Mastering trends for 2025 | iZotope

Summary

In this video, the speaker delves into mastering insights and trends for 2025, analyzing the 50 most popular songs of the year. Key points include loudness levels, peak values, and loudness range (LRA), revealing a shift away from -14 LUFS streaming targets towards louder mastering. The speaker discusses outliers like songs with extreme peaks and creative engineering techniques such as automating gain post-limiter. The video also explores tonal balance trends, noting that songs with heavy bass often have lower loudness levels. Finally, the speaker shares personal observations and encourages viewers to share their own trends.

Takeaways

• 😀 Loudness trends in popular songs for 2025 are significantly above streaming target levels, with the median integrated LUFS for the analyzed songs being -8.1 LUFS.
• 🎵 The loudest song in the data set was 'Abracadabra' by Lady Gaga at -6.3 LUFS, while the quietest song was 'Sailor Song' by Gigi Perez at -12.2 LUFS.
• 📊 Loudness normalization on platforms like Spotify is set to -14 LUFS for most users, meaning louder tracks will be turned down when played on streaming services.
• 🎶 Higher loudness in mastering often results in more density and containment in the sound, with the loudest peaks and quietest moments being closer together.
• 🔊 In terms of short-term loudness, the loudest moments typically occur in the last two-thirds of the song, usually during the final chorus or drop.
• 📉 The median loudness range (LRA) for the analyzed songs was 5.3, with Billie Eilish's 'Wildflower' showing the widest range at 17 LRA.
• 🎤 Hip-hop songs often exhibit lower LRA due to the consistent presence of 808 bass, which fills most of the headroom, creating less variation in energy levels.
• 🎧 Peak levels often exceeded 0 dB in many tracks, with the highest true peak being +4.38 dB in 'Again' by Fetty Wap, showing a preference for loudness over extreme peak control.
• 💥 Outliers like 'High Road' by Koe Wetzel and Jessie Murph and 'Beautiful Things' by Benson Boone featured high loudness and large loudness ranges, achieved by pushing loud parts to extreme levels.
• 🎵 Interesting techniques include automating gain post-limiting, as heard in Hozier’s 'Too Sweet,' where the chorus has a distinct amplitude bump for added energy.
• 🎤 In terms of tonal balance, hip-hop songs with heavy bass tend to be mastered quieter to avoid distortion from large bass waveforms, while pop tracks often tame bass to allow for louder overall sound.

Q & A

What is the purpose of the video?

The video aims to share mastering insights and trends for 2025, based on an analysis of some of the most popular songs of the year. It covers topics like loudness, tonal balance, and outliers in the mastering process.

How did the presenter select the songs for analysis?

The presenter selected the 50 most popular songs from the Billboard Hot 100 list, dated February 15, 2025. The songs were downloaded from the Apple iTunes Store in M4A format to simulate what end listeners might hear on streaming platforms like Spotify.

Why did the presenter use the median instead of the average when analyzing the data?

The median was used because it is less sensitive to extreme outliers, offering a more meaningful representation of the data, especially when analyzing trends across multiple tracks.

What is the significance of loudness normalization on streaming platforms like Spotify?

Loudness normalization is set to -14 LUFS by default for 85% of active Spotify users. This means that even though songs are mastered louder, they get turned down to -14 LUFS when played, impacting how the music sounds on streaming platforms.

What does LRA (Loudness Range) measure in music mastering?

LRA measures the macro dynamics of a song, comparing the loudest and quietest parts of a track. It shows how much energy or dynamic variation exists between sections like verses, bridges, and choruses.

What is the relationship between LRA and the perceived impact of a song?

Songs with higher LRA values tend to sound more impactful and dramatic due to larger swings in energy, while songs with lower LRA values maintain a more consistent energy level throughout the track.

What did the analysis reveal about hip-hop songs and their LRA values?

Hip-hop songs tend to have lower LRA values, likely due to the 808 bass, which takes up significant space in the mix and often stays at a consistent energy level throughout the song.

Why were there overshoots above 0 dB in some songs, and how did engineers manage them?

Overshoots above 0 dB were common in the data set, and engineers often allowed them as long as they didn't cause distortion. This practice seems to favor louder, more compressed sound, even if it meant occasional peaks beyond 0 dB.

What is the significance of the outlier song 'Again' by Fetty Wap?

'Again' had extreme sample peak and true peak levels, with peaks exceeding normal limiter ceilings. This likely caused noticeable distortion in the track, which may have occurred because the vocal wasn't properly integrated with the original mix.

How did the song 'Too Sweet' by Hozier demonstrate a unique mastering technique?

'Too Sweet' used a technique where the gain was automated post-limiting, causing the entire track to jump up in amplitude during the chorus without additional compression. This gave the chorus a larger, more energetic sound without compressing it further.

What is the impact of mastering loudness in songs with large bass elements, like in hip-hop?

Songs with larger bass elements, like those in hip-hop, tend to be mastered slightly quieter to allow space for the bass to breathe. The 808 bass can push into the limiter, causing distortion if the track is too loud, so the overall loudness is reduced to avoid this.

What is the key takeaway regarding the mastering trends observed in 2025?

The key takeaway is that engineers are mastering songs significantly louder than the -14 LUFS target recommended for streaming platforms, but with an understanding that these tracks will be turned down for listeners using loudness normalization. The mastering trends reflect a balance between loudness, dynamic range, and aesthetic choices in music production.