Metal Mastering Guide
Exact LUFS targets, EQ profiles, and compression settings for mastering Metal music on every major streaming platform. From Spotify and Apple Music to Beatport and Audiomack.
Metal LUFS Targets on Every Platform
| Platform | LUFS Target | True Peak | Dynamic Range | Full Guide |
|---|---|---|---|---|
🟢Spotify | -14 LUFS | -1 dBTP | 4-7 LU | |
🍎Apple Music | -16 LUFS | -1 dBTP | 4-7 LU | |
▶️YouTube | -14 LUFS | -1 dBTP | 4-7 LU | |
🌊Tidal | -14 LUFS | -1 dBTP | 4-7 LU | |
☁️SoundCloud | -11 LUFS | -0.5 dBTP | 4-7 LU | |
🎵TikTok | -14 LUFS | -1 dBTP | 4-7 LU | |
🎧Audiomack | -13 LUFS | -0.5 dBTP | 4-7 LU | |
🎛️Beatport | -9 LUFS | -0.3 dBTP | 4-7 LU | |
🎨Bandcamp | -14 LUFS | -1 dBTP | 4-7 LU | |
📸Instagram / Reels | -14 LUFS | -1 dBTP | 4-7 LU | |
📦Amazon Music | -14 LUFS | -1 dBTP | 4-7 LU | |
🎶Deezer | -15 LUFS | -1 dBTP | 4-7 LU |
Metal EQ Profile Overview
Guitar density: Scoop 200 to 400 Hz slightly to reduce muddiness from heavy downtuned guitars.
Presence: Boost 2 to 5 kHz for guitar presence and vocal intelligibility through the density.
Kick clarity: High-pass kick at 50 Hz. Boost 60 to 80 Hz body and 2 to 4 kHz click for punch.
Bass clarity: Cut 200 to 300 Hz from bass guitar to separate it from the guitar low-mid density.
Metal Mastering FAQ
What LUFS for metal on Spotify?
-14 LUFS integrated. Metal can push hard. A 4 to 7 LU dynamic range at -14 LUFS is competitive and powerful. Over-limiting at -8 LUFS will be normalized down anyway.
How do I prevent the mix from sounding muddy in the master?
Cut 200 to 400 Hz with a multiband compressor or EQ to clear guitar mud. This is the most common metal mastering problem. Also ensure bass guitar has its own frequency space by cutting its 200 to 300 Hz slightly.
How does heavily compressed metal sound on Spotify?
Spotify normalizes to -14 LUFS, so an over-limited -8 LUFS metal master gets turned down to the same volume as a well-mastered -14 LUFS version, while sounding squashed and fatiguing. Master at the target LUFS with maximum 7 LU dynamic range.