iTunes / MacBook Pro issues; playlist disappeared

Hi,

A few issues with iTunes on MacBook Pro. I recently lost a carefully constructed playlist. Disappeared from iTunes.

So I updated iTunes cloud library (File > Library > Update Cloud Library) hoping this would restore lost playlist. Instead it ADDED a bunch of previously deleted playlists and REMOVED a tonne of tracks from playlists I'd created 2 weeks earlier. Countless hours spent adding tracks :-/ Grr.

The lost playlist was still nowhere to be found. Lost in the ether.

Any ideas? Is it possible to do a search for the lost playlist by its name? Are there copies of itunes playlist files located somewhere on the computer?

I want to retrieve the tracks that disappeared from existing playlists after I updated the iTunes cloud library. If someone could please educate me I'd appreciate it :-) and explain what happened here. Why tracks I added 2 weeks ago would disappear after updating the itunes cloud library. Seems odd but I'm sure there's a simple explanation.

There are posts going back 15 years about playlists disappearing from itunes, sometimes after updates. It appears to be a common problem which has been around for a while. The answers given to the posts (at least the ones I read) didn't provide a reason as to why the playlists would go missing in the first place. Given it's happened regularly in the past surely Apple can provide some clarity.

Quick rant. Subscription fees of $13 per month you'd expect a better product, smoother interface, improved usability, and persistent bugs to be ironed out. Apple can do better.