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How Do I Get a Gold or Platinum Record Plaque from the RIAA?

  • Updated

The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) awards Gold, Platinum, Multi-Platinum, and Diamond certifications to recognize significant U.S. sales and streaming milestones for singles and albums. These certifications celebrate major commercial success and can be claimed by both RIAA member and non-member music companies.

 

Certification Levels and Criteria

For Albums (General Program)

  • Gold: 500,000 Units
  • Platinum: 1,000,000 Units
  • Multi-Platinum: In increments of 1,000,000 Units
  • Diamond: 10,000,000 Units
     

For Singles (General Program)

  • Gold: 500,000 Units
  • Platinum: 1,000,000 Units
  • Multi-Platinum: In increments of 1,000,000 Units
  • Diamond: 10,000,000 Units
     

For Latin Albums & Singles (Latin Program)

  • Oro (Gold): 30,000 Units
  • Platino (Platinum): 60,000 Units
  • Multi-Platino: In increments of 60,000 Units
  • Diamante: 600,000 Units

 

How RIAA Counts “Units”

RIAA certifications combine sales and streams into a single “unit” count.

Albums

  • 1 permanent digital album sale = 1 Unit
  • 1 physical album sale = 1 Unit
  • 10 permanent track downloads = 1 Unit
  • 1,500 on-demand audio or video streams = 1 Unit

Singles

  • 1 permanent digital download = 1 Unit
  • 150 on-demand audio or video streams = 1 Unit

Only U.S. sales and streams count toward certification. Exports and international activity are not eligible.

 

Sales Eligibility Details

  • Digital album sales count from the release date.
  • Physical album sales become eligible 30 days after release.
  • Pre-orders count after the customer receives the album.
  • Only official, monetized streams (from DSPs or official YouTube channels) are eligible.
  • Promotional copies, free downloads, or user-generated videos do not count.

For bundled products (like merch or ticket bundles), the album must have a retail value of at least $6 or more in addition to the standalone item, and the consumer must have the option to purchase the album separately.

 

If you believe you are eligible for a plaque, please create an Other Reason ticket through the Support portal of your Too Lost account.

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