Apple Music loudness: what a master needs
Apple Music plays every song through Sound Check, which evens out loudness between tracks. Apple publishes how it works and what it wants from a master — but not a LUFS number. Here is what Apple actually says, what is only measured, and how to prepare a file.
What Apple publishes
| What | Apple's guidance |
|---|---|
| Source file | 24-bit, highest native sample rate; no upsampling, no 16-bit padded to 24 |
| Headroom | at least 1 dB below 0 dBFS, to avoid clipping when playback oversamples |
| Clipping | avoid it; Apple provides afclip and AURoundTripAAC to check |
| Streaming format | AAC at 256 kbps, encoded by Apple from your master |
| Loudness normalization | Sound Check, per song or per album — no target number published |
Source: Apple, "Apple Digital Masters" technology brief. Checked 9 October 2026.
What is measured, not published
The playback level of Sound Check is not in Apple's documents. Independent measurements by mastering engineers and tool makers put it around −16 LUFS integrated, a little quieter than Spotify and YouTube at about −14. Treat it as a measured value that Apple can change, not a rule.
One master for Apple Music and Spotify
You do not need a separate master. A file around −14 LUFS with true peak at −1 dBTP or lower plays at Spotify's level and about 2 dB quieter on Apple Music — not audible as a problem. If Apple Music is your main platform, master to about −16 LUFS: that is Echoteka's Apple Music target, and the master keeps more dynamics. All services in one table: streaming loudness targets; Spotify in detail: Spotify loudness.
Louder than the target: what Sound Check does
In Apple's own words, songs mastered loud "will be played back at a lower volume which can make tracks actually sound weaker". The level evens out; what stays is the lost dynamics and any limiter distortion. That is also why the headroom matters: the AAC copy Apple makes from a master that peaks at 0 dBFS can clip.
Prepare and check your file
- Export a 24-bit WAV — in Echoteka choose “WAV 24” when you download the master.
- Measure it with the free LUFS checker: integrated loudness and true peak.
- Keep true peak at −1 dBTP or lower; Echoteka masters with an oversampled true-peak limiter at −1 dBTP.
- Send the file to your distributor — Apple takes releases through them.
Does Apple Music normalize loudness?
Yes. Sound Check measures each track and stores the result in its metadata, then plays loud songs quieter and quiet songs louder so a shuffle does not jump in volume. Apple describes how it works but does not publish a target number.
What LUFS should I master to for Apple Music?
Apple does not give one. Independent measurements put Sound Check playback around −16 LUFS, so a master between −16 and −14 LUFS plays at, or a little above, that level. A louder master is simply turned down.
What true peak does Apple Music need?
Apple recommends leaving at least 1 dB of headroom below 0 dBFS, because the playback chain oversamples and a file at 0 dBFS can clip there. In practice: true peak at −1 dBTP or lower.
Should I send a 24-bit file?
Yes. Apple asks for 24-bit sources at the highest native sample rate, and asks you not to upsample or pad 16-bit files to 24-bit. Your distributor passes the file on to Apple.