LUFS, in one sentence
LUFS stands for Loudness Units relative to Full Scale — a measurement of how loud audio actually sounds to human ears, standardised in ITU-R BS.1770 and EBU R128. Unlike peak level (which measures the highest sample), LUFS reflects perceived loudness over time, which is why every major streaming platform uses it to keep playback consistent.
Integrated, short-term and momentary
You'll see three LUFS readings. Integrated LUFS is the average loudness of the whole track — the number platforms care about. Short-term measures the last 3 seconds, useful while mixing. Momentary measures the last 400ms, useful for catching loud peaks. For mastering decisions, integrated LUFS is the headline figure.
Why LUFS matters: playback normalisation
Streaming services turn every track toward a common loudness so listeners don't have to ride the volume knob. If your master is louder than the platform's reference, it is simply turned down on playback — you gain no loudness and lose dynamic range. If it's quieter, most platforms leave it alone. That's why chasing a very loud master is usually self-defeating: master for the song, land near the reference, and keep your dynamics.
The targets that matter
Common integrated-loudness references: around -14 LUFS for Spotify, YouTube, Tidal, Amazon and Deezer; about -16 LUFS for Apple Music; -23 LUFS (EBU R128) for broadcast. These are references, not hard rules. Whatever you target, keep true peak under -1 dBTP so lossy encoding doesn't clip. See the per-platform guides for details.
How to measure and hit LUFS
Use a meter that shows integrated LUFS and true peak (Quantara shows both live). Master the track to taste, check the integrated reading against your target platform, and adjust. A loudness-matched A/B is the honest way to judge changes — it removes the ‘louder sounds better’ illusion so you hear tone and dynamics, not just volume.
Frequently asked questions
Around -14 LUFS integrated is a sensible reference, with true peak under -1 dBTP. Master for the song first — Spotify normalises playback, so a louder master is just turned down.
LUFS values are negative, so closer to zero is louder. -8 LUFS is louder than -14 LUFS.
LUFS measures perceived loudness over time; dBTP (decibels true peak) measures the highest inter-sample peak. You target a LUFS loudness while keeping true peak under a ceiling (usually -1 dBTP).
No. It's a reference, not a rule. Aim near it, prioritise how the music sounds, and don't crush dynamics just to hit a number.