Back in 2013, The RIAA announced that they’d begin to factor Spotify, YouTube, and numerous other streaming platforms into Gold and Platinum certifications for albums. Today, it will officially go into effect. In a statement from CEO and Chairman Cary Sherman, he explained, “We know that music listening – for both for albums and songs – is skyrocketing, yet that trend has not been reflected in our album certifications.”
“Modernizing our Album Award to include music streaming is the next logical step in the continued evolution of Gold & Platinum Awards, and doing so enables RIAA to fully reward the success of artists’ albums today.” 1,500 audio or video streams equals to 10 track sales, which then equals one album sale. This has had an immediate effect on a number of releases, and will surely have a big effect on many more.
Check out a list of all the albums that hit a new milestone today thanks to the change.
Alt-J – An Awesome Wave (Atlantic Records) – Gold
Big Sean – Dark Sky Paradise (Def Jam Recordings) – Platinum
Brett Eldredge – Bring You Back (Atlantic Nashville) – Gold
Coldplay – Ghost Stories (Atlantic/Parlophone) – Platinum
Elle King – Love Stuff (RCA) – Gold
Fifth Harmony – Reflection (Epic) – Gold
Halsey – Badlands (Astralwerks) – Gold
Hozier – Hozier (Columbia) – Platinum
Kendrick Lamar – To Pimp a Butterfly (Top Dawg Entertainment/Interscope) – Platinum
Michael Jackson – Thriller (Epic/Legacy) – 32X Multi-Platinum
Miranda Lambert – Platinum (RCA Nashville) – Platinum
Romeo Santos – Fórmula Vol. 2 (Sony Latin) – 11X Diamante/RIAA Latin G&P Program
Sam Hunt – Montevallo (MCA Nashville) – 2X Multi-Platinum
Shawn Mendes – Handwritten (Island Records) – Platinum
The Weeknd – Beauty Behind the Madness (XO/Republic Records) – 2X Multi-Platinum
Vance Joy – Dream Your life Away (Atlantic Records) – Gold
Wale – Ambition (Atlantic Urban) – Gold
