RIAA’s historic Gold® & Platinum® Program defines success in the recorded music industry. Originally conceived to honor artists and track sound recording sales, Gold & Platinum Awards have come to stand as a benchmark of success for any artist—whether they’ve just released their first song orGreatest Hitsalbum. Check out our interactive timeline to learn about the program’s storied history.
| Certification | Minimum Units | Date Established |
|---|---|---|
| Gold® | 500,000 | 1958 |
| Platinum® | 1,000,000 | 1976 |
| Multi-Platinum® | 2,000,000 (in increments of 1,000,000 thereafter) | 1984 |
| Diamond® | 10,000,000 | 1999 |
| Premios de Oro y Platino The RIAA Premios de Oro y Platino Latin Program recognizes successful albums and singles that have more than 50% Spanish language lyrics. Album sales, single sales, and on-demand audio and/or video streams are calculated at the formula of 1,500 on-demand audio and/or video streams = 10 track sales = 1 album sale. | ||
| Oro® | 30,000 | 2001 |
| Platino® | 60,000 | 2001 |
| Multi-Platino | 120,000 (in increments of 60,000 thereafter) | 2001 |
| Diamante | 600,000 | 2001 |
| Gold | Platinum/Multi | Diamond | |
|---|---|---|---|
| DIGITAL SINGLE AWARD* Both downloads and on-demand audio and/or video single streams are counted towards the required thresholds. The formula of 150 on-demand streams is equivalent to one download sale. | |||
| Quantity All versions count once toward certification. | 500,000 units | 1,000,000 units | 10,000,000 units |
| Requirements | Recertified at each million units. | Recertified at each million unit sales level. | |
*Additional notes:
| |||
| SHORTFORM ALBUM/EP AWARD* Album sales, single sales, and on-demand audio and/or video streams are calculatedat the formula of 1,500 on-demand audio and/or video streams = 10 track sales = 1 album sale | |||
| Quantity | 500,000 units | One million units | Two million units |
| Requirements | Must include at least three but no more than five different songs. | Must include at least three but no more than five different songs. | Must include at least three but no more than five different songs. |
| Maximum run time is 30 minutes | Maximum run time is 30 minutes. | Maximum run time is 30 minutes. | |
| Recertified at each subsequent million units. | |||
| FULL-LENGTH ALBUM AWARD* Album sales, single sales and on-demand audio and/or video streams are calculated at the formula of 1,500 on-demand audio and/or video streams = 10 track sales = 1 album sale. | |||
| Quantity | 500,000 units | One million units | Two million units |
| Requirements | May combine sale of all configurations. | May combine sale of all configurations. | May combine sale of all configurations. |
| Enhanced CDs must contain at least 75% of audio content from original project. | Enhanced CDs must contain at least 75% of audio content from original project. | Enhanced CDs must contain at least 75% of audio content of regular CD. | |
| Recertified at each subsequent million units. | |||
| MULTI-DISC SET | |||
| Quantity Package must include two or more CDs, or its tape and album equivalent. | 500,000 units | One million units | Two million units |
| Requirements | Each unit within set counts as one unit toward certification. | Each unit within set counts as one unit toward certification. | Each unit within set counts as one unit toward certification. |
| Minimum run time is 90 minutes for a 2-disc product and 100 minutes for a 3-disc (or more) product. | Minimum run time is 90 minutes for a 2-disc product and 100 minutes for a 3-disc (or more) product. | Minimum run time is 90 minutes for a 2-disc product and 100 minutes for a 3-disc (or more) product. | |
| Recertified at each subsequent million units. | |||
| MUSIC VIDEO SINGLE 1 unit = 1 physical sale and excludes streaming and digital sales | |||
| Quantity | 25,000 units | 50,000 units | 100,000 units |
| Requirements | Must contain no more than two tracks per video. | Must contain no more than two tracks per video. | Must contain no more than two tracks per video. |
| Maximum run time is 15 minutes. | Maximum run time is 15 minutes. | Maximum running time is 15 minutes. | |
| 1 unit = 1 physical sale and excludes streaming and digital sales | Recertified at each subsequent 50,000 units (or physical sales). | ||
| MUSIC VIDEO LONGFORM 1 unit = 1 physical sale and excludes streaming and digital sales | |||
| Quantity | 50,000 units | 100,000 units | 200,000 units |
| Requirements | Defined as a title that has not been theatrically released prior to distribution. | Defined as a title that has not been theatrically released prior to distribution. | Defined as a title that has not been theatrically released prior to distribution. |
| Recertified at subsequent 100,000 units (or physical sales). | |||
| MULTI-BOX MUSIC VIDEO SET Package must include three or more videos marketed as a set. | |||
| Quantity Package must include three or more video marketed as a set. | 50,000 units | 100,000 units | 200,000 units |
| Requirements | Each individual video within set is counted as one toward certification. | Each individual video within set is counted as one toward certification. | Each individual video within set is counted as one toward certification. |
| Recertified at each subsequent 100,000 units. | |||
| MASTER RINGTONE AWARD | |||
| Quantity | Recognizes the sale of more than 500,000 (and counting) ringtones | ||