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List of music recording certifications facts for kids

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Music recording certifications are like special awards given to musicians when their songs or albums sell or are streamed a lot! Imagine a trophy for selling tons of music. These awards are usually called Gold, Platinum, and sometimes Diamond, and they show how popular a song or album is. The more music sold or streamed, the higher the award!

In the United Kingdom, there's also a Silver award, which is given before Gold. Sometimes, if music sells even more, artists can get "Multi-Platinum" or "Multi-Diamond" awards, meaning they've reached the Platinum or Diamond level multiple times.

Many music companies around the world work with a group called the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI). This group helps set the rules for these awards in many countries. In some places, the IFPI works with local music groups. In other countries, especially where the music industry is still growing, the IFPI might be the main group giving out these awards. Some countries have their own independent groups that give out these awards.

These awards aren't just for albums! They can also be given for singles (individual songs), paid digital downloads, streaming media (like listening on Spotify or Apple Music), music videos, music DVDs, and even master ringtones. The number of sales or streams needed for an award can change depending on the country, the type of music (like pop or jazz), and whether it's an album or a single. Since the 2010s, streaming has become a big part of how these awards are earned.

How Music Gets Certified

Music gets certified based on how many copies are sold or how many times it's streamed. Different countries have different rules and different numbers for what counts as a Gold, Platinum, or Diamond award. For example, an album might need to sell 500,000 copies to go Gold in one country, but only 10,000 in another.

Albums: Getting Gold, Platinum, and Diamond

When an album sells a certain number of copies or gets a lot of streams, it can earn an award. Here are some examples of how many sales or streams an album needs in different places:

  • In Australia, an album needs to ship 35,000 copies for Gold and 70,000 for Platinum.
  • In Canada, an album needs 40,000 shipments for Gold and 80,000 for Platinum. To reach Diamond, it needs 800,000 shipments!
  • In Germany, an album needs 75,000 shipments for Gold and 150,000 for Platinum. Since June 2023, streams also count.
  • In the United States, an album needs 500,000 sales or streams for Gold and 1,000,000 for Platinum. For a Diamond award, it needs 10,000,000 sales or streams!

Sometimes, the number of sales needed is different for music made in that country compared to international music. Also, some countries count physical sales (like CDs), digital downloads, and streams all together.

Singles: Hit Songs Get Awards Too!

Just like albums, individual songs (called singles) can also get awards for their sales and streams.

  • In Australia, a single needs 35,000 shipments for Gold and 70,000 for Platinum.
  • In France, a single needs 75,000 sales or streams for Gold and 150,000 for Platinum. For a Diamond award, it needs 250,000 sales or streams!
  • In the United Kingdom, a single needs 400,000 shipments or streams for Gold and 600,000 for Platinum.
  • In the United States, a single needs 500,000 shipments or streams for Gold and 1,000,000 for Platinum. For a Diamond award, it needs 10,000,000 shipments or streams!

The rules for singles have changed over time, especially as digital downloads and streaming became popular.

Music Videos and DVDs: Visual Awards

Music videos and DVDs can also earn certifications based on how many copies are sold or shipped.

  • In Canada, a music video needs 5,000 shipments for Gold and 10,000 for Platinum.
  • In Japan, a music video needs 100,000 shipments for Gold and 250,000 for Platinum.
  • In the United States, a music video needs 50,000 shipments for Gold and 100,000 for Platinum.

These awards celebrate not just the music, but also the visual content that goes with it!

Ringtones: A Blast from the Past

Even ringtones, which were very popular for a while, could get certified! These awards were given for how many times a song's master ringtone was downloaded.

  • In Japan, a ringtone needed 100,000 downloads for Gold and 250,000 for Platinum.
  • In the United States, a ringtone needed 500,000 downloads for Gold and 1,000,000 for Platinum.

These certifications show how much music fans love and support their favorite artists, whether it's by buying albums, streaming songs, or even downloading ringtones!

See also

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