Can I buy music on Apple Music without a subscription?

Answered by Ricardo McCardle

You cannot buy individual songs on Apple Music without a subscription. Apple Music is a subscription-based service that allows you to stream and download music from their vast library. It functions more like a rental service rather than a store where you can purchase songs individually.

When you subscribe to Apple Music, you pay a monthly fee to access their entire music catalog, which includes millions of songs. You can create playlists, listen to curated playlists, explore new music, and download songs for offline listening as long as your subscription is active.

However, it’s important to note that once you cancel your Apple Music subscription, you lose access to the downloaded songs. They become unavailable for playback, as they are tied to your subscription status. So, in essence, you are essentially renting the songs for as long as you are subscribed to Apple Music.

Now, if you are looking to purchase individual songs or albums to own permanently, you can do so through the iTunes Store. The iTunes Store is a separate platform from Apple Music, where you can buy music, movies, TV shows, and more. It operates on a pay-per-download model, allowing you to buy songs individually or entire albums.

To access the iTunes Store, you can open the Music app on your device, tap on the “Browse” tab at the bottom, and then scroll down to find the “iTunes Store” section. From there, you can search for specific songs or browse through different genres to find the music you want to purchase.

Keep in mind that purchasing music from the iTunes Store is a separate transaction from your Apple Music subscription. The songs you buy from the iTunes Store will be yours to keep even if you cancel your Apple Music subscription. You can also transfer them to other devices or burn them onto CDs for your personal use.

While you cannot buy individual songs on Apple Music without a subscription, you can purchase music from the iTunes Store to own permanently. Apple Music is primarily a subscription-based streaming service, while the iTunes Store offers a pay-per-download model for purchasing music.