Mastering for Spotify: how many LUFS, true peak and normalization explained
You finish the mix, push it to full level and on Spotify it sounds smaller than everything else. It's no accident: platforms normalize loudness. Here are the reference values, what true peak is and how to check your master before you release it.
In short: Spotify, YouTube, Tidal and Amazon Music bring tracks to about -14 LUFS integrated, Apple Music to about -16 LUFS, Deezer to about -15 LUFS. If your master is louder it gets turned down, and pushing the level doesn't make you sound louder: you only lose dynamics. Keep the true peak below -1 dBTP (better -2 for very loud tracks) to avoid distortion after conversion to AAC, Ogg or Opus. You can measure everything with FFmpeg, or see at a glance what each platform will do with ForgeWave, for free.
Why master loudness is no longer a race
Streaming platforms apply loudness normalization: they measure how loud each track "sounds" in LUFS (Loudness Units relative to Full Scale, per ITU-R BS.1770 / EBU R128) and bring it to a reference level. A master pushed to -8 LUFS on Spotify is turned down by about 6 dB: it reaches the listener at the same level as everything else, just more squashed. A more dynamic master, at the same level, sounds more open.
Reference values
| Platform | Reference (approx.) | If you are louder |
|---|---|---|
| Spotify | -14 LUFS | the track is turned down |
| YouTube | -14 LUFS | the track is turned down |
| Tidal | -14 LUFS | the track is turned down |
| Amazon Music | -14 LUFS | the track is turned down |
| Deezer | -15 LUFS | the track is turned down |
| Apple Music | -16 LUFS | the track is turned down (Sound Check) |
These are indicative values: platforms change them now and then, and some also turn quieter tracks up, but only as far as the peak allows. You don't need to hit them to the decimal: what matters is knowing what will happen to your track.
True peak, the detail people forget
A "normal" peak looks at the file's samples; the true peak also estimates the peaks between samples, the ones that show up when the file is converted to AAC, Ogg Vorbis or Opus. A master that reaches 0 dBFS can go over zero after conversion and distort. That's why a ceiling of -1 dBTP is recommended, and -2 dBTP for very loud masters.
Measuring with FFmpeg, for free
This command measures a file's integrated loudness, loudness range (LRA) and true peak, without changing it:
ffmpeg -hide_banner -i master.wav -af ebur128=peak=true -f null -At the end you'll find the summary: I: is the integrated loudness in LUFS, LRA: the loudness range, Peak: the true peak in dBFS.
To bring a file to -14 LUFS with a -1 dBTP true peak in one pass (handy for a podcast or a test, less precise than real mastering work):
ffmpeg -i master.wav -af loudnorm=I=-14:TP=-1:LRA=11 -ar 48000 master-14.wavThe method in four steps
- Measure the finished track: integrated loudness, true peak and LRA.
- Decide whether you're fine with it being turned down: a master a bit louder than the reference isn't a mistake, if it's a choice.
- Control the true peak with a true-peak limiter at -1 dBTP (or -2).
- Listen to how it will really sound: turn the master down by the difference from the reference and compare it with a commercial track at the same loudness.
With ForgeWave
ForgeWave does all of this on one screen, free on Mac, Windows and Linux. The streaming destination shows, for Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube, Tidal, Amazon Music and Deezer, whether the track will be turned down, turned up or left as it is, and the peak after their conversion, actually tested. You can listen to it "as on Spotify", compare it A/B with a loudness-matched reference track and prepare it with one click, with the true-peak limiter and a loudness report to attach to the delivery.
Frequently asked questions
How many LUFS for Spotify?
Spotify brings tracks to about -14 LUFS integrated (with normalization on, which is the default). If your master is louder it gets turned down. Keep the true peak below -1 dBTP, or -2 for very loud tracks.
If I master louder, will I sound louder on Spotify?
No: normalization turns the track down to the reference level. A louder master plays at the same level as everything else, just with less dynamics.
What is the difference between peak and true peak?
Peak looks at the file's individual samples; true peak also estimates the peaks between samples, which appear after conversion to AAC, Ogg or Opus and can distort.
Can I check a master for free?
Yes, with FFmpeg (the ebur128 filter) or with ForgeWave, which shows what each platform will do and lets you listen "as on Spotify".