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Rock Mastering Guide

Guitar presence, drum punch, natural dynamics, energy

CA
Reviewed by Collins Asein · April 2026

Exact LUFS targets, EQ profiles, and compression settings for mastering Rock music on every major streaming platform — from Spotify and Apple Music to Beatport and Audiomack.

12 platform guides · 6 AI source fixers

Rock LUFS Targets — All Platforms

PlatformLUFS TargetTrue PeakDynamic RangeFull Guide
🟢Spotify
-14 LUFS-1 dBTP8-12 LUFull spec →
🍎Apple Music
-16 LUFS-1 dBTP8-12 LUFull spec →
▶️YouTube
-14 LUFS-1 dBTP8-12 LUFull spec →
🌊Tidal
-14 LUFS-1 dBTP8-12 LUFull spec →
☁️SoundCloud
-11 LUFS-0.5 dBTP8-12 LUFull spec →
🎵TikTok
-14 LUFS-1 dBTP8-12 LUFull spec →
🎧Audiomack
-13 LUFS-0.5 dBTP8-12 LUFull spec →
🎛️Beatport
-9 LUFS-0.3 dBTP8-12 LUFull spec →
🎨Bandcamp
-14 LUFS-1 dBTP8-12 LUFull spec →
📸Instagram / Reels
-14 LUFS-1 dBTP8-12 LUFull spec →
📦Amazon Music
-14 LUFS-1 dBTP8-12 LUFull spec →
🎶Deezer
-15 LUFS-1 dBTP8-12 LUFull spec →

Rock EQ Profile Overview

Core EQ principles for Rock mastering. Platform-specific adjustments are in each guide below.

EQ 01

Guitar presence: Boost 2–5 kHz for electric guitar attack and cut through the mix.

EQ 02

Drum punch: Boost 60–80 Hz for kick drum thump, 200 Hz for snare body, 10 kHz for cymbal air.

EQ 03

Low-mid cut: Cut 250–400 Hz to reduce boxy resonance from guitar cabinets and drums.

EQ 04

Stereo balance: Check mono compatibility — guitar panning should collapse well for phone speakers.

Rock Mastering — Platform Guides

Rock Mastering FAQ

What LUFS for rock on Spotify?

-14 LUFS integrated, true peak -1 dBTP. Rock is typically mastered at 7–10 LU dynamic range — loud enough to compete but retaining the energy and transient punch that defines the genre.

How do I get guitars to cut through in the master?

Boost 2–5 kHz on the master bus. Also check that guitar and vocals are occupying slightly different frequency slots — cut 1–3 kHz slightly on guitars if they conflict with lead vocals.

Will rock dynamics survive Spotify's normalization?

Yes. Spotify's normalization at -14 LUFS levels the playback volume, not the dynamics. A 7-10 LU dynamic range rock master will retain its peaks and energy at normalized playback.

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