How Does The Gold & Platinum Certification System Work?

The RIAA has issued new Platinum certifications to three of Toby Keith’s most iconic songs.

The Recording Industry Association of America, or RIAA, is the trade organization that certifies Gold, Platinum, and Diamond singles and albums. The RIAA website describes the original meaning behind the certifications and how they have changed over time.

“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.”

The RIAA also lists the criteria for songs and albums to qualify for each level of certification. They are:

Singles

• Gold – sale of 500,000 Units
• Platinum – sale 1,000,000 Units (increments of 1,000,000 thereafter)
• Diamond – sale of 10,000,000 Units

Units are counted as such:

“Each permanent digital download counts as 1 Unit for certification purposes. 150 on-demand audio and/or video streams will count as 1 Unit for certification purposes.”

Although albums receive the same certifications at the same increments, their units are counted differently:

“Each permanent digital album or physical album sale count as 1 Unit for certification purposes. 10 permanent track downloads from the album count as 1 Unit for certification purposes. 1,500 on-demand audio and/or video streams from the album count as 1 Unit for certification purposes.”

Three Toby Keith Songs Receive New Platinum Certifications From The RIAA

On Wednesday (October 16), the RIAA awarded a new set of Platinum certifications to three of Toby Keith’s biggest hits: “Should’ve Been a Cowboy,” “I Love This Bar,” and “Beer for My Horses.”

“I Love This Bar and “Beer for My Horses” were certified 3x Platinum, while “Should’ve Been a Cowboy” was certified 4x Platinum.

Toby’s music experienced a surge in sales and streams following his death on February 5, 2024. After his passing, his 35 Biggest Hits album claimed the #1 spot on the all-genre Billboard 200 albums chart.

That album (which earned its own Platinum certification in 2008) contained all three songs with new Platinum certifications.

The news of Toby’s Platinum certifications comes just days before he’ll be posthumously inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame on Sunday (October 20). John Anderson and musician James Burton will also be inducted into the same class.

These recent Platinum certifications prove that Toby’s legacy lives on, as fans remember him by playing the songs he left behind.

Source: https://classiccountrymusic.com/