The loudness wars of the noughties were a phenomenon that transcended the realm of music technology nerds and entered the consciousness of consumers. The impact was so significant that it sparked debates and discussions among music enthusiasts. The situation took an interesting turn when it was discovered that the version of albums used in the Guitar Hero video game had not undergone the same dynamic range sacrifices as their commercial counterparts, leading many to prefer the sound of the game’s version. This revelation was just one of the many facets explored in a new documentary, “How Music Got Loud: The Untold Story of the Loudness Wars,” produced by Waves, the plugin developer that played a pivotal role in the loudness boom.
In the documentary, industry veterans reflect on the loudness wars and their implications for the music industry. Engineer Howie Weinberg, renowned for mastering iconic albums such as Nirvana’s “Nevermind” and Red Hot Chili Peppers’ “Blood Sugar Sex Magik,” pinpoints the release of the Waves L1 Limiter in 1994 as a turning point. “It was the moment that everything kind of changed,” Weinberg remarks. The introduction of the L2 in 2000 further intensified the trend, with engineers increasingly sacrificing dynamics for loudness in a bid to outdo each other. Jesse Ray Ernster, who has worked with artists like Kanye West, Burna Boy, and Doja Cat, notes, “You either had L1 and L2 and you were able to get a loud mix, or you didn’t, and you were an amateur.”
The documentary also features insights from Dale Becker, the mastering engineer behind Billie Eilish and SZA’s albums, who observes, “It made the music sound like what I was hearing on the radio.” Waves CTO and co-founder Meir Shashoua recalls facing criticism for his role in the loudness boom, defending his position with, “What can I say – it’s a tool, use it however you wish.”
While there is a consensus that today’s music sounds different from the peak of the loudness wars, opinions are divided on whether the wars are truly over. Dale Becker argues that while people are still vying for attention, there has been an improvement. “There’s kind of a sweet spot where we’re in now… people feel like they can hear the groove, they can feel the groove. They can dance to the groove. They can hear the nuance,” he says. However, Jesse Ray Ernster contends that the efforts by streaming giants like Spotify and Apple Music to standardize loudness levels have only been partially successful. “They level out your songs and they claim that the loudness wars are over,” Ernster states. “But as a mixer, I am always at war with the volume of the reference mix that I received to mix. That war will never be over.”
The documentary also features contributions from mastering legend Bob Katz and engineers Gavin Lurssen & Reuben Cohen, offering a comprehensive look at the loudness wars and their lasting impact on the music industry.
