Loudness guide
Mastering for Apple Music.
Short answer: with Sound Check on, Apple Music plays songs at about −16 LUFS and turns louder ones down. Deliver a 24-bit WAV at your song’s sample rate, leave at least 1 dB of true-peak headroom, and check how it sounds after AAC encoding.
Sound Check: Apple’s loudness normalisation
Sound Check measures each song and stores its loudness with the file. When a listener turns it on, Apple Music raises or lowers each song so they play at a similar level, about −16 LUFS. It can also work per album, so the loudness differences between your songs stay as you mastered them.
Two things follow. A very loud master is turned down and can sound weaker than a dynamic one at the same level. And listeners with Sound Check off hear your master as it is, so it should still hold up next to other releases. That is why most masters for Apple Music are louder than −16 LUFS, but not squashed. See the other services in mastering for Spotify.
Apple Digital Masters in short
| What | Apple Music |
|---|---|
| Sound Check level | about −16 LUFS (measured; Apple doesn't publish a number) |
| Apple Digital Masters source | 24-bit, 44.1 kHz or higher, not upsampled |
| Lossy stream | AAC at 256 kbps (variable bit rate) |
| Lossless stream | Apple Lossless (ALAC), from the master you deliver |
| Headroom | Apple recommends at least 1 dB |
Apple Digital Masters (formerly Mastered for iTunes) is Apple’s program for high-quality masters. The idea is simple: give Apple a high-resolution master and it encodes the AAC from that, with less loss than from a 16-bit file. In practice:
- Export a 24-bit WAV at your song’s own sample rate, 44.1 kHz or higher.
- Don’t upsample, and don’t convert a 16-bit file to 24-bit. Apple doesn’t count either as a high-resolution source.
- Your distributor or label delivers the file. Ask them whether they submit for the Apple Digital Masters badge.
AAC 256 and true peaks
Apple Music streams AAC at 256 kbps, plus Apple Lossless for listeners who choose it. AAC encoding can raise peaks slightly, and a master that peaks at 0 dBFS can clip after encoding. Apple’s advice is to leave at least 1 dB of headroom and to audition the encoded file, not only the WAV.
- −1 dBTP follows Apple’s advice and is safe for every service.
- Louder masters with less headroom can be fine at 256 kbps AAC, but listen to an AAC encode before you deliver. Audible clipping after encoding can cost a track the Apple Digital Masters badge.
Measure your song’s loudness and true peak with the free loudness checker: check your song free, measured in your browser, nothing uploaded.
Checklist for Apple Music
- 24-bit WAV at the song’s sample rate, not upsampled.
- True peaks at −1 dBTP or slightly below.
- As loud as the song stays punchy; Sound Check turns louder songs down anyway.
- Listen to an AAC encode for clipping or harshness.
- Set the preview start to your chorus, if your distributor offers it.
Mastering for Apple Music online
MakeItSoundPro masters every song three ways (Gentle, Balanced and Bold) at the same loudness, and you compare them with your original at that loudness. Choose Streaming loudness (about −11 LUFS in the loud parts, true peaks −1 dBTP), available after any purchase, or Loud (about −8.5 LUFS, true peaks −0.3 dBTP). You download a 24-bit WAV at the song’s sample rate, ready for your distributor, plus a 320 kbps MP3 and a 30-second clip. Your first three songs are free.
Doing it yourself? Follow how to master a song, step by step.
Questions
What LUFS does Apple Music use?
With Sound Check turned on, Apple Music plays songs at about −16 LUFS, turning loud songs down. Apple doesn't publish an exact number, so treat −16 as approximate. With Sound Check off, songs play at the level they were mastered.
Should I master to −16 LUFS for Apple Music?
Not necessarily. Sound Check turns louder songs down, so a loud master loses nothing in level, only the punch it gave up to get loud. Many listeners leave Sound Check off, too. Master as loud as the song stays punchy and keep true peaks at −1 dBTP.
What is Apple Digital Masters?
Apple's program for high-quality masters, which replaced Mastered for iTunes. You deliver a 24-bit master at 44.1 kHz or higher, and Apple encodes it to AAC carefully from that high-resolution source. Your distributor or label submits it; masters that meet the guidelines can carry the badge.
What true peak should I use for Apple Music?
Apple recommends leaving at least 1 dB of headroom, because encoding to AAC can raise peaks slightly. −1 dBTP is the safe choice. Apple also asks you to listen to the AAC encode, not only the WAV, to check for clipping.
Should I upload a 16-bit or 24-bit file?
24-bit if your mix is 24-bit or float. Apple Digital Masters needs a 24-bit source, and padding a 16-bit file to 24-bit or upsampling it doesn't count. Keep your song's own sample rate.