Redownloading iTunes music purchases

Hello,

I've been avoiding iTunes ever since I bought my Mac and I've been using my Windows PC + WinAmp to handle my music library. But the iTunes music store has recently been opened in my country and I've already bought a few albums online. My problem is as follows:

How do I redownload my music files if I accidentally delete them from my hard disk? There is a Purchased menu item in iTunes but it displays only Apps and Books, no music files. I tried finding my purchased albums in the store but they're not listed as purchased, there's still this Buy button displayed next to them.

This leads me to yet another question: If I buy another Mac and log in to the iTunes store from it, will there be an option to download my purchases to that Mac or will I have to move the files manually?

iTunes music purchases can not be re-downloaded for obvious reasons. Therefore, make certain that you back up all music and music album purchases that you've made. Apple has made exceptions in the past giving permission to re-download music and music albums but only in rare cases.

As for owning another Mac and wanting to copy your music to the new Mac you can turn on sharing.

Basically, Apple has to work deals with all the suppliers of their content for practically every individual country. Whatever is available where you are, will be dependent on what the content providers are currently permitting.

So far we're up to apps, books, music and TV shows here in the U.S. but no movies. I'd bet Apple is trying to bring the same level of service around the globe.

Whatever you can re-download on your current machine will be all you'll be able to re-download on a new machine.

When iCloud becomes available in your country this will become a non-issue, as all iTunes purchases will be automatically backed up in the cloud and available for re-downloading.

You don't say where you are, but until that happens Bob's advice is the conventional wisdom.