Music History Events: Certifications
February 10, 1987 Randy Travis' Storms Of Life becomes the first debut country album certified for selling a million copies within its first year of release.
November 21, 1986 Switched-On Bach, an album of Moog synthesizer interpretations of classical compositions, becomes just the second classical album certified Platinum by the RIAA. The album was released in 1969 by Walter Carlos, who in the late '70s switched gender, becoming Wendy Carlos.
April 14, 1986 LL Cool J becomes the first solo rapper with a Gold album when his debut, Radio, is certified for sales of 500,000 in America. He becomes the first Platinum solo rapper a year later when his second album, Bigger And Deffer, sells a million.
October 10, 1985 Luciano Pavarotti's 1976 Christmas album 0 Holy Night becomes the first classical album certified Platinum, with sales of over a million copies in America.
January 30, 1979 Donna Summer and Barbra Streisand's duet "No More Tears (Enough Is Enough)" becomes the first 12-inch single certified Gold by the RIAA.
April 13, 1970 Loretta Lynn becomes the first female country artist with a gold album when Don't Come Home A-Drinkin' (With Lovin' On Your Mind), featuring the chart-topping title song, is certified by the RIAA.
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