Mastering for Apple Music: LUFS, Sound Check, Lossless

Apple Music plays songs quieter than Spotify, streams lossless to many listeners and has its own badge for high-resolution masters. Here is what that means for your master, and how to check yours free before you release.

The short answer

Setting	For Apple Music
Playback level (Sound Check)	About −16 LUFS integrated, measured; louder songs are turned down
True peak	At or below −1 dBTP, so the AAC version does not clip
File to deliver	24-bit WAV, at 44.1 kHz or higher
Apple Digital Masters	24-bit source at 44.1 kHz or more, no upsampled or bit-padded 16-bit files
What listeners get	AAC 256 kbps, or lossless ALAC when Lossless is on

Apple does not publish a single loudness target in its documents. The −16 LUFS figure is what measurements of Sound Check agree on. Treat it as a reference, not a rule.

Sound Check: how loud Apple Music plays your song

Sound Check is Apple's loudness normalization, a setting in Apple Music. When it is on, it turns louder songs down so a playlist plays at an even level. It plays music at about −16 LUFS, about 2 dB quieter than Spotify's −14 LUFS.

A master at −9 LUFS is turned down about 7 dB. It ends up as loud as a −16 LUFS master, only denser.
Quieter masters are left as they are, so a very quiet master plays quieter than the songs around it.
Each listener decides whether Sound Check is on. With it off, louder masters win, which is why dense genres still master loud.

In practice, one master can serve Spotify and Apple Music. A master around −14 to −10 LUFS with a clean true peak plays well on both.

Apple Digital Masters and high resolution

Apple Digital Masters (formerly Mastered for iTunes) is a badge for releases mastered from high-resolution files. Apple's asset guide asks for 24-bit PCM at 44.1, 48, 88.2, 96, 176.4 or 192 kHz, from a source that was at least 24-bit / 44.1 kHz. Bit-padding or upsampling a 16-bit / 44.1 kHz file does not qualify.

Master and export at 24-bit. If your session runs at 48 kHz, deliver 48 kHz rather than converting down.
Higher sample rates (88.2 or 96 kHz) are welcome, if the mix was made at that rate.
Your distributor decides whether the release carries the badge. Ask it to send the high-resolution file.

OBRA's free master downloads as a 24-bit WAV or FLAC up to 48 kHz. 88.2 / 96 kHz and 32-bit float come with a paid song or OBRA PRO.

AAC, lossless and true peak

Most Apple Music listeners hear an AAC file at 256 kbps. Encoding to AAC changes the waveform slightly and can push peaks above the level of your WAV. A master that touches 0 dBTP can clip in the AAC version even if the WAV is clean.

Set the true-peak limiter at −1 dBTP. For very loud masters, −1.5 to −2 dBTP is safer.
Measure true peak on the exported file, not in the session.
With Lossless on, listeners hear ALAC, a bit-exact copy of what your distributor sent. Then the WAV is what they get.

Check your master for Apple Music, free

Open obra.art/mastering and drop in your mix or your master. It is read in your browser, nothing is uploaded.
Read the integrated LUFS and the true peak of the file.
Open the Platforms view to hear how Apple Music, Spotify and YouTube will play each of the three masters.
Pick Natural if you want the master close to Apple's level with your dynamics intact, or OBRA and Loud for denser styles.
Download the 24-bit WAV or FLAC and send it to your distributor.

Master your song free →

Frequently asked questions

What LUFS is best for Apple Music?

Apple Music's Sound Check plays music at about −16 LUFS and turns louder songs down. Mastering anywhere from about −16 to −10 LUFS works; keep the true peak at −1 dBTP. One master can serve Apple Music and Spotify.

Does Apple Music turn quiet songs up?

No. Sound Check turns louder songs down and leaves quieter ones as they are, so a very quiet master plays quieter than others.

What are Apple Digital Masters?

A badge for releases mastered from high-resolution files. Apple asks for 24-bit PCM at 44.1 kHz or higher from a 24-bit source. Upsampled or bit-padded 16-bit files do not qualify.

What file should I send for Apple Music?

A 24-bit WAV at the sample rate of your mix, 44.1 kHz or higher, with true peaks at or below −1 dBTP. Your distributor delivers it to Apple.

Do I need a separate master for Apple Music and Spotify?

Usually not. Both turn louder songs down, Spotify to about −14 LUFS and Apple Music to about −16 LUFS. A master with a clean true peak plays well on both.

Mastering for Apple Music: loudness, Sound Check and lossless