Indie Music

RIAA Revamps Gold & Platinum Certifications: 100 On Demand Plays = 1 Sale

image from profile.ak.fbcdn.netThe RIAA today made a rare change to the formula used to certify Gold and Platinum awards to include on-demand music and video streams. Services that will now count towards certification include Spotify, Rhapsody, MOG, Muve, Rdio, Rhapsody, Slacker, Xbox Music, VEVO, MTV.com, YouTube and Yahoo! Music.

Rather than put a value on music streams based on payout to rightsholders, the RIAA will count 100 plays as 1 sale. The benchmark for Gold and Platinum certifications remains unchanged: 500,000 sales for Gold, 1 million for Platinum and 10 million for Diamond.

56 titles are part of the inaugural certifications for the newly expanded Digital Single Award including  11 Gold, 18 Platinum and 27 multi-Platinum new
“combined” Digital Single Awards counting both downloads and streams.

“Including music streaming in Gold & Platinum awards marks the continued evolution of the industry’s premier program for recognizing artistic achievement, and it reflects the wide spectrum of ways consumers enjoy music from their favorite bands,” said Cary Sherman, Chairman & CEO, RIAA. 

A  Full List Of New Gold & Platinum Certifications

With the launch of the new program, RIAA today is awarding the following artists/songs with new certifications:

30 Seconds To Mars/"This Is War," Adele/"Rolling in the Deep, "Aerosmith/"I Don't Want To Miss A Thing," Andy Grammer/"Keep Your Head Up," Anna Kendrick/"Cups," Avril Lavigne/"Smile," Ca$h Out/"Cashin' Out," Carly Rae Jepsen/"Call Me Maybe," Carrie Underwood/"Before He Cheats," Cher Lloyd/"Oath," Don Omar/"Danza Kuduro," Drake/"Started from The Bottom," Emeli Sandé/"Next To Me," Eminem/"Love The Way You Lie," Frank Ocean/"Thinkin Bout You," Gym Class Heroes feat. Ryan Tedder/"The Fighter," Imagine Dragons/"Radioactive," J. Cole/"Workout," Jake Owen/"Alone With You" and "Barefoot Blue Jean Night," Jason Derulo/"Watcha Say" and "Ridin' Solo," Josh Turner/"Why Don't We Just Dance," Journey/"Don't Stop Believin,'" Juanes/"La Camisa Negra," Justin Bieber/"Baby," Justin Timberlake/"Suit & Tie," Kansas/"Dust In The Wind," Kanye West/"Stronger," Kelly Clarkson/"Stronger (What Doesn’t Kill You)," Kelly Rowland/"Motivation," Kendrick Lamar/"Poetic Justice," Kenny Chesney/"The Boys Of Fall," Lady Gaga/"Bad Romance," Lana Del Rey/"Video Games," LMFAO/"Sexy And I Know It," M83/"Midnight City," Michael Jackson/"Billie Jean," Of Monsters And Men/"Little Talks," Olly Murs/"Troublemaker," One Direction/"Little Things," P!nk feat. Nate Ruess/"Just Give Me A Reason," Pitbull feat. Christina Aguilera/"Feel This Moment," Rihanna/"We Found Love," Robin Thicke/"Lost Without U," Selena Gomez & The Scene/"Love You Like A Love Song," The Black Keys/"Lonely Boy," The Fray/ "Over My Head (Cable Car)," The Script/"The Man Who Can't Be Moved," The Weeknd/"Wicked Games," Toby Keith/"Beers Ago," Train/"Drive By," Usher/"Scream," Whitney Houston/"I Will Always Love You," Will.i.am/"Scream & Shout" and Wisin & Yandel/"Follow The Leader."

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