This year the RIAA officially included streams and downloads in the Gold and Platinum Awards Program. “On-demand audio and/or video song streams will now be counted towards the 500,000 (Gold), 1,000,000 (Platinum) and 2,000,000 plus (Multi-Platinum) thresholds required for G&P’s Digital Single Award certification.”
They become the latest contributors to the creation of certified RIAA “Record” Awards. One day we may really see Gold and Platinum USB drives!
RIAA GOLD & PLATINUM TIMELINE (from RIAA press release)
1958 Program launched by the RIAA to honor artists and create a standard by which to measure sales of a sound recording. First Gold song certification goes to Perry Como for his single “Catch a Falling Star” (RCA Records). First Gold album certification awarded to the cast album to “Oklahoma!” sung by Gordon MacRae (Capitol).
1964 The Beatles earn their first Gold album certification for “Meet The Beatles!” (Apple Corps Ltd./Capitol). Today the band is the most awarded in G&P history having certified 199 million units across all formats.
1999 Diamond Award established to honor sales of 10 million copies or more of an album or single.
2004 Digital Sales Award introduced in recognition of the significant sales of emerging digital music formats.
2005 First Platinum Digital Single Award goes to Gwen Stefani for her “Hollaback Girl” (Interscope) selling more than one million downloads.
2006 Master Ringtone Award introduced to recognize the growing popularity of enjoying music through cell phones.
2009 Michael Jackson’s legendary album “Thriller” (Epic/Legacy) certifies 29x multi-Platinum to join the Eagles’ “Eagles – Their Greatest Hits 1971-1975” (Elektra/Warner Bros.) as the highest album certification in G&P history.
Lil Wayne’s ringtone “Lollipop” (Cash Money) becomes the highest certified ringtone to date at 5x multi-Platinum.
2012 The Black Eyed Peas earn RIAA’s highest digital single certification ever upon certifying “I Gotta Feeling” (Interscope) 8x multi-Platinum.
2013 “Combined” Digital Single Award launches, counting both downloads and on-demand streams in recognition of the increasing popularity of streaming as a method of music listening.
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