· By The Vocal Market
TL;DR Target -14 LUFS integrated for Spotify, -16 for Apple Music, -14 for YouTube, -14 for TikTok. Don't over-master: Spotify turns you down anyway. Keep vocals at -6 to -4 LUFS momentary above the instrumental. True peak below -1 dBTP. Mix at 85dB SPL if you can. Mixing a vocal in 2026 isn't the same job it was even five years ago. The streaming platforms normalize loudness, so cranking the master limiter doesn't make your song louder than anyone else's. What it does is crush your dynamics and kill your vocal presence. This guide walks through the loudness targets for...