Mastering tracks is the last and one of the most important stages of music production. One of the main parameters at this stage is the final loudness of the material, measured in LUFS (Loudness Units relative to Full Scale). However, the question of how many LUFS to compress a track depends on many factors: the style of music, the requirements of streaming platforms, the geography of distribution, and even the taste expectations of the audience.
What is LUFS?
LUFS is a unit of measurement of human perception of the loudness of audio material. Unlike RMS and conventional amplitude loudness (dBFS), LUFS takes into account the peculiarities of human hearing: how we perceive loud and quiet sounds at different frequencies.
- LUFS Integrated is the average loudness of the entire track.
- LUFS Short-Term is the loudness over a short period of time (for example, over 3 seconds).
- LUFS Momentary is the loudness at a given moment in time.
Integrated LUFS is most often used for mastering and comparing tracks.
Streaming Platform Requirements
Most modern streaming services normalize the volume of tracks. If the mastering is “louder” than required, the platform will simply lower the level. If it is “quieter”, it will sometimes leave it as is.
Basic requirements:
- Spotify: -14 LUFS (-1 dBTP (True Peak) limit)
- YouTube: -14 LUFS (Normalization is on by default)
- Apple Music: -16 LUFS (Uses Sound Check standard)
- Amazon Music: -14 LUFS (Normalizes by loudness)
- Tidal: -14 LUFS (Optional normalization)
- Deezer: -14 LUFS (Loudness normalization)
Conclusion: For streaming, the ideal benchmark is considered to be -14 LUFS Integrated, but this does not always suit every style.
LUFS by Musical Styles
Pop, EDM, Hip-hop
- Typical loudness: -9 to -12 LUFS
- Reason: High competition, “loudness battle”, emphasis on energy.
- Features: On streaming services, tracks compressed to -9 LUFS will be reduced to -14 LUFS, but aggressive mastering will retain the feeling of density.
Recommendation:
- For Spotify/YouTube mastering: aim for -13/-14 LUFS.
- For club sound or CD: feel free to go up to -9/-10 LUFS.
Rock, Alternative
- Typical loudness: -10 to -13 LUFS
- Reason: It’s important to preserve the dynamic range of live instruments, but power is still needed.
- Characteristics: Highly compressed rock sounds flat.
Recommendation:
- Online release: -12…-14 LUFS.
Vinyl/premium mastering: down to -14 LUFS and below to preserve air.
Jazz, Classical, Acoustic music
- Typical loudness: -18 to -23 LUFS
- Reason: dynamics and natural sound are the most important here.
- Characteristics: mastering too loudly will kill the nuances of the performance.
Recommendation:
- For Spotify/YouTube: -18 LUFS is acceptable, sometimes you can leave -20 LUFS.
- For audiophile releases: aim for -23 LUFS.
Metal, Hardcore
- Typical loudness: -7 to -10 LUFS
- Reason: Aggression and pressure are key elements of the sound.
- Characteristics: Overdriven tracks often get distorted when normalized.
Recommendation:
- Streaming releases: -10/-11 LUFS.
- CD/vinyl: up to -8 LUFS is acceptable, subject to limitation.
Lo-fi, Blues, Folk
- Typical loudness: -14 to -18 LUFS
- Reason: Atmosphere and space are more important than loudness.
- Features: “warm”, slightly less controlled mastering is allowed.
Recommendation:
- Online platforms: aim for -14/-16 LUFS.
— See also: What is Alliacing in Sound: A Complex Problem in Simple Words —
Geographical features of loudness perception
USA and Canada:
- The audience is used to denser and louder mastering.
- Tracks at -10 LUFS are considered the standard for radio and clubs.
Europe (especially Germany, Scandinavia):
- Greater attention to sound quality and dynamics.
- -12…-14 LUFS for mainstream releases is a common practice.
Japan:
- They value clarity and detail in sound.
- Pop and rock releases are often mastered around -12…-14 LUFS.
Latin America:
- In dance music (reggaeton, latin pop) the volume can reach -8 LUFS to make the tracks “pump” even when normalized.
Features of mastering for different tasks
Radio:
- Radio stations use their own compressors.
- Often tracks for radio are made louder (-9 LUFS) than for streaming.
CD:
- No volume normalization.
- You can afford to compress to -8/-9 LUFS without any special restrictions, but there is a risk of clipping.
Vinyl:
- Vinyl physically limits too much amplitude.
- Vinyl tracks are usually mastered quieter (-16 to -20 LUFS).
Practical advice
- True Peak Limit: Always keep the limit around -1.0 dBTP for streaming.
- Multi-version mastering: Make different versions of a track for streaming, radio, and CD.
- Listen to references: Always compare your work to successful releases in your genre.
- Don’t be afraid of dynamics: Mastering too aggressively will kill the energy of a track.
There is no perfect single answer to “how many LUFS to compress a track”. It all depends on the genre, publishing platform, audience, personal preferences. For most modern tasks, the safe zone is considered to be -13…-15 LUFS Integrated with a True Peak limit of about -1 dBTP. But remember: it is better to have a track that sounds dynamic and free than overloaded, flat and tiring. Mastering is the art of balance!
