Music History Events: Certifications
May 30, 2017 Bob Seger's Greatest Hits album, released in 1994, is certified Diamond for sales of 10 million copies. His music was kept off streaming services until 2017, which helped boost sales, at least half of which came after 2002.
February 15, 2006 Thanks to download sales, Weezer's "Buddy Holly" is certified Gold (500,000 copies) 12 years after it was released. It wasn't sold as a single in America so fans would have to buy the album to get it.
January 26, 2006 Garth Brooks' Double Live album, released in 1998, becomes the first live album certified Double Diamond by the RIAA for sales of over 20 million in America.
January 24, 2005 The second Britney Spears album, Oops!... I Did It Again, is certified Diamond for sales of over 10 million in America, making her the only female artist to reach this milestone with her first two albums.
June 7, 2004 AC/DC's Back in Black album goes Double Diamond, becoming just the sixth album with RIAA-certified sales of over 20 million in America. In November, the Shania Twain album Come On Over becomes the seventh. Both albums were produced by Mutt Lange.
December 16, 2003 Shania Twain becomes the first woman with three Diamond albums when the RIAA certifies her fourth album, Up!, with 10 million in sales. Her second and third albums, The Woman in Me (1995) and Come On Over (1997) also went Diamond.
March 16, 1999 Pearl Jam's debut album Ten is certified Diamond for sales of over 10 million copies in America.
February 3, 1989 "Wild Thing" by Tone Loc becomes the first rap single certified Platinum, with sales of over a million.
July 15, 1986 Run-DMC's Raising Hell becomes the first rap album certified Platinum.
December 17, 1984 Run-DMC's self-titled debut album is certified Gold, making it the first rap album to do so.
October 30, 1984 Less than two years after its release, the RIAA certifies Michael Jackson's Thriller album with sales of 20 million copies in America, introducing a new designation, "Double Diamond." The stratospheric sales of Thriller are unprecedented, and keep climbing to well over 30 million. It isn't until 1994 when another album gets the Double Diamond designation, and that's a greatest hits package: Eagles - Their Greatest Hits 1971 - 1975.
August 19, 1980 "The Breaks" by Kurtis Blow becomes the first rap single certified Gold.More
January 7, 1980 Led Zeppelin's In Through The Out Door is certified Platinum; it is the last Zep album issued while drummer John Bonham is alive.
November 24, 1976 The Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings, Jessi Colter and Tompall Glaser collaboration Wanted! The Outlaws becomes the first country album certified Platinum.More
February 24, 1976 The Eagles' Their Greatest Hits (1971–1975) becomes the first album certified Platinum by the RIAA, a designation introduced in 1975.
March 14, 1958 The RIAA issues their first Gold Single for sales of a million copies, which goes to Perry Como's "Catch A Falling Star." Record labels have been awarding their own artists Gold records for years, starting with Glenn Miller's "Chattanooga Choo Choo" in 1942, but this is the first RIAA official certification.
February 8, 2024 "Sunflower" by Post Malone and Swae Lee becomes the first song ever certified Double Diamond by the RIAA for 20 million units in America, which translates to 3 billion streams. The song is featured in the 2018 film Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse.
January 26, 2024 The RIAA certifies "Don't Stop Believin'" by Journey at 18x Platinum, making it the best-selling song of all time in America. It was certified at just 5x Platinum in 2013, but picked up steam as it became a streaming favorite across generations. Newer songs like Post Malone's "Sunflower" are soon certified higher, but "Don't Stop Believin'" stands as the top song from before the streaming era.
December 11, 2006 "All I Want For Christmas Is You" by Mariah Carey becomes the first ringtone certified Gold for sales of over 500,000.
July 17, 1995 Carole King's Tapestry album is certified Diamond for sales of 10 million in the US.
October 13, 1986 Joni Mitchell's Ladies Of The Canyon is certified Platinum by the RIAA.
February 11, 1983 Bob Seger's The Distance is certified Platinum.
September 18, 1981 The Doors Greatest Hits album is certified Platinum.
January 7, 1981 Eagles Live is certified Platinum; it is 13 years until the next Eagles album is released.
December 10, 1979 Kool and the Gang's "Ladies' Night" is certified Gold.
November 29, 1979 Michael Jackson's "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough" is certified Gold.
October 5, 1979 The Who's soundtrack album The Kids Are Alright is certified Platinum.
May 23, 1979 Sister Sledge's We Are Family is certified Platinum.
April 9, 1979 Supertramp's Breakfast In America is certified Gold.
February 5, 1979 The Pointer Sisters' "Fire" is certified Gold.
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