Vocal Clarity Score is SongScore's metric for measuring how well a lead vocal sits in a mix — specifically its presence, intelligibility, and freedom from technical mixing issues that reduce listener engagement.
The score is derived from four audio signal properties: the vocal-to-instrumental ratio (is the vocal audible above competing instruments?), frequency presence (does the vocal have adequate 2kHz–5kHz presence to cut through the mix?), dynamic range (has the vocal been over-compressed to the point of sounding flat and pushed-back?), and reverb and spatial processing (is excessive reverb or delay washing out the vocal signal?).
A Vocal Clarity Score of 75 or above indicates a vocal that is well-positioned in the mix and likely to clear editorial playlist review. A score below 60 typically indicates an issue that will increase listener skip rate and reduce completion rate on Spotify — both of which damage algorithmic performance.
Vocal clarity is one of the most commonly cited technical rejection reasons from Spotify editorial curators. It is also one of the most fixable issues — typically requiring a single mixing session to correct.