How loud should a rap song be when mixing it?

The loudness of a rap song when mixed depends on a few factors.

Key Elements

• Music Streaming Service
  • Each service has different recommended sound loudness levels, so you’ll need to check with the service you plan to use.
  • Below are some common services and recommended sound loudness levels:
    • Spotify: -14 LUFS
    • Apple Music: -16 LUFS
    • YouTube Music: -14 LUFS
    • SoundCloud: -12 LUFS
• Listening Environment
  • When listening at high volume in a club or live music venue, the sound loudness may be increased to around -8 LUFS.
  • On the other hand, if you are listening on speakers such as a smartphone or computer, it is common to keep the level at around -16 LUFS.
• Song genre
  • Genres that emphasize low frequencies, such as trap and hip hop, allow for more loudness than other genres.
  • On the other hand, for ballads and acoustic songs, the sound should be set more conservatively, as increasing the volume too much can cause the sound to become distorted.
• Personal preference
  • Since people perceive sound loudness differently, it is ultimately important to adjust it to your personal preference.

Key points for adjusting sound loudness

• Using the Loudness Meter
  • When adjusting the sound loudness, it is important to use a loudness meter to get accurate values.
  • Many DAW software programs come with a loudness meter as standard.
• Using the Limiter
  • If you want to maximize the sound loudness, you should use a limiter.
  • Adjust the limiter settings to suit the genre of music and your listening environment.
• Repeat the audition
  • It is important to adjust the sound loudness by repeatedly listening to the sound.
  • Try listening in a variety of environments to find the optimum sound loudness level.