on my laptop when the listing for the song in my library won't play because it says it cannot locate the file. Yes I have searched my iTunes folders and also done a full windows sear

How can I download a previously downloaded purchase to my iTunes library on my laptop when the listing for the song in my library won't play because it says it cannot locate the file. Yes I have searched my iTunes folders and also done a full windows search. The track plays on my iPad and my iPhones but will not play on my laptop!?
It has an "!" To the left of the song title in my library
My worry is that if I sync my iPad/iPhone then I will lose the track on those also!

If you cannot find the file on your hard drive then once you delete the current broken entry you should be able to redownload from iTunes in the Cloud. This assumes the item in question qualifies. Note that audiobooks, digital booklets, iTunes LPs & Extras, ringtones, selected movies etc. don't.
If prompted don't hide the item. You may find that you need to close and then reopen iTunes before it will appear for download.
tt2

Song in iTunes library won't play in iMovie

+The song "Autumn to Winter - New Age Piano Music for Relaxation" could not be used because the original file could not be located.+
I would like to use the song mentioned above in an iMovie project. I just bought and downloaded it from the iTunes store; it plays when I click on it in my music library and it appears in the music list in iMovie. However, when I try to play it in iMovie, the message above appears.
Help please.

Thanks for the advice.
I had never had any problems using songs downloaded into iMovie/iDVD projects from my iTunes library. As it turned out, there was a problem with the song itself - for some reason iTunes didn't know where it was on my computer. After several unsuccessful back and forth emails to iTunes help, I chose another song, purchased and downloaded it as a test. Everything worked as it should.
I will remember your process if anything happens in the future.

Upgraded to 8.02, many songs in library won't play: "Song could not be used

A few days ago, I took the 8.02.20 update to iTUNES on my PC with Windows XP, I have latest service pack, yada yada.
After the iTunes upgrade, I noticed that many of my songs in my itunes library won't play when I click on them.
I get the icon of the exclamation point in a circle to the left of the song name, and the message says:
"song XXX could not be used because the original file could not be found." Would you like to locate it?"
I never moved any of my songs, and the songs that it says could not be found ARE indeed on my computer, and I can use the Windows file explorer to find the song and play it.
Back to iTunes, I decide to answer yes to the error, and "find the song" by manually meandering over to the song through the file browser window which iTunes pops up, I get to the file, and it then plays in iTunes.
My question is, how did iTunes "forget" where the songs are, and why did it forget most of them, but yet leave many others ok. I never moved nay files or anything.
Is there a way to make it recompile the library?

Probably not every one, but you will have to do it several times. Right click on the name of the song, show in window's explorer and when it can't it should give you a dialogue to find the song.
Once it finds one it'll offer to find more and you can locate stuff that way.

I downloaded a song on iTunes, it won't play (it's name is grey), it shows up in purchased and says "play", but it won't play, I can't delete it, and I can't re-download it.....this is confusing please help!!

I downloaded a song on iTunes, it won't play (it's name is grey), it shows up in purchased and says "play", but it won't play, I can't delete it, and I can't re-download it.....this is confusing please help!!

Hello CTGame,
Welcome to Apple Support Communities.
It sounds like there’s a grayed out song in your iTunes library that can’t be played or downloaded again like other past purchases. Try taking a look at the article linked below and verify the computer is authorized to play that content.
How to troubleshoot iTunes Match - Apple Support
Songs appear to be missing
Songs containing DRM (Digital Rights Management) might not appear in iCloud, or might appear grayed out. This can occur if your computer is not authorized to play that content. Try authorizing your computer, then manually update iTunes Match. To determine what Apple ID your computer needs to be authorized for to play a specific song:
Locate and select the song in your iTunes library.
Choose File > Get Info.
In the Summary tab, locate the Account Name field in the right column. Write it down.
Click OK.
Choose Store > Authorize this Computer.
Type in the account name from the Summary field and enter its password. Click Authorize.
Choose Store > Update iTunes Match.
So long,
-Jason

HT1349 most song in itunes library is not playing.reason?

most songs in itunes library are not playing. Reason?

I have a similar problem.
I just bought 2 albums (Pirates of the Caribean III and Linkin Park - Mintues to midnight) and every time I want to play one of the songs it asks me for my account password. After entering it, it says this computer was activated. But it still doesn't work!!
If I want to sync I get the same message:
"Some of the items in the iTunes library were not copied to the iPod because they cannot be played on this iPod"
I've also bought a iPod-Game (Mahjong) and have the same problem...
I have a 80GB video iPod.
Laptop Windows XP Pro

Library won't play more than one song at a time

What gives? My iTunes suddenly won't play a sequence of songs. Not from the library as a whole, not from any playlist. The files are all still there and I can highlight and play any ONE, but iTunes won't then go on to the next. Tried 'select all', that didn't work either. What setting have I accidently changed? Just downloaded the newest iTunes just in case, but that didn't help. Still only 1 song at a time. Makes using iTunes as background pretty useless.

Are you saying that when you hit PAUSE the song doesn't stop playing?
If you want to jump to a different song while one is already playing, you don't need to hit pause/stop at all. Simply go to the song you want to here, double click it and the song that was playing will stop and the double clicked song will start. No need to use the Stop/Pause/Play type controls at all.
Patrick

Some songs listed in my iTunes Library won't play

I'm running iTunes 8.0.2.20 on Windows XP SP3.
My iTunes library is set to be located in the default place, i.e.
C:\Documents and Settings\<my user name>\My Documents\My Music\iTunes\iTunes Music
It's fairly large (11833 songs to date).
I regularly sync my 160GB iPod classic with it.
Recently I have been finding that various songs listed in my iTunes library will not play - if I click to play them, nothing happens.
If I right-click on them (Get Info) and follow the listed path to where they are in my library, I go use Windows Explorer to access the underlying MP3 in a different application (e.g. WinAmp) and the MP3s do seem to be present and correct and play fine in WinAmp.
So far all the songs this has happened with have been ones which were ripped off my CDs to MP3 before I got the iPod, and subsequently imported into iTunes.
Any suggestions as to what is going on and how to repair it?
Obviously, I can manually delete the songs that won't play from iTunes, then re-import them all over again from the original CD..... but this is a bit time-consuming (especially where I have customized the metadata and artwork beyond what is in the Gracenote® database)....and with over 10 thousand songs in my library, there's no way to test them all easily to see which ones work and which don't.
Is my library getting corrupted in some way?
Is there a way to rebuild it somehow? (without losing my customized metadata and artwork?)

Yes, actually lots of folks. iTunes 8 has gotten really fussy about MP3 tags and won't play or even add them to the library if it doesn't care for their format. They may have played in previous versions, but won't now.
Use Mp3 Validator to fix any tag issues. It's a free DL. I've used it, and it works.
Just try it on one song and you'll believe!
Here is a good web article on it:
http://trevinchow.com/blog/tag/mp3-tag-validator/

HELP! My library won't play more than one song!

Okay, so I've been using iTunes to listen to my music. I ALWAYS just click on Library in the sources list and then highlight shuffle and repeat then push play and it plays and shuffles through all of my tunes.
All of a sudden last night, I clicked the 'next' button to skip a song I didn't want to hear and instead of skipping to another song, the player stopped and the only option available was play. So I hit play and it played the same song but wouldn't skip to a new one.
I've restarted iTunes, re-installed iTunes... I've tried everything I can think of, but now I can't get my library to play through my songs.
The only way it works now is if I place check marks next to the songs and hit play, but given that I have almost 5,000 mp3s, that would take a really long time. I went to 'edit/select all' but that doesn't check the boxes next to the songs, nor is there an option to do so all at once.
Can anybody give me any siggestions on how to get things back to normal. How to play all the songs in my library without having to check each and every one of them? I am desperate for help and quite frustrated at the lengths I have had to go to to try to find someone to answer my question.
It seems that iTunes (unless you want the music store) does not have an option for contacting customer support... at least not one that I can find. I guess we have to rely on each other or something, or search through the millions of troubleshooting questions, hoping to find the one we need. Whatever! Anyways, please help. Thanks.
Dell Windows XP

hiya!
The only way it works now is if I place check marks next to the songs and hit play, but given that I have almost 5,000 mp3s, that would take a really long time. I went to 'edit/select all' but that doesn't check the boxes next to the songs, nor is there an option to do so all at once.
you've diagnosed the problem correctly. you need to recheck those boxes to get your shuffle working properly again.
to do a "global recheck", go to your main library view, hold down your Ctrl key, and left-click one of the checkboxes.
(the same technique can be used to do a "global uncheck".)
love, b

My iTunes library won't play most songs, why, & how can I get them back?

I've had these songs on my library for ages, there has been no problem, then the next day... BAM! They don't play. I click on the 'Play Album' button, or the song title and NOTHING happens, the bar doesn't even some up at the top! It's as if I didn't even click on it... But I did.
I've tried deleting them from the library them adding them again... But then they don't even show up at all. However, they do play on Windows Media Player.
Can anybody help me with this? I'm so annoyed, and I think I might cry.

Welcome to AD!
Do the songs have exclamation points to the left of them?
Are they on an external hard drive?
Did you install some other software recently? Take a Windows update? A security software update?
+there has been no problem, then the next day... BAM!+
With computers, if something works one day and then not the next, we need to know what has changed. SOMETHING changed.
One quick thing to try is restart your PC. Don't laugh, that's fixed many a ghost in the machine.

Library won't play music purchased on phone even after syncing phone

Bought 2 albums on my iphone, which plays them fine, but when synced to my computer a few of the songs show in itunes library but have a next to them and can't be played on the computer. I look in itunes store, which says they've been purchased, but my library won't recognize/play completely. What do I do to get my itunes library to recognize and remove the so I can listen??? Advice?????

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Itunes library won't play music on my ext hdd

I have approx 1400 cd's catalogued on itunes (library) the music is stored on a portable hard drive.
When I try and play a song it tells me itunes cannot locate the file, it then asks would I like it to locate the file.
When I answer yes it will take me straight to the hdd that the music is stored on yet it still won't play it unless I play it from the portable hdd.
With 490gb of music and still more to back up.
I am using a MacBook Pro and have itunes v11 if that helps
Supplementary question, I number my discs (I am an ex dj) but with itunes I got to 999 and then had to start at number 1 again does anyone know a way around this?.
Any help will really be appreciated
Thank you

#1 Is the hard drive on and mounted before starting iTunes? iTunes will look only once, at startup, for things on an external drive. If the drive isn't there (it is not on, or it is sleeping) it won't look again.
#2 I think you are running up against something hard coded into iTunes. 3 digits max (same applies to BPM). iTunes is likely programmed with the general consumer in mind, who will use it in a straight-forward manner as intended. Some DJs find it limited in some features but then it likely isn't programmed for DJs. An alternative for you is to think outside the box. For example, "Show" is a tag not normally used for music, but you can store information there too which goes beyond 3 digits/characters. Note, however, it is only stored in iTunes. If you delete a music track and add it again the stored information is not embedded in the music file and is lost.

Songs are syncing, but won't play.

I've seen a few other threads of people having the same problems, but nobody is offering suggestions or fixes.
I've got a 4th Gen Nano that will download and sync all of my music, but some of it just won't play. The cover art will come up, along with the time-bar, then it'll sit and think about it for four or five seconds... then skip to the next song. It seems to be songs from the same albums that are affected.
Yes, I've reset and restored the iPod. Yes, I've taken all of my music out of iTunes, and put it back again. I've even deleted iTunes, and reinstalled it; then tried iTunes on a different computer. Nothing.
What makes this so annoying is that I KNOW it's the something on Apple's end with this iPod that's faulty, because these songs play on my PC (Musicmatch Jukebox), my PSP, my Macbook (on iTunes), on my iPod Nano 3rd gen, iPod Video, and iPhone. This is the ONLY device I've ever had this issue with, yet Apple keeps insisting that there's something wrong with my files, or that they are authorized or formatted properly, or something.
Anyone got any help on this one? =(

Ok I figured out something that fixed the problem I was having and you (TuxedoCartman) are having I think.
ctrl click all the songs that are giving you this problem, right click one when they're all selected and click "Create AAC version" I think it was, either create or convert.
Once I did that I deleted the original copies of the songs from the folders outside of the itunes library folder. Back in iTunes, click file and then show duplicates. Skip through everything in there and then delete any that have an exclimation before them. After that, I did the restore iPod stuff again.
All the songs that were doing this to me now play just fine. Hope this helps

My library won't play

Hello nothing in my entire library will play at all....they're all there ready to go but the little megaphone thing doesn't have the sound waves coming out of it and no sounds come and no time goes on...it's like its stuck and playing is not an option...need help....moneys wasting...thanks jen

the same thing is happening with my itunes, if you look through this message board there are several threads on the subject "itunes won't play my music" "song don't play" etc. they all list the same problem but none of them offer soultions... we're waiting...

Some of the songs on my iPod won't play anymore. Why?

Since I got the last software update some of my songs won't play at all. Some will, but most of them won't. Until the update I had no problems. I've seen similar discussions all over the internet and none of the proposed solutions work.
I've tried:
Converting my songs from MP3 to AAC.
Restarting my iPod.
Many have tried restoring there iPods to factory settings, even removing there music from iTunes, putting them back on then re-syncing, but that didn't help so I won't waste a good 6 to 8 hours (considering my large amount of music.)
If it helps I have an iPod Touch (4th Generation)

Well, then the answer seems to be that you've got corrupted music files in your library. This is why attempting to convert to AIFF fails in some instances. The only likely fix is to delete then re-import the tracks - assuming you have the CDs. If you do this, you should sync your iPod between deleting and re-ripping. I have over 12,000 songs in my library (all compressed - though MP3), and more than 90% were ripped from CDs using iTunes. The occasional issues I have experienced have been resolved by re-ripping.
I have found that - at least on a Windows PC - I get better results if I do not run any other processes when ripping music with iTunes.

My songs in my library won't play

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