Streaming loudness targets for every platform
Every major streaming service turns tracks to a common playback level. Here are the levels in one table — with a clear note on which numbers the services publish and which come from measurements.
The numbers
| Service | Plays tracks at | Peak advice | Where the number comes from |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spotify | −14 LUFS (Loud −11, Quiet −19) | below −1 dBTP; −2 dBTP if louder than −14 LUFS | Published by Spotify |
| Apple Music | about −16 LUFS, with Sound Check on | not above −1 dBTP | Peak: published by Apple (Apple Digital Masters). Loudness: independent measurements |
| YouTube | about −14 LUFS, loud tracks turned down only | not published | Independent measurements; visible in "Stats for nerds" |
| Amazon Music | about −14 LUFS | not published | Independent measurements |
| TIDAL | about −14 LUFS, loud tracks turned down only | not published | Independent measurements |
| Deezer | about −15 LUFS | not published | Independent measurements and statements by Deezer staff |
Spotify: Spotify for Artists, "Loudness normalization". Apple: "Apple Digital Masters" technical document. Other figures are measurements published by mastering engineers and tool makers; services can change them without notice. Checked 29 September 2026.
One master for all of them
Because every service here normalizes, mastering louder does not make a track louder in the app — it is turned down to the same level as everything else, and arrives with less dynamics. A master around −14 LUFS integrated with true peak below −1 dBTP sits at or near the target everywhere; if you prefer a louder, denser sound, keep true peak below −2 dBTP.
Why true peak matters more than the last dB of loudness
Streaming services deliver lossy versions — Ogg Vorbis, AAC, Opus. Encoding adds small overshoots, so a master that peaks at −0.1 dBFS can clip after encoding. The −1 dBTP ceiling is there to absorb that. More in true peak explained.
What if the listener turned normalization off?
Then the track plays at the level of the file. That is the one case where a louder master is louder — and the reason not to master far quieter than the genre around you.
See where your track stands
The free LUFS checker measures your file and shows how much each of these services would turn it down. Mastering to a Spotify, Apple Music or YouTube target is one click after sign-up. Details for Spotify: Spotify loudness.
Do I need a separate master for each platform?
Usually not. A master around −14 LUFS with true peak below −1 dBTP plays well on all of them. Apple Music and Deezer will play it about 1–2 dB quieter, which is not audible as a problem.
Why do different sites list different numbers?
Most services do not publish their targets. Spotify does; for the others the numbers come from independent measurements, and services change them from time to time. We mark which is which.
Will a quiet master be turned up?
Spotify turns quiet tracks up only as far as the true-peak headroom allows. YouTube and TIDAL have been measured to turn loud tracks down but not quiet tracks up.
What about TikTok and Instagram?
They do not publish loudness targets, and we have not found reliable measurements, so they are not in the table.