I recently purchased an M1 MacBook Pro with OS Big Sur. When I migrated my files from my prior 2011 MacBook Pro and updated/reinstalled the Sonos1 app, everything worked well except that my Playlists were not imported. I spent a long time on chat with Sonos, who directed me to various bits of information on the topic. Basically, it seemed that when Apple switched from iTunes to Apple Music with OS Catalina, the relationship between the music files and the xml files that support Playlists was disconnected. So they wanted me to find the correct xml files (iTunesMusicLibrary.xml) and add them as a folder in the Music Library. But they didn’t know where they were. I looked in the new Music files. There is a file called iTunesMusicLibrary.xml, but when I added it, nothing happened. Sonos suggested I call Apple to find out where the files were.

So I called Apple. Their support department was worthless. First I did a chat, going through all the issues. That took a long time. I basically asked them where to find the xml files. They said that I should speak to a “Creative” that dealt with music and set up a call. When I got a call back, I talked to a very nice woman who had no idea what I was talking about. I again went through everything in the chat, and she put me on hold (twice) to consult. Even after talking to the “Creatives,” she said that since Apple Music was working OK, I should go back to Sonos. I was incredibly annoyed. They wouldn’t answer a simple question of where the xml files were now being directed in Apple Music.

While waiting on hold the last time with Apple, I did more searching and found a second iTunesMusicLibrary.xml file. I added that as a folder in Sonos, and after updating the Music Library, voila! The playlists were there. So no thanks to Apple, I now have my Playlists.

The iTunesMusicLibrary.xml file is under the path: home computer/users/yourusername/Music/iTunes. I couldn’t add just the file. I needed to add the iTunes folder in the path just described. It works fine now with one exception. For some reason, in my Sonos Imported Playlists, in addition to all the playlists I created, there are two additional folders. One is called “Library.” And one is called “Music.” In each of them are many, many, many songs. Maybe my whole library or a subset. They aren’t in my playlists on Apple Music. I don’t know how to get rid of them, so I’ll just ignore them.

I hope this helps others with the same problem.