Apple is advising DJs to wait before updating to macOS Catalina, released 10/7. Catalina does away with Apple's longtime music app iTunes, instead replacing it with a new desktop app entitled Music.

Last week, The Verge reported that the new Music app removes support for automatically syncing playlists with third-party apps using XML. XML file support is a popular organizational feature for DJs, who use it to sort tracks into playlists and transmit data between apps.

The new Music app does support a newer method of automatic library syncing, but DJ apps such as Traktor and Rekordbox can only read XML files, and relied on iTunes’ older syncing method. Updating to Catalina essentially breaks communication between the Music app and many existing DJ apps, which have not yet been updated to support the new method.

Other users who may want to hold off on updating to Catalina include music producers, A&R, and anyone with a highly detailed iTunes music library, since it's not yet proven how the new Music app will handle user-entered metadata, multiple versions of the same song, and meticulously sequenced playlists. For now, it's probably best to stick with Mojave or an earlier macOS until a fix comes in the form of an Apple update and/or updates from each third-party app developer.

We, of course, already hit the upgrade button, so now our meditation/sleep playlist is all Norwegian death metal.