Hip-Hop Mastering Guide
Punchy kick, warm 808 bass, vocal presence
Exact LUFS targets, EQ profiles, and compression settings for mastering Hip-Hop music on every major streaming platform. From Spotify and Apple Music to Beatport and Audiomack.
Hip-Hop LUFS Targets. All Platforms
| Platform | LUFS Target | True Peak | Dynamic Range | Full Guide |
|---|---|---|---|---|
🟢Spotify | -14 LUFS | -1 dBTP | 7-10 LU | Full spec → |
🍎Apple Music | -16 LUFS | -1 dBTP | 7-10 LU | Full spec → |
▶️YouTube | -14 LUFS | -1 dBTP | 7-10 LU | Full spec → |
🌊Tidal | -14 LUFS | -1 dBTP | 7-10 LU | Full spec → |
☁️SoundCloud | -11 LUFS | -0.5 dBTP | 7-10 LU | Full spec → |
🎵TikTok | -14 LUFS | -1 dBTP | 7-10 LU | Full spec → |
🎧Audiomack | -13 LUFS | -0.5 dBTP | 7-10 LU | Full spec → |
🎛️Beatport | -9 LUFS | -0.3 dBTP | 7-10 LU | Full spec → |
🎨Bandcamp | -14 LUFS | -1 dBTP | 7-10 LU | Full spec → |
📸Instagram / Reels | -14 LUFS | -1 dBTP | 7-10 LU | Full spec → |
📦Amazon Music | -14 LUFS | -1 dBTP | 7-10 LU | Full spec → |
🎶Deezer | -15 LUFS | -1 dBTP | 7-10 LU | Full spec → |
Hip-Hop EQ Profile Overview
Core EQ principles for Hip-Hop mastering. Platform-specific adjustments are in each guide below.
Low-end: Tight high-pass at 30 to 40 Hz to remove rumble. Keep 60 to 80 Hz full for kick body.
Mid-low: Small 2 to 3 dB cut at 250 to 350 Hz to reduce muddiness and let the 808 breathe.
Presence: Boost 2 to 4 kHz by 1 to 2 dB for vocal intelligibility on phone speakers.
High-end: Gentle 8 kHz shelf boost (+1 dB) for air without harshness.
Hip-Hop AI Track Fixers
Generated your Hip-Hop track with Suno, Udio, or another AI? Fix the specific artifacts.
Fix 5 common artifacts
Fix 5 common artifacts
Fix 5 common artifacts
Fix 5 common artifacts
Fix 5 common artifacts
Fix 5 common artifacts
Hip-Hop Mastering. Platform Guides
Hip-Hop Mastering FAQ
What LUFS should hip-hop be mastered to for Spotify?
Master hip-hop to -14 LUFS integrated for Spotify, with a true peak of -1 dBTP. Spotify normalizes to -14 LUFS. Louder masters are turned down. Not up. Do not over-limit to -8 LUFS; you lose dynamics with no loudness gain.
How do I get the 808 to punch through on Spotify?
Keep 60 to 80 Hz full for 808 body, cut 250 to 350 Hz to reduce muddiness, and sidechain compress the kick and 808 together. On Spotify, the full-range playback will reproduce sub-bass if your master is clean.
Should I master hip-hop loud or dynamic?
For Spotify, target -14 LUFS. Going louder gets turned down automatically and only removes dynamics. Aim for 7 to 10 LU dynamic range for a punchy, competitive master.
Other Genre Mastering Guides
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