How to prepare a song file for Spotify
You cannot send a song to Spotify yourself. It goes through a distributor (a company that sends songs to streaming for you) such as DistroKid, TuneCore or CD Baby. The safest file is a 44.1kHz stereo WAV at about -14 LUFS with a true peak at or below -1 dBTP.
The 6-point checklist before you send
These are the 6 points the MOYS release check report checks on every song.
- Loudness: about -14 LUFS (-15 to -13), the level Spotify brings every song to
- True peak: at or below -1 dBTP, so the loudest parts do not clip. MOYS keeps it at -2 dBTP
- File format: 44.1kHz stereo WAV, 16-bit or 24-bit
- Length: 60 seconds or more. A song under 30 seconds earns no stream payout
- Leading silence: 2 seconds or less
- Source file: use WAV or FLAC. If the source is an MP3, the quality is limited from the start
Why it goes through a distributor
Spotify and Apple Music do not take songs from artists directly. A distributor sends the file, the song details and the cover for you, and pays the earnings back.
Each distributor has its own file spec, price and terms. Check the spec page of the one you use every time before you send.
What to prepare besides the audio file
A distributor asks for cover art, the song title, the artist name and the songwriter details. The ISRC (a code for each song) is mostly issued by the distributor.
MOYS makes the audio file only. It does not make cover art or send songs to streaming for you.
Where MOYS helps
Upload your mix and get 44.1kHz WAV in both 24-bit and 16-bit at -14 LUFS with a true peak at or below -2 dBTP, and a report that says whether each of the 6 points passes. A 48kHz file is fine: we convert it.