The short answer
Aim for about −14 LUFS integrated, with a true peak at or below −1 dBTP (−2 dBTP if the master is louder than −14 LUFS). That is what Spotify asks for. A louder master is not rejected: it is turned down to −14, so it ends up as loud as a −14 master but with less dynamics. Many genres choose that sound on purpose.
Spotify measures the loudness of your file when it is uploaded, and applies the gain while the song plays. It does not change your audio before playback. The measurement is integrated LUFS following ITU-R BS.1770.
What Spotify does to your master
| Your master | Spotify (Normal) | Result |
|---|---|---|
| −8 LUFS, dense | Turned down 6 dB | Plays at −14 LUFS, with the density of a −8 master and none of its extra level |
| −11 LUFS | Turned down 3 dB | Plays at −14 LUFS |
| −14 LUFS | Left as it is | Plays exactly as you mastered it |
| −18 LUFS, true peak −4 dBTP | Turned up 3 dB | Plays at about −15 LUFS: Spotify only lifts a quiet song as far as 1 dB of headroom allows |
Premium listeners can also pick a level in the app: Loud (−11 LUFS), Normal (−14 LUFS) or Quiet (−19 LUFS). Loud applies a limiter at −1 dB to keep soft, dynamic songs from clipping. Albums are normalized together, so when someone plays your album from start to finish, the level relationship between your songs stays as you set it.
One caveat: Spotify's support page says the web player and third-party devices, such as TVs and some speakers, do not use loudness normalization. There, a −14 LUFS master plays quieter than a −8 LUFS one. It is a big reason some genres still master loud.
Pick a target for your genre
| Genre | Aim for (integrated) | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Acoustic, jazz, classical, singer-songwriter, film | −16 to −14 LUFS | The music breathes, and nothing is turned down |
| Pop, hip-hop, R&B, rock | −12 to −9 LUFS | A fuller, more forward sound; Spotify trims the level, you keep the density |
| EDM, trap, metal, club edits | −9 to −7 LUFS | Density is part of the style; keep the true peak in check and a club version ready |
These are ranges, not rules. The practical question: does the extra limiting still sound good once Spotify has turned the song down? If it does, keep it. If it only sounds flatter, you gained nothing.
How to hit your target
- Measure the integrated loudness and the true peak of the exported file, not of your session. Dither, sample-rate conversion and the export itself change both.
- Set the limiter's ceiling to −1 dBTP, or −2 dBTP if you are above −14 LUFS, and move the input until the integrated loudness reaches your target.
- Compare against your unmastered mix at the same loudness. Louder always sounds better for a few seconds, so a fair comparison takes that advantage away. If the master is not better at equal loudness, it needs less limiting, not more.
- Check the chorus and the quietest part: the short-term loudness should move the way the song does.
- Export again and measure the final file.
Mistakes to avoid
- Lowering the fader to reach −14 LUFS on a master that was crushed to −7. The loudness number changes, the flatness stays.
- Chasing the number with a limiter that is working hard on every beat. Spotify will turn the result down anyway.
- Mastering each song of an album to the same loudness. A ballad can sit lower than the single; Spotify keeps that when the album plays.
- Judging the master at a different level from the reference you are comparing it with.
Check it free in your browser
OBRA Audio Mastering gives you three masters of your song side by side at the same loudness: Natural stays close to streaming level with your dynamics intact, OBRA is fuller and wider, Loud is dense for clubs and loud genres. The Platforms view shows how Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube and the others will play each one, and the loudness is measured on the file you download. Two songs a day are free, with no account, and nothing is uploaded.
Keep reading
- LUFS for Spotify, Apple Music and YouTube: every platform's level, and what LUFS and true peak mean
- Mixing vs mastering: where loudness fits in the process
- Vocal mastering online, free: preparing a song with vocals for the master
Frequently asked questions
What LUFS should I master to for Spotify?
About −14 LUFS integrated, with a true peak at or below −1 dBTP, or −2 dBTP if the master is louder than −14 LUFS. Louder masters are turned down to −14; many genres master louder on purpose for the denser sound.
What happens if my song is louder than −14 LUFS?
Spotify turns it down while it plays. It ends up as loud as a −14 LUFS master, with the density of the louder one. The turn-down adds no distortion.
What happens if my song is quieter than −14 LUFS?
Spotify turns it up, but only as far as the song's true peak allows, leaving 1 dB of headroom. A quiet song with high peaks stays quieter than −14.
Does Spotify change my audio?
No. Spotify measures the loudness when the file is delivered and applies gain during playback. Your master is not processed beforehand.
What are Spotify's Loud, Normal and Quiet settings?
Premium listeners can choose Loud (−11 LUFS), Normal (−14 LUFS) or Quiet (−19 LUFS). Loud adds a limiter to keep soft songs from clipping.
Does the Spotify web player use loudness normalization?
According to Spotify's support page, the web player and third-party devices such as TVs and speakers do not. On those, louder masters play louder.
What true peak should I leave?
−1 dBTP or lower for streaming, −2 dBTP if the master is louder than −14 LUFS. The lossy versions Spotify creates can push peaks higher.