It’s no secret that with all of the streaming services currently out there, it’s easy to suffer option paralysis. Even while iTunes has become bloated and unwieldy at times because it encompasses SO many different elements, it still does a decent job of collecting and playing music.
Using Smart Playlists is one of the best ways to get more out of your iTunes library. You can use these playlists for all types of media, but today we’re going to focus on interesting ways it can help bring up music in a different way for you.
These Smart Playlists will work with music you’ve uploaded into your iTunes library, and from songs you’ve added to My Music from Apple Music. They won’t work with streaming songs on Apple Music, but after we’re done creating them, you’ll be able to use them on your iOS device.
If you’ve never made a Smart Playlist before, here are 3 different ways you can create one:
- Click on File > New > Smart Playlist or
- Use the keyboard command (Option + Command + N) or
- Right click on My Music Playlists and choose New Smart Playlist
Once your playlist is created, here are 3 great Smart Playlists that’ll help you get the most out of your iTunes Library.
Create a Smart Playlist out of songs you’ve never played
One of the best ways to get into the different nooks and crannies of your iTunes library, is to make a playlist where the play count is at 0 plays. As long as you’ve never reset your Play Count, this will bring up songs you have in your library that you’ve never listened to before.
After you’ve made your Smart Playlist, make sure the condition is set to Plays Is 0. Take a look at the photo below to see how the settings should look. This playlist is sure to dig up gems you haven’t heard yet, and also is a good way to find and get rid of songs you don’t like.
Create a Smart Playlist by year and star rating
If you’re over listening to the latest exclusive on Apple Music, and instead you’d rather listen to some of your favorite songs from a certain year, this playlist is perfect. This Smart Playlist is going to have two conditions. The first will be Year Is xxxx and the second will be Rating Is and the number of stars you’ve given the songs.
This way, you’ll find your favorite songs from a particular year. In the example below, I chose 5 star rated songs from the year 1998.
Create a Smart Playlist using songs you enjoyed, that you haven’t listened to lately
This last one will create a Smart Playlist from music you’ve rated highly, and that you haven’t listened to in the last 5 months. You can adjust the amount of months, days, or weeks to your liking. What this does is help you remember songs you really liked, but that you haven’t listened to in a while.
In the example, I’ve also limited it to 50 songs, which can be done for any Smart Playlist. The other selection we’ve made is live updating, which can also be done for all Smart Playlists. This will update your Smart Playlists according to the conditions you’ve set, so they always ring true no matter when you open up iTunes.
What are your favorite Smart Playlists?
Smart Playlists make iTunes a lot of fun. You can really dive deep into your collection of music, and get out of the rut of listening to the same album or songs over and over again. I’d like to know what Smart Playlists you’re using! Let me know in the comments section below.
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