Overview Certification Criteria Apply
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 or Greatest Hits album.Check out our interactive timeline to learn about the program’s storied history.
RIAA Gold & Platinum Program
RIAA Gold & Platinum certifications have represented the pinnacle of success in the music industry since 1958. The levels described below are earned by as albums, singles and other projects from exceptional artists who meet the program’s rigorous standards.
RIAA GOLD & PLATINUM CERTIFICATON LEVELS
| 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 |
RIAA GOLD® & PLATINUM® CERTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS
| 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 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 | 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 100 minutes. | Minimum run time is 100 minutes. | Minimum run time 100 minutes. | |
| 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 | ||
