Spotify loudness: what LUFS to master to
Spotify turns every track to the same playback loudness. Mastering louder than its target does not make you louder — it only costs dynamics and can add distortion. Here is what the numbers mean and how to hit them.
The numbers Spotify publishes
| What | Value |
|---|---|
| Normalization, default ("Normal") | −14 LUFS integrated |
| "Loud" setting | −11 LUFS |
| "Quiet" setting | −19 LUFS |
| Recommended master loudness | −14 LUFS integrated |
| True peak | below −1 dBTP |
| True peak if the master is louder than −14 LUFS | below −2 dBTP |
Source: Spotify for Artists, "Loudness normalization". Checked 19 September 2026.
What LUFS and true peak mean
LUFS (loudness units relative to full scale) measures perceived loudness over the whole track. "Integrated" means averaged across the entire song, weighted the way the ear hears.
True peak (dBTP) is the highest level the waveform reaches between samples, after it is converted back to analogue or re-encoded. A file can peak at −0.1 dBFS on the sample grid and still exceed 0 dBTP — which is where encoder distortion comes from.
Louder than −14 LUFS: what happens
Spotify turns a louder track down to its target. The level ends up the same as a −14 LUFS master, but the louder master arrives with less dynamic range and, often, more limiter distortion. That is why Spotify asks for more true-peak headroom, −2 dBTP, when a master is louder than −14 LUFS.
Other platforms
YouTube and Apple Music also normalize playback, with targets in the same region (Apple Music plays quieter, around −16 LUFS). One master that measures about −14 LUFS with true peak under −1 dBTP plays well across all of them. All services in one table: streaming loudness targets.
Check your track
Upload a track to Echoteka for a free analysis: integrated loudness, true peak, loudness range and stereo, with a note on what would change for streaming. Mastering to a Spotify, Apple Music or YouTube target is one click after sign-up.
Should I master to exactly −14 LUFS?
It is a sensible target, not a rule. Dense genres are often mastered louder and simply turned down; quiet, dynamic music can stay below −14. What matters is that true peak stays under the ceiling.
Does Spotify make quiet tracks louder?
Only up to the point where the true peak would exceed −1 dB. A very quiet, peaky master may play slightly below the others.
Is −1 dBTP enough for MP3 and AAC?
For most masters around −14 LUFS, yes. For louder masters Spotify recommends −2 dBTP.
How do I measure my track?
Upload it to Echoteka: the analysis is free, needs no account, and shows integrated loudness and true peak.