LUFS for Amazon Music (and the −2 dBTP Rule)
Published · updated · by Loopin
Amazon is the platform most likely to ask for a lower peak ceiling than everyone else. Here is what that changes and whether it is worth a separate master.
The loudness target is the same as everywhere
Amazon normalises playback in line with the rest of the industry, so the sensible target is the same −9 to −14 LUFS integrated range chosen by genre. There is no advantage to a different loudness for Amazon specifically.
What differs is the peak ceiling, and only that. Everything else about the master stays where it was.
The ceiling: −2 dBTP for high-resolution delivery
Amazon's high-resolution and lossless tiers have historically asked for a true peak ceiling of −2 dBTP rather than the −1 that suffices elsewhere. The reasoning is the same as everywhere — headroom for encoding and reconstruction — just with more margin.
Two decibels of headroom costs you nothing perceptually, because normalisation sets the playback level regardless. If you want one master that satisfies every platform, master to −2 dBTP and it is legal everywhere.
Deliver the highest resolution you actually have
Amazon supports lossless and high-resolution tiers, so give the distributor the best file you genuinely have — 24-bit at your session sample rate — rather than a 16/44.1 conversion.
Do not upsample. A 44.1 kHz session rendered at 96 kHz is not high-resolution, it is a larger file containing the same information, and some pipelines flag it.
One master, not six
Making a separate master per platform is the most common wasted effort in independent releasing. The differences between services are almost entirely in playback normalisation, which happens after your file arrives and cannot be pre-compensated for.
Master once at a sensible target with a −2 dBTP ceiling and deliver it everywhere. The platform-by-platform figures are useful to know and almost never worth acting on separately.
What to check after it goes live
Play your track and two references in your genre back to back on Amazon at the same system volume. If yours is noticeably quieter or smaller, that is a mastering answer; if it sits comfortably, the specs did their job.
Do this on the platform rather than on your own file, because normalisation only exists on the platform. The comparison at home tells you about your file, not about what listeners hear.
Frequently asked questions
What LUFS should I use for Amazon Music?
The same -9 to -14 LUFS integrated range as everywhere else, chosen by genre. Amazon normalises playback like the others, so there is no advantage to a different loudness.
Why does Amazon ask for -2 dBTP?
Extra headroom for encoding and reconstruction on its lossless and high-resolution tiers. Two decibels costs nothing perceptually because normalisation sets the playback level anyway.
Should I make a different master for each platform?
No. The differences are almost entirely in playback normalisation, which happens after your file arrives. Master once at -2 dBTP and it is legal everywhere.