You've spent weeks perfecting your mix. Every element sits perfectly. The dynamics are balanced. You're ready to master—but then the questions hit: How loud should it be for Spotify? What about SoundCloud? Should you master differently for each platform?
The truth? Streaming platforms have changed mastering forever. The old 'loudness war' tactics don't work anymore. In 2025, understanding platform-specific requirements isn't optional—it's essential for competitive, professional-sounding releases.
At Sweet Dreams Studio in Fort Wayne, we master tracks for streaming platforms every single day. Let's break down exactly what you need to know for Spotify and SoundCloud in 2025.
The Streaming Loudness Revolution: Why Everything Changed
Before we dive into platform specifics, you need to understand loudness normalization—the technology that ended the loudness war.
What is loudness normalization?
Streaming platforms automatically adjust the playback volume of every track to match a target loudness level. This means:
Spotify Mastering Requirements in 2025
Spotify is the world's largest streaming platform, and they've been refining their loudness normalization system for years.
### Spotify's Loudness Target: -14 LUFS
Spotify normalizes all tracks to -14 LUFS integrated loudness with the following rules:
If your track is louder than -14 LUFS:
If your track is quieter than -14 LUFS:
If your track is AT -14 LUFS:
### Spotify Audio Quality Specs
Free Tier:
Premium Tier:
What this means for mastering:
### Spotify's Three Normalization Settings
Spotify users can choose between three loudness settings:
1. Loud (-11 LUFS): Slightly louder, more compressed playback
2. Normal (-14 LUFS): Default setting, most users
3. Quiet (-19 LUFS): For background listening
Your master should target -14 LUFS to sound optimal on the default 'Normal' setting.
SoundCloud Mastering Requirements in 2025
SoundCloud has a different approach than Spotify—and understanding the differences is crucial.
### SoundCloud's Loudness Target: No Official Normalization
Unlike Spotify, SoundCloud does NOT apply loudness normalization to all tracks. However:
Recommended target for SoundCloud: -8 to -10 LUFS integrated
Why louder? Because SoundCloud doesn't normalize loudness, you're competing directly with other tracks. A track at -14 LUFS will sound noticeably quieter than tracks at -8 LUFS.
### SoundCloud Audio Quality Specs
Free Tier:
SoundCloud Go+ (Premium):
What this means for mastering:
The Key Difference: Spotify vs. SoundCloud Mastering
Here's the bottom line:
Spotify (2025):
SoundCloud (2025):
How to Measure LUFS (Loudness Units Full Scale)
You need an LUFS meter to master for streaming platforms. Here are the best options:
Free LUFS Meters:
Professional LUFS Meters:
How to use an LUFS meter:
1. Insert the meter on your master bus
2. Play your entire track from start to finish
3. Read the Integrated LUFS value (not Short-term or Momentary)
4. Adjust your limiter/gain to hit your target
True Peak vs. Sample Peak: Why It Matters
This is where many DIY masters go wrong. There's a difference between sample peak and true peak.
Sample Peak: The highest sample value in your digital file (what your DAW shows)
True Peak: The actual peak level after digital-to-analog conversion (can be higher!)
The problem: When your digital file is converted to analog (playback through speakers/headphones) or re-encoded (streaming platform conversion), inter-sample peaks can occur—peaks that exist between samples and cause distortion.
Solution: Use a true peak limiter and set your ceiling to -1.0 dB true peak (not -0.1 dB sample peak).
Recommended true peak limiters:
The Biggest Mastering Mistakes for Streaming Platforms
### Mistake #1: Mastering Too Loud
Pushing your master to -6 LUFS for Spotify is pointless. It'll just get turned down, and you've destroyed your dynamics for no reason.
### Mistake #2: Not Checking True Peak
Setting your limiter ceiling to -0.1 dB sample peak isn't enough. Use -1.0 dB true peak to prevent inter-sample distortion.
### Mistake #3: Ignoring Platform Codec Conversion
Your pristine 24-bit master will be converted to 160 kbps Ogg Vorbis (Spotify) or 128 kbps MP3 (SoundCloud). Test how your master sounds after conversion!
### Mistake #4: Using the Same Master for All Platforms
Ideally, you'd master separately for Spotify (-14 LUFS) and SoundCloud (-9 LUFS). But if you must choose one, -9 to -10 LUFS is a good compromise.
### Mistake #5: Not Referencing on Actual Platforms
Upload your test master to Spotify/SoundCloud as a private track. Listen on multiple devices. Does it compete with professional tracks in your genre?
How Sweet Dreams Studio Masters for Streaming
At our Fort Wayne mastering studio, we follow a proven streaming mastering workflow:
Step 1: Import and Analyze
Step 2: Corrective Processing
Step 3: Loudness and Limiting
Step 4: Quality Control
Step 5: Deliverables
Our professional mastering services are just $50/hour, with unlimited revisions. Holiday Special: 3 Hours for $100 (regularly $150)!
Apple Music, TIDAL, and Other Platforms
While this guide focused on Spotify and SoundCloud, here are targets for other platforms:
Apple Music: -16 LUFS integrated (uses Sound Check normalization)
YouTube: -13 to -14 LUFS integrated
TIDAL: -14 LUFS integrated
Amazon Music: -9 to -11 LUFS (no aggressive normalization)
Your Action Plan for Streaming Mastering
1. Download a free LUFS meter (Youlean Loudness Meter is great)
2. Choose your target platform(s): Spotify, SoundCloud, or both?
3. Set your LUFS target: -14 LUFS (Spotify), -9 LUFS (SoundCloud), or -9 to -10 LUFS (compromise)
4. Use a true peak limiter at -1.0 dB true peak ceiling
5. Test on actual platforms: Upload privately and compare to professional tracks
6. Iterate and refine: Adjust if needed based on real-world playback
Or skip the guesswork and book a professional mastering session at Sweet Dreams Studio. We'll deliver platform-optimized masters that compete with major label releases—at just $50/hour.
Stop guessing. Start mastering for 2025 streaming platforms the right way.