Help USB added music does not show up in any music player

[Bgeo25]

Hello,

I have a serious problem involving my music files which I have transferred via USB to my Nexus 5. After a system update to Android 5.1, my local music files still exist on the device but DO NOT show up in any music player. I have tried to use Google Play Music (my default music player) as well as other music players from the Play Store. ALL indicate that I have zero song files on my device which I know is definitely NOT true. I used to be able to play them and view all albums in Google Play Music but now the music files are ONLY accessible via ES File Explorer.

Nexus 5, 32 GB
Android 5.1
Google Play Music 5.8.1836R.1787745

I do not wish to have to play music manually through the file explorer, and I NEED at least Google Play Music working properly again. Therefore, help is greatly appreciated.

Thank you.

NOTE: Most media scanners on the Google Play Store either don't work with Android Lollipop (they crash) or don't do anything for me.

 

[Hook]

Just a wild shot. Under settings, storage, does the "total Space" reflect the right number? Should be around 26-27Gb. If not, factory reset (might even have to do it more than once to get the right number). I don't know if this happens with OTA, but I know that flashing the factory image sometimes gets the storage wrong the first time. Long shot, but worth checking. I would think if this were the problem, the file explorer would have had problems too.

Not sure what else could be the source of the problem. I assume you have told your music programs which folders to scan (I know nothing about Google Play, I use Power AMP).

 

[Bgeo25]

Just a wild shot. Under settings, storage, does the "total Space" reflect the right number? Should be around 26-27Gb. If not, factory reset (might even have to do it more than once to get the right number). I don't know if this happens with OTA, but I know that flashing the factory image sometimes gets the storage wrong the first time. Long shot, but worth checking. I would think if this were the problem, the file explorer would have had problems too.

Not sure what else could be the source of the problem. I assume you have told your music programs which folders to scan (I know nothing about Google Play, I use Power AMP).

Total space is 26.76 GB so it's normal.

I tried Poweramp out of curiosity and I foudn that it works independently and doesn't get caught in the same bug that Google Play Music has! The songs show up!!

After observing that, I went back to any other music player that I had downloaded (including Google Play Music) and nothing comes up still. Poweramp is a far cooler media player because it's less prone to crashing and artwork embedded into MP3 files actually shows up properly. I think I will stick with Poweramp and while I get used to it maybe Google will address the problem with the system library and fix it in the next system update so that others don't run into it.

Thanks!!

 

[jj14x]

Can you check to see the foldername that you moved the media files to? Does it start with a period? Or does the folder contain a .nomedia file?

 

[Bgeo25]

Can you check to see the foldername that you moved the media files to? Does it start with a period? Or does the folder contain a .nomedia file?

The MP3s were always in my folder named "Music". It isn't a hidden or system directory of some kind. If Poweramp knows that the files exist and no other app does (even Google's media player).. it just doesn't make sense.
Well.. At least I have a working music player now.

 

[jj14x]

Agreed - it doesn't make sense.

 

[MartinS]

Is your music from iTunes? It may be DRM protected. I have this problem with some old music (even stuff I originally ripped on iTunes...). I don't think Android reads DRM protected music.

 

[Mayur Ahuja]

Hey! Im facing the same issue. I had the stock version on which this problem occured. So I rooted my phone after which it showed all the songs for a few days and again all songs disappeared. I called google for help too but even they dint know much about this. Please help!