In the United States, the Recording Industry Association of America awards certification based on the number of albums and singles sold through retail and other ancillary markets.^[1] Other countries have similar awards (see music recording sales certification). Certification is not automatic; for an award to be made, the record label must request certification and pay a fee to have the sales of the recording audited. The audit is conducted against net shipments after returns (most often an artist's royalty statement is used), which includes albums sold directly to retailers and one-stops, direct-to-consumer sales (music clubs and mail order) and other outlets..

Presently, an American RIAA-certified Gold record is a single or album that has sold 500,000 units (records, tapes or compact discs). Originally, the requirement for a Gold single was one million units sold and a Gold album represented $1 million in sales (at wholesale value). In 1975, the additional requirement of 500,000 units sold was added for Gold albums. Reflecting growth in record sales, the Platinum award was instituted in 1976 for albums selling one million units and singles selling two million units. The Multi-Platinum award was instituted in 1984, signifying multiple Platinum levels of albums and singles. In 1989, the sales thresholds for singles were reduced to 500,000 for Gold and 1,000,000 for Platinum, reflecting a decrease in sales of singles. In 1992, RIAA began counting each disc in a multi-disc set as one unit toward certification. Reflecting additional growth in music sales, the Diamond award was instituted in 1999 for albums or singles selling ten million units. Because of these changes in criteria, the sales level associated with a particular award depends on when the award was made.

Nielsen SoundScan figures are not used in RIAA certification; the RIAA system predates Nielsen SoundScan and includes sales outlets Nielsen misses. Prior to Nielsen SoundScan, RIAA certification was the only audited and verifiable system for tracking music sales in the U.S.; it is still the only system capable of tracking 100% of sales (albeit as shipments less returns, not actual sales like Nielsen SoundScan). This system has allowed, at times, for record labels to promote an album as Gold or Platinum simply based on large shipments. For instance, in 1978 the Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band soundtrack shipped platinum but was a sales bust, with two million returns.^[2] Similarly, all four solo albums by the members of Kiss simultaneously shipped Platinum that same year but did not reach the top 20 of the Billboard 200 album chart.^[3] The following year, the RIAA began requiring 120 days from the release date before recordings were eligible for certification, although that requirement has been reduced over the years and currently stands at 30 days. Sony was roundly criticized in 1995 for hyping Michael Jackson's double album HIStory as five times Platinum, based on shipments of 2.5 million and using the RIAA's recently adopted practice of counting each disc toward certification, while SoundScan was reporting only 1.3 million copies sold.^[4] A similar discrepancy between shipments and sales was reported with The Lion King soundtrack.^[5]

List of certifications[link]

Records[link]

Currently, the RIAA certification criteria for albums are:

• 500,000 units: Gold album
• 1,000,000 units: Platinum album
• 2,000,000 or more units: Multi-Platinum album
• 10,000,000 units: Diamond album

For further information, see Music recording sales certification.

Multi-disc[link]

Multi-disc albums are counted once for each disc within the album if it is over 100 minutes in length or is from the vinyl era. For example, each copy of OutKast's Speakerboxxx/The Love Below (running time of 134:56), and Shania Twain's Up! (145:44), both double albums, were counted twice, meaning each album was certified diamond after 5 million copies were shipped. Pink Floyd's The Wall and The Beatles' White Album, both vinyl-era, are counted double even though their running times are under the minimum requirement.

Spanish[link]

Since 2000, RIAA also awards Los Premios de Oro y De Platino to recordings of which over 50% of the content is in the Spanish language.

Latin albums are certified:^[6]

• 50,000 units: Disco De Oro
• 100,000 units: Disco De Platino
• 200,000 units: Disco De Multi-Platino

Note: The number of sales required to qualify for Gold and Platinum discs was higher prior to January 1, 2008. The thresholds were 100,000 units (Gold) and 200,000 units (Platinum). All Spanish-language albums certified prior to 2008 were updated to match the current certification level.^[6][7]

Singles[link]

It is estimated that there have been about 2,550 combined single certifications.

Standard singles are certified:

• Gold when it ships 500,000 copies
• Platinum when it ships 1,000,000 copies
• Multi-Platinum when it ships at least 2,000,000 copies

Note: The number of sales required to qualify for Gold and Platinum discs was higher prior to January 1, 1989. The thresholds were 1,000,000 units (Gold) and 2,000,000 units (Platinum).^[8]

Digital singles are certified:

• Gold means 500,000 tracks downloaded
• Platinum means 1,000,000 tracks downloaded
• Multi-Platinum means 2,000,000+ tracks downloaded

From 2004 through July 2006, the certification level was 100,000 downloads for Gold and 200,000 for Platinum. When the RIAA changed the certification standards to match retail distribution in August 2006, all Platinum and Multi-Platinum awards for a digital release were withdrawn. Gold certifications, however, were not, meaning a song that was downloaded over 100,000 times and certified so by the RIAA during that time frame retains its Gold status.^[9]

Records[link]

Lists from RIAA site showing current status holders of RIAA Certifications:

• List of best-selling music artists in the United States
• List of best-selling albums in the United States
• List of best-selling singles in the United States
• List of best-selling Latin albums in the United States

Artists with the most certifications of Gold, Platinum and Multi-Platinum albums as of January 2012[link]

Albums that have been certified Gold might receive additional certifications for achieving Platinum and Multi-Platinum levels.