How Loud Should My Master Be? LUFS for Spotify and Apple Music

01 / THE SHORT ANSWER

What LUFS should I master to for streaming?

There's no one number. Know what each platform does, then master for the feel of the song.

How I put this together: I read Spotify's and Apple's own pages on Nov 4 2026 and quote only what they publish. Numbers you see elsewhere for Apple come from other sources, so I don't repeat them.

These are each platform's own words, linked. They're guidance for the finished master, not a loudness promise for your song.

02 / SPOTIFY

How does Spotify's loudness normalization work?

Spotify measures each track on upload and turns it up or down during playback toward -14 LUFS on Normal, using ITU 1770. It doesn't change your file.

From Spotify for Artists (read Nov 4 2026):

• Louder masters get turned down to -14 LUFS with no added distortion.
• Quieter masters get turned up only as far as headroom allows. Spotify leaves 1 dB for lossy formats. Its example: a -20 LUFS track with a -5 dBFS true peak is only lifted to -16 LUFS.
• Albums are normalized as a whole when played as an album, so quiet songs stay as quiet as you meant.
• Not everywhere: Spotify says its web player and third-party devices like TVs or speakers don't use loudness normalization.

03 / APPLE MUSIC

What does Apple Music ask for?

Apple uses Sound Check to play songs at about the same loudness, recommends at least 1 dB of headroom, and doesn't give a LUFS target in its guide.

In Apple Digital Masters (April 2021; read Nov 4 2026), Apple says: “you should always mix and master your tracks in a way that captures your intended sound, regardless of playback volume.”

Sound Check can also set volume per album. Apple says songs mastered loud get played back lower, which “can make tracks actually sound weaker.”

Apple provides tools to audition your master through its AAC encoder, including Apple Digital Masters Droplet.

04 / LOUD ISN'T WRONG

Is it bad to master louder than -14 LUFS?

No. Spotify publishes separate true-peak guidance for masters louder than -14 LUFS, and Apple calls loudness “a technical and creative choice.”

Sources: Spotify for Artists (read Nov 4 2026); Apple Digital Masters (April 2021; read Nov 4 2026).

“A louder version can sound more impressive.”

Luis Canción · Mastering player note

That's why you compare at matched loudness. When normalization turns everything to the same level, what's left is how the song feels.

match the loudness first, then compare.

05 / GENRE FEEL

How do you choose the right loudness for your song?

Start from how the song should feel next to the records you love, not from a meter.

• Level-match your references before you judge.
• Listen to the chorus lift. If the chorus no longer opens up past the verse, the limiter may be doing too much.
• Check the low end at low volume. Listen to whether it still feels balanced.
• Listen on two systems. Here's how to tell if a mix will translate.

06 / TRUE PEAK

What true peak should a master hit?

Spotify suggests below -1 dBTP, or below -2 dBTP if louder than -14 LUFS. Apple recommends at least 1 dB of headroom.

Apple explains that converting and oversampling a file sitting at 0 dBFS can cause clipping. Sources: Spotify for Artists (read Nov 4 2026); Apple Digital Masters (April 2021; read Nov 4 2026).

If you're sending a mix to mastering, that's different: keep your loudest peaks around -6 dB. Here's how to prepare your mix for mastering.

07 / ALBUMS

Should every song on an album be the same loudness?

No. Spotify normalizes an album as a whole when it's played as an album, and Apple's Sound Check can set volume per album, so a quiet song can stay quiet.

Sources: Spotify for Artists (read Nov 4 2026); Apple Digital Masters (April 2021; read Nov 4 2026).

Mastering the songs together keeps the album sounding like one record. See how much mastering costs.

08 / CHECK IT

How do you check your master before release?

Check the whole-song loudness and true peak, then listen at matched loudness on two systems. Hear a lossy encode too, if your tools allow.

• Integrated LUFS over the whole song.
• True peak on a true-peak meter.
• References at matched loudness.
• Two systems: headphones plus car or phone.
• A lossy check: hear it encoded if your tools allow.

If your master already sounds right to you on a few systems and the true peak is under control, you don't need to pay me to change a number.

If it's the mix that bothers you, mastering won't fix it. Here's the difference between mixing vs mastering.

09 / QUICK ANSWERS

What else should you know about master loudness?

Use the platform guidance as a check, compare at matched loudness, and keep the song's intended feel.

Platform answers below: Spotify for Artists (read Nov 4 2026); Apple Digital Masters (April 2021; read Nov 4 2026). Mix-prep guidance comes from my file-prep notes.