How to Upload Music to Spotify
If you’ve finished a song and want to get it onto Spotify, the process is actually pretty straightforward.
You generally don’t upload your music directly to Spotify yourself. Instead, you use a music distributor that delivers your release to Spotify and other streaming platforms.
But before you upload anything, there’s one part you should pay particular attention to:
Your Master
Your distributor can deliver your music to Spotify, but it can’t fix a master that is clipping, excessively limited, distorted, or otherwise poorly prepared for streaming.
This guide walks through how to upload music to Spotify and what you should check before sending your song off.
1. Finish and Master Your Song
Before worrying about Spotify, make sure the actual recording and master are finished.
Your final master should be the version you want listeners to hear.
Spotify recommends delivering your highest-quality native stereo master and avoiding unnecessary downsampling or bit-depth reduction before delivery.
What should you check?
- Integrated loudness
- True Peak
- Clipping
- Dynamic range
- Excessive limiting
- Overall tonal balance
- The quality of your final exported file
This is where a loudness and mastering analysis tool can be useful.
Before you upload your song, run your final master through LoudCheck.
Check your master with LoudCheck →
2. Choose a Music Distributor
Spotify says music is delivered through distributors, which handle distribution and streaming royalty payments.
If you’re signed to a record label, your label may already have a distributor.
If you’re an independent artist, you’ll need to choose a distributor yourself.
Your distributor will normally ask you for things such as:
- Your artist name
- Release title
- Track information
- Cover artwork
- Audio files
- Release date
- Contributor information
- Copyright information
Different distributors have different pricing models and requirements, so check their current terms before submitting your release.
3. Prepare Your Audio File
This is one of the most important parts.
Spotify currently strongly prefers FLAC for audio delivery, but WAV is also accepted when it meets the technical requirements.
The important point is that you should deliver your master at its native resolution.
For example, if your master was created at 24-bit/48 kHz, don’t unnecessarily convert it to 16-bit/44.1 kHz just because you think Spotify requires it.
Spotify handles the necessary format conversions itself.
4. Don’t Master Specifically to a Magic LUFS Number
This is where things get confusing.
You may have heard:
“Spotify is -14 LUFS.”
That’s not a good reason to simply turn your master down to -14 LUFS.
Spotify uses loudness normalization to help make tracks play back at more consistent perceived levels. That means a louder master can be turned down during playback.
The goal shouldn’t be to hit a magic number just because Spotify exists.
Instead, your master should sound good, have appropriate dynamics, and avoid technical problems.
So how loud should your song be?
There isn’t one universal LUFS value that makes a master “Spotify ready.”
Two songs can have the same integrated LUFS measurement and sound completely different.
That’s why LoudCheck looks at more than just LUFS.
- Integrated LUFS
- Loudness range
- True Peak
- RMS
- Peak-to-loudness ratio
- Frequency balance
- Clipping
Check your master before you upload it.
5. Pay Attention to True Peak
LUFS isn’t the only number that matters.
True Peak is important because lossy encoding and playback processing can cause reconstructed peaks to exceed the sample peaks visible in your DAW.
A master that looks safe on a conventional peak meter isn’t necessarily safe from inter-sample peaks.
Spotify’s loudness normalization guidance recommends keeping louder masters below -2 dBTP to reduce the risk of additional distortion caused by encoding.
That doesn’t mean every song must be mastered to exactly -2 dBTP.
It means you should understand what your master is actually doing before you send it out.
6. Check Your Final Export
Don’t analyze one version of the song and then upload a different version.
The file you analyze should be the same final master you’re sending to your distributor.
A simple workflow is:
Mix → Master → Export → Analyze → Fix problems → Export final master → Analyze again → Upload
This gives you a much better chance of catching problems before the release goes live.
7. Upload Your Release Through Your Distributor
Once your master, artwork and metadata are ready, upload the release through your chosen distributor.
You’ll normally provide:
- Artist name
- Song title
- Release type
- Genre
- Release date
- Cover artwork
- Audio
- Songwriters
- Producers
- Featured artists
- Copyright information
Make sure your metadata is accurate.
A spelling mistake or incorrectly assigned artist can create unnecessary problems later.
8. Make Sure Your Music Goes to the Correct Artist Profile
If you already have music on Spotify, your distributor will normally need your existing artist information so the new release can be delivered to the correct profile.
This is especially important if another artist has a similar name.
9. Claim Your Spotify for Artists Profile
Once your music is being delivered to Spotify, you can use Spotify for Artists to manage your artist presence and access audience information.
Spotify for Artists allows artists to manage their profile, understand their audience and promote their music.
10. Check Your Release Before It Goes Live
After your distributor delivers your release, it can appear in the Upcoming section of Spotify for Artists.
Use this opportunity to check:
- Artist name
- Track titles
- Release date
- Artwork
- Track order
- Credits
- Artist profile
If something is wrong, contact your distributor rather than waiting until after release.
Spotify Upload Checklist
Music
- Final mix is complete
- Master is complete
- No unwanted clipping
- True Peak has been checked
- Loudness has been checked
- Dynamics have been checked
- Final export has been analyzed
Audio File
- Stereo master
- Native sample rate
- Native bit depth
- FLAC or compatible WAV
- No unnecessary conversion
Release
- Artist name is correct
- Track titles are correct
- Contributors are correct
- Artwork is ready
- Release date is correct
- Correct artist profile selected
Should You Check Your Song Before Uploading It to Spotify?
Yes.
Not because Spotify requires you to hit one specific LUFS number.
And not because there is a secret “Spotify mastering setting.”
It’s because once you’ve uploaded your master, you want to know what you’re actually sending to the distributor.
A loudness analyzer can tell you whether your track is extremely loud, whether your True Peak is approaching problematic levels, whether clipping is present, and how the dynamics of the master are behaving.
LoudCheck was built for exactly this kind of check.
Upload your final master and see what’s happening before you send it to the world.
Check Your Master with LoudCheck
Know what you’re uploading before Spotify gets it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I upload music directly to Spotify?
For audio releases, Spotify says artists generally use a label or distributor to deliver music to Spotify. If you’re independent, you’ll normally need to choose a distributor.
What format should I upload to Spotify?
Spotify currently strongly prefers FLAC for audio delivery and also accepts WAV that meets its technical requirements. It recommends delivering your native stereo master without unnecessary downsampling or bit-depth reduction.
What LUFS should my song be for Spotify?
There isn’t a single LUFS number that every song should be mastered to. Spotify applies loudness normalization during playback, so simply targeting a particular LUFS number isn’t the whole story.
Does Spotify turn loud songs down?
Spotify uses loudness normalization to help balance playback levels between tracks. The amount of adjustment depends on the master and the playback normalization setting.
Should I master my song to -14 LUFS?
Not automatically.
-14 LUFS is often discussed because of Spotify’s normalization system, but it shouldn’t be treated as a universal mastering target.
Master the song for the sound you want, then check its loudness, True Peak and dynamics.
What True Peak should I use for Spotify?
Spotify’s guidance recommends keeping louder masters below -2 dBTP to reduce the risk of additional distortion from encoding.
The appropriate level for your particular master depends on the material and mastering approach.
Can I upload a WAV file to Spotify?
Yes. Spotify accepts WAV files that meet its technical requirements, although it currently strongly prefers FLAC for audio delivery.
Do I need to convert my 24-bit master to 16-bit?
No. Spotify advises delivering your native bit depth. If your master is 24-bit, deliver the 24-bit master rather than creating a 16-bit version unnecessarily.
Final Thought
Getting your music onto Spotify isn’t particularly complicated.
The harder part is making sure the music you’re uploading is actually ready.
Your distributor handles delivery.
Spotify handles playback and format optimization.
But the master is still your responsibility.
Before you upload your next song, check it.
LoudCheck — analyze your master before you release it.