How Many LUFS Should My Master Be? Streaming Targets Explained

Exact specs for Spotify, Apple, YouTube, peak, DR. Upload for pro master.

Table of Contents

• 1. What “LUFS” Actually Means (in 60 Seconds)
• 2. Platform Cheat-Sheet: Spotify, Apple, YouTube, Tidal, Deezer
• 3. Peak & Headroom Rules (-1 dBTP, -2 dBTP, True Peak)
• 4. Dynamic Range vs. Loudness: Where to Stop the Squeeze
• 5. How to Measure LUFS Correctly (Free Tools)
• 6. Common Loudness Mistakes That Trigger Rejection
• 7. When to Trust Your Ears vs. the Meter
• 8. Ready to Hit the Targets? Upload for Pro Master

1. What “LUFS” Actually Means (in 60 Seconds)

• LUFS = Loudness Units relative to Full Scale
• Integrated LUFS = average loudness over the full track
• Short-term LUFS = 3-second window (great for ballads)
• Peak dBTP = true-peak sample level (detects inter-sample clips)
• Rule: Integrated LUFS is what platforms normalize to

2. Platform Cheat-Sheet: Spotify, Apple, YouTube, Tidal, Deezer

Target master: −9 LUFS integrated, −1 dBTP max → platforms turn down, never up.

3. Peak & Headroom Rules (-1 dBTP, -2 dBTP, True Peak)

• Print master at −1 dBTP to prevent encoder overs
• Apple prefers −2 dBTP but accepts −1 dBTP safely
• Use true-peak meters like YouLean, SPAN, or Pro-L2
• Never print 0 dBFS — inter-sample clips = rejection

4. Dynamic Range vs. Loudness: Where to Stop the Squeeze

Rule: Don’t trade dynamic range for loudness—streaming will turn you down anyway.

5. How to Measure LUFS Correctly (Free Tools)

• YouLean Loudness Meter — free, set to “Integrated”
• Span Plus — free, enable LUFS mode
• Logic Pro: Multimeter → Loudness → Integrated
• Pro Tools: Pro-L2 in Integrated mode
• Always export 24-bit WAV and measure full song, not loop

6. Common Loudness Mistakes That Trigger Rejection

7. When to Trust Your Ears vs. the Meter

• Meter says −9 LUFS but sounds harsh → back off 1 dB
• DR reads 9 dB but vocals masked → EQ before louder
• True-peak at −1.1 dBTP but clipping audible → lower to −1.5 dBTP
• Final rule: Ears lead, meters confirm

8. Ready to Hit the Targets? Upload for Pro Master

1. Export 24-bit WAV, −12 dBFS peaks, no limiter on stereo bus
2. Label “Mix Final”, include instrumental if needed
3. Upload here → choose Mastering
4. Approve 30-second master preview (−9 LUFS, −1 dBTP, DR ≥ 8 dB)
5. Download final WAV + Apple Digital Masters → release anywhere

Streaming Loudness Targets at a Glance

Mastering for streaming means setting mastering loudness for normalization, not maximum level: the Spotify LUFS reference sits at −14 integrated, Apple Music loudness targets −16 with Sound Check, and YouTube hovers near −14. Loudness normalization makes overshooting pointless — set your streaming loudness targets by genre and dynamics, keep true peak at −1 dBTP, and let the platforms do the rest.