Music recording certification facts for kids
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Music recording certification is a special way to recognize when a song or album has sold, shipped, or been streamed a lot of times. Think of it like a medal for music! The number of sales or streams needed for these awards changes depending on if it's an album, a single song, or a music video. It also depends on the country where the music is released.
Most countries use awards named after valuable materials like gold, platinum, and diamond. The exact number of sales needed for these awards changes based on how many people live in that country. These awards are usually given for international releases, meaning music sold in many different countries.
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History of Music Awards
In the past, record companies gave out gold and silver awards to their artists. This was a way to show off how well their music was selling. The very first silver disc was given in December 1937 to George Formby by Regal Zonophone. It was for his song "The Window Cleaner" which sold 100,000 copies!
The first actual gold record was given to Glenn Miller and His Orchestra in 1942. Their song "Chattanooga Choo Choo" sold an amazing 1.2 million copies! Later, in 1956, Harry Belafonte received a gold record for his album Calypso, which was the first LP album to sell over a million copies. Elvis Presley also got a gold record that year for his song "Don't Be Cruel".
In 1958, the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) started its own official gold record program in the United States. At first, a gold record meant a song or album had earned one million dollars in sales. For albums, this meant about 670,000 copies sold, and for singles, it was 1,000,000 copies.
In 1976, the RIAA added the platinum certification. This award was for albums that sold one million copies and singles that sold two million. At the same time, the gold award for albums changed to 500,000 copies. Later, in 1999, the "diamond" certification was created for music that sold ten million copies! In the late 1980s, the sales numbers needed for singles to go gold or platinum became the same as for albums.
RIAA Certifications in the US
The RIAA officially started giving out "gold records" for singles in 1958. They even trademarked the name "gold record" in the United States. The very first RIAA gold record went to Perry Como for his song "Catch a Falling Star" on March 14, 1958. A few months later, the Oklahoma! soundtrack became the first gold album.
As more and more music was sold, especially with the invention of compact discs, the RIAA added the "Multi-Platinum" award in 1984. This was for music that sold many millions of copies. The "Diamond" award, for 10 million sales, came in 1999.
In the past, companies sometimes claimed certifications based on how many copies they sent to stores, not how many were actually sold to people. But now, with most music being downloaded or streamed online, it's much easier to know the exact number of sales.
Digital Music Awards
Today, music awards aren't just for physical CDs or records. They also include digital downloads (like when you buy a song online) and streams (like when you listen on Spotify or Apple Music).
In the US and UK, digital downloads started counting towards certifications in 2004. In 2006, even ringtone downloads counted! Since 2013 in the US, and 2014 in the UK and Germany, streams from services like Spotify, Apple Music, and Tidal are also included. In the US and Germany, even video streams from sites like YouTube count. Usually, 100 streams are counted as one download. Some countries, like Denmark and Spain, have separate awards for digital downloads and streaming.
Special Awards
Sometimes, artists get very special and unique awards. For example, the singer Raphael received a "Uranium disc" in 1980. Luis Miguel got a "Lapislazuli disc" in 1999 for selling over 1.7 million copies in Chile. And Luis Fonsi received a "Plutonium disc" in 2017 for the huge global success of his song "Despacito". These are not standard awards but special recognitions.
European Music Awards
The International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI) is a group that has given out the Platinum Europe Award since 1996. This award is for albums that sell over one million copies across Europe and the Middle East. If an album sells multiple millions, it can get a Multi-platinum Europe Award.
The Independent Music Companies Association (IMPALA) also gives out awards in Europe. They started their awards in 2005 to recognize independent music artists. Their awards include Silver (20,000+ sales), Gold (75,000+ sales), Diamond (200,000+ sales), and Platinum (400,000+ sales).
How Many Sales for an Award?
The number of "units" (sales or streams) needed for an award changes by country and by the type of music (album, single, music video). An artist can earn multiple awards for the same music. For example, an album might first go silver, then gold, then platinum as it sells more and more copies. If an album sells twice the amount needed for platinum, it's called "Double Platinum" or "Multi-Platinum."
Since 2013 in the U.S., and 2014 in the UK and Germany, streaming counts towards single certifications. About 150 streams are equal to one unit sold. Since February 2016, the RIAA also counts both audio and video streams, plus track sales, for Gold and Platinum Album Awards.
Here are some examples of how many units are needed for awards in different countries:
United States
| Media | Gold | Platinum | Diamond |
|---|---|---|---|
| Album | 500,000 | 1,000,000 | 10,000,000 |
| Single | 500,000 | 1,000,000 | 10,000,000 |
| Music video | 50,000 | 100,000 | 1,000,000 |
United Kingdom
| Media | Silver | Gold | Platinum |
|---|---|---|---|
| Album | 60,000 | 100,000 | 300,000 |
| Single | 200,000 | 400,000 | 600,000 |
| Music video | 25,000 | 50,000 | 75,000 |
Canada
| Media | Gold | Platinum | Diamond |
|---|---|---|---|
| Album | 40,000 | 80,000 | 800,000 |
| Single | 40,000 | 80,000 | 800,000 |
| Music video | 5,000 | 10,000 | 100,000 |
France
| Media | Gold | Platinum | Diamond |
|---|---|---|---|
| Album | 50,000 | 100,000 | 500,000 |
| Single | 75,000 | 150,000 | 250,000 |
| Music video | 7,500 | 15,000 | 60,000 |
How Awards Are Made
The actual plaques you see with gold or platinum records inside are usually made with real CDs or vinyl records. For vinyl records, they are often specially treated to look gold or platinum. Sometimes, the music on the record inside the award isn't even the actual recording that earned the award!
These awards are custom-made by special companies. The cost of making a plaque can range from about $135 to $275. Usually, the record label that released the music orders and pays for these awards.
See also
- List of best-selling albums
- List of best-selling singles
- YouTube Creator Awards
