What LUFS should I master to?
Pick your platform and how loud you want to go — get a decisive target you can actually mix to. No file needed, no signup, nothing uploaded.
What LUFS should you master to?
For almost every release in 2026 the answer is −14 LUFS integrated with a −1 dBTP true-peak ceiling. That single target lines up with Spotify, YouTube, Tidal, Amazon, TikTok and SoundCloud, all of which normalize playback to roughly −14 LUFS. Apple Music references a slightly quieter −16 LUFS, but it turns quieter masters up automatically, so a −14 LUFS master is safe there too — you don't need a separate bounce. The true-peak ceiling matters just as much as the loudness number: keeping peaks at −1 dBTP (−2 dBTP for Amazon) leaves headroom for the lossy codec, so your track doesn't clip after it's transcoded to AAC or Ogg Vorbis.
The temptation is to go louder — but on a normalized platform, louder isn't louder. If you master to −8 LUFS, Spotify plays it back 6 dB quieter to hit its −14 target. You get zero extra loudness on streaming, and in exchange you keep the flattened transients, reduced punch and codec distortion that crushing to −8 introduced. The only time a hotter master pays off is when the file is played somewhere that doesn't normalize — a club system, a DJ set, a competition reference. That's exactly what the Punchy and Club-loud options above are for: they trade dynamics for level on purpose, while Streaming-safe keeps you right in the normalization pocket where dynamics survive intact.
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FAQ
What LUFS for Spotify?
About −14 LUFS integrated with a −1 dBTP true-peak ceiling. Spotify normalizes to −14 LUFS, so a master at that level plays at full volume with no turn-down and clean headroom. Louder masters just get turned down.
Is −8 LUFS too loud?
For streaming, yes. At −8 LUFS you're 6 dB over Spotify's reference, so it's turned down 6 dB — you gain no loudness but keep the squashed dynamics and codec distortion. −8 only makes sense for club or non-normalized playback.
Best LUFS for streaming in 2026?
−14 LUFS / −1 dBTP is still the best all-round target. It matches Spotify, YouTube, Tidal, Amazon, TikTok and SoundCloud, and Apple Music's −16 LUFS reference is handled automatically. Measure your track's real penalty →