How to master for streaming platforms: normalization, LUFS, and loudness

I think it’s safe to say we’re officially in the age of streaming – in fact, you could probably argue that we have been since about 2015. While it’s true that physical formats like vinyl, which has seen nearly exponential growth since 2007, and CD, which made a modest comeback in 2021 but has since declined, have seen increased sales in recent years, they still pale in comparison to streaming. In 2023, streaming enjoyed a commanding 84% market share.

With that in mind, understanding how to master a song for streaming is as important now as it’s ever been. This is because each platform has loudness standards and specifications, and if you want your music to be heard as intended you need to understand how those standards will impact the sound of your music. Let's dive into streaming platform specifications for loudness, level, and normalization.

Follow along in your DAW with iZotope mastering plugins like  Ozone ,  RX , and  Insight . 

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Common questions about mastering for streaming platforms

What does mastering for streaming platforms involve?
It involves optimizing your track's loudness, dynamics, and technical specs to ensure it sounds consistent across various streaming services and playback systems.

What loudness level should I aim for when mastering for streaming?
Though each platform has its own normalization target, the key is to avoid over-compression and leave enough headroom.

Should I master differently for Spotify, Apple Music, and YouTube?
While exact targets vary, a well-balanced master around -14 LUFS with -1 dBTP true peak is generally safe across all platforms.

What is true peak limiting and why is it important?
True peak limiting ensures your audio doesn't clip when converted to lossy streaming formats, preserving sound quality.

Do I need multiple masters for different streaming platforms?
Usually not. One well-mastered file that meets loudness and true peak guidelines will perform reliably across all major platforms.

Loudness, LUFS, and normalization

One of the core questions we’ll need to address is, “how loud should I master?” To answer this though, we’ll need to have a good understanding of loudness, LUFS measurements, and the concept of normalization. Let’s start by bringing some definition to those terms.

Loudness 

Loudness seems like it ought to be a simple enough concept, but if we pry a little we can uncover some of its complexities. Is loudness intrinsic to a file? Or is it dependent on the sound pressure level – SPL – in the air? Where do user volume controls factor in, and what about tonal balance and the personal hearing traits of the listener? You can read more about some of these complexities of loudness in this article, but for our discussion here, we’ll think about loudness as it relates to so-called “loudness meters.”

Loudness meters, like those found in the Loudness panel of Insight, are a modern way of measuring perceived loudness in a digital environment, and the units they measure are known as LUFS – loudness units, full scale.