RIAA single certification

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A single certification is the certification that the RIAA awards to singles based on their sales. It is estimated that there have been about 2,550 combined single certifications.

Recently, digital singles have begun to be certified due to the increase of the digital market and decrease of the physical commercial singles market. Although digital downloads have been around since 2003, they weren't considered to be significant until 2005, when they were first counted towards the Hot 100. Because of this, it is important to distinguish between singles that came out before and after the change (as singles after the change sold in higher quantities at a faster rate, while the older singles took longer to reach levels of certification).

In 2004, it would usually take over a year for a digital single to exceed sales over 100,000. Whereas In 2006, Shakira's "Hips Don't Lie", sold over 260,000 digital tracks in just a week. (Fergie also sold 295,000 copies of her track in one week towards the end of 2006)

Contents 1 Guidelines 2 List of certified digital singles (modern era) 2.1 Singles released during the modern era 2.1.1 Multi-Platinum singles 2.1.2 Platinum singles 2.1.3 Gold singles 2.2 Singles not released during the modern era 2.2.1 Recertifications of songs previously certified 2.2.1.1 Multi-platinum singles 2.2.1.2 Platinum singles 2.2.2 First certification of songs released in previous eras 2.2.2.1 Multiplatinum singles 2.2.2.2 Platinum singles 2.2.2.3 Gold singles 2.2.3 Singles released before the advent of digital downloads 2.2.3.1 Gold singles 3 List of certified digital singles (previous eras) 3.1 Multi-platinum singles 3.2 Platinum singles 3.3 Gold singles 4 List of certified standard commercial singles (commercial-decline era) 4.1 Multi-platinum singles 4.2 Platinum singles 4.3 Gold singles 5 See also

[edit] Guidelines

Standard and digital singles are certified:

• Gold when it ships 500,000 copies
• Platinum when it ships 1,000,000 copies
• Double platinum when it ships 2,000,000 copies

Note: Before January 1, 1989, gold was achieved at 1,000,000 copies, and platinum at 2,000,000[1]

[edit] List of certified digital singles (modern era)

[edit] Singles released during the modern era

This is a list of singles released and certified during the modern era.

[edit] Multi-Platinum singles

• "Bad Day", Daniel Powter (9x platinum)
• "Since U Been Gone", Kelly Clarkson (6x platinum)
• "You're Beautiful", James Blunt (8x platinum)
• "Unwritten", Natasha Bedingfield (5x platinum)
• "Hollaback Girl", Gwen Stefani (5x platinum)
• "Hips Don't Lie", Shakira (7x platinum)
• "Gold Digger", Kanye West featuring Jamie Foxx (5x platinum)
• "Behind These Hazel Eyes", Kelly Clarkson (4x platinum)
• "Sugar, We're Going Down", Fall Out Boy (4x platinum)
• "Check On It", Beyoncé featuring Slim Thug (4x platinum)
• "Breakaway", Kelly Clarkson (3x platinum)
• "Because of You", Kelly Clarkson (3x platinum)
• "Hung Up", Madonna (3x platinum)
• "Stickwitu"(The Pussycat Dolls) (3x platinum}
• "Boulevard of Broken Dreams", Green Day (3x platinum)
• "We Belong Together", Mariah Carey (3x platinum)
• "Laffy Taffy", D4L (3x platinum)
• "Walk Away", Kelly Clarkson (2x platinum)
• "Rich Girl", Gwen Stefani (2x platinum)
• "1, 2 Step", Ciara (2x platinum)
• "Drop It Like It's Hot", Snoop Dogg (2x platinum)
• "Mr. Brightside", The Killers (2x platinum)
• "Photograph", Nickelback (2x platinum)
• "Dance, Dance", Fall Out Boy (2x platinum)
• "Believe", Cher (2x platinum)

[edit] Platinum singles

• "Disco Inferno", 50 Cent
• "Candy Shop", 50 Cent
• "Smack That", Akon and Eminem
• "Lonely", Akon"
• "1 Thing", Amerie
• "Don't Phunk with My Heart", Black Eyed Peas
• "What You Waiting For?", Gwen Stefani
• "I Miss You", blink-182
• "Inside Your Heaven", Carrie Underwood
• "Jesus Take The Wheel", Carrie Underwood
• "Get Right", Jennifer Lopez
• "Look What You've Done", Jet
• "It's Like That", Mariah Carey
• "Shake It Off", Mariah Carey
• "Let Me Love You", Mario
• "Lonely No More", Rob Thomas
• "How We Do", The Game and 50 Cent
• "Switch", Will Smith
• "The Sweet Escape", Gwen Stefani feat. Akon

[edit] Gold singles

• "La La", Ashlee Simpson
• "Incomplete", Backstreet Boys
• "Ain't No Other Man", Christina Aguilera
• "Cool", Gwen Stefani
• "Mockingbird", Eminem
• "Like Toy Soldiers", Eminem
• "Luxurious", Gwen Stefani feat. Slim Thug
• "Obsession (No Es Amor)", Frankie J
• "You and Me", Lifehouse
• "Sorry", Madonna
• "Scars", Papa Roach
• "Party for Two", Shania Twain
• "Bring Em' Out,"' T.I.
• "Hate It or Love It", The Game and 50 Cent
• "Beverly Hills", Weezer
• "Hypnotize", System of a Down
• "Have a Nice Day", Bon Jovi
• "Wind It Up", Gwen Stefani
• "Hurt", Christina Aguilera

[edit] Singles not released during the modern era

This is a list of singles that had previously been released as digital downloads in the previous era, and that have been recertified, or older songs which were never released as digital downloads during the time that they were promoted as singles (but which have managed to get enough downloads to be certified).

[edit] Recertifications of songs previously certified

[edit] Multi-platinum singles

[edit] Platinum singles

[edit] First certification of songs released in previous eras

[edit] Multiplatinum singles

• "Lose My Breath", Destiny's Child (2x platinum)
• "One Sweet Day", Mariah Carey & Boyz II Men (2x platinum)

[edit] Platinum singles

• "Heaven", Los Lonely Boys

[edit] Gold singles

• "Locked Up", Akon
• "Only U", Ashanti
• "Suga Suga", Baby Bash
• "When I'm Gone", 3 Doors Down
• "Shut Up", Black Eyed Peas
• "What You Waiting For", Gwen Stefani
• "Cool", Gwen Stefani
• "Luxurious", Gwen Stefani
• "Baby, It's You", JoJo
• "All Falls Down", Kanye West
• "Miss Independent", Kelly Clarkson
• "Welcome Back", Mase
• "I'm Not Okay (I Promise)", My Chemical Romance
• "Dare You to Move", Switchfoot

[edit] Singles released before the advent of digital downloads

[edit] Gold singles

• "Welcome to the Jungle", Guns N' Roses
• "Pour Some Sugar on Me", Def Leppard
• "Tiny Dancer", Elton John
• "Without Me", Eminem
• "At Last", Etta James
• "I Will Survive", Gloria Gaynor
• "I Hope You Dance", Lee Ann Womack
• "What a Wonderful World", Louis Armstrong
• "Let's Get It On", Marvin Gaye
• "Tilt Ya Head Back", Nelly
• "Smells Like Teen Spirit", Nirvana
• "Forever and for Always", Shania Twain
• "Man! I Feel like a Woman!", Shania Twain
• "Soak up the Sun", Sheryl Crow
• "Baby Got Back", Sir Mix-a-Lot
• "Beautiful Day", U2

[edit] List of certified digital singles (previous eras)

[edit] Multi-platinum singles

• "The Reason", Hoobastank (double platinum)
• "This Love", Maroon 5 (double platinum)
• "Hey Ya!", Outkast (double platinum)

[edit] Platinum singles

• "1985", Bowling for Soup
• "Pieces of Me", Ashlee Simpson
• "My Happy Ending", Avril Lavigne
• "Hey Mama", Black Eyed Peas
• "Let's Get It Started" Black Eyed Peas
• "Toxic", Britney Spears
• "Goodies", Ciara featuring Petey Pablo
• "Accidentally in Love", Counting Crows
• "My Band", D12
• "Just Lose It", Eminem
• "Lose Yourself", Eminem
• "American Idiot", Green Day
• "Numb/Encore", Jay-Z and Linkin Park
• "Get Back", Ludacris
• "Harder to Breathe", Maroon 5
• "She Will Be Loved", Maroon 5
• "Over and Over", Nelly and Tim McGraw
• "Roses", Outkast
• "Welcome to My Life, Simple Plan
• "Lean Back", Terror Squad
• "Somebody Told Me", The Killers
• "Yeah!", Usher
• "Burn", Usher
• "My Boo" Usher and Alicia Keys
• "Ocean Avenue", Yellowcard
• "Vertigo", U2

[edit] Gold singles

• "Here Without You", 3 Doors Down
• "In Da Club", 50 Cent
• "P.I.M.P.", 50 Cent
• "If I Ain't Got You", Alicia Keys
• "Don't Tell Me", Avril Lavigne
• "Nobody's Home", Avril Lavigne
• "Crazy in Love", Beyoncé
• "Where Is the Love?", Black Eyed Peas
• "Everytime", Britney Spears
• "One Call Away", Chingy
• "Dip It Low", Christina Milian
• "Clocks", Coldplay
• "Big Yellow Taxi", Counting Crows
• "White Flag", Dido
• "Fuck It", Eamon
• "Stacy's Mom", Fountains Of Wayne
• "Take Me Out", Franz Fernidad
• "What You Waiting For", Gwen Stefani
• "Wake Up", Hilary Duff
• "Come Clean", Hilary Duff
• "I Like That", Houston
• "Milkshake", Kelis
• "Turn Me On", Kevin Lyttle
• "Dirt off Your Shoulder", Jay-Z
• "With You", Jessica Simpson
• "Are You Gonna Be My Girl", Jet
• "Tipsy", J-Kwon
• "Leave (Get Out)", JoJo
• "You Raise Me Up", Josh Groban
• "Behind Blue Eyes", Limp Bizkit
• "Rumors", Lindsay Lohan
• "Stand Up", Ludacris
• "I Don't Wanna Know", Mario Winans
• "Sunday Morning", Maroon 5
• "Float On", Modest Mouse
• "My Place", Nelly and Jaheim
• "Someday", Nickelback
• "Move Ya Body", Nina Sky
• "Sunrise", Norah Jones
• "It's My Life", No Doubt
• "The Way You Move", Outkast
• "Shake Ya Tailfeather", P. Diddy and Nelly
• "Freek-a-Leek", Petey Pablo
• "On the Way Down", Ryan Cabrera
• "True", Ryan Cabrera
• "Fallen", Sarah McLachlan
• "The First Cut Is the Deepest", Sheryl Crow
• "Meant to Live", Switchfoot
• "I Believe in a Thing Called Love", The Darkness
• "Confessions Part II", Usher
• "Slow Motion", Juvenile

[edit] List of certified standard commercial singles (commercial-decline era)

[edit] Multi-platinum singles

• "Candle In The Wind", Elton John (11x)
• "I Will Always Love You", Whitney Houston (4x)
• "I'll Be Missing You", Puff Daddy (3x)
• "Fantasy", Mariah Carey (2x)
• "One Sweet Day", Mariah Carey (2x)
• "Vogue", Madonna (2x)
• "Can't Nobody Hold Me Down", Mase (2x)

[edit] Platinum singles

• "If You Had My Love", Jennifer Lopez
• "Say My Name", Destiny's Child
• "...Baby One More Time", Britney Spears
• "From the Bottom of My Broken Heart", Britney Spears
• "Genie in a Bottle", Christina Aguilera
• "This Is the Night", Clay Aiken
• "I Hope You Dance", Lee Ann Womack
• "Music", Madonna
• "I'll Be There", Mariah Carey
• "Dreamlover", Mariah Carey
• "Hero", Mariah Carey
• "Always Be My Baby", Mariah Carey
• "Honey", Mariah Carey
• "My All", Mariah Carey
• "I Still Believe", Mariah Carey
• "Heartbreaker", Mariah Carey
• "You're Still the One", Shania Twain
• "Incomplete", Sisqó

[edit] Gold singles

• "Give Me Just One Night (Una Noche)", 98 Degrees
• "I Don't Want to Miss a Thing", Aerosmith
• "Stronger", Britney Spears
• "What a Girl Wants", Christina Aguilera
• "Come on Over Baby (All I Want Is You)", Christina Aguilera
• "Dance with Me", Debelah Morgan
• "He Loves U Not", Dream
• "Get over Yourself", Eden's Crush
• "Breathe", Faith Hill
• "Doesn't Really Matter", Janet Jackson
• "Stutter", Joe Thomas
• "A Moment Like This", Kelly Clarkson*
• "Picture", Kid Rock featuring Alison Moorer
• "Can't Fight the Moonlight", LeAnn Rimes
• "Amazed", Lonestar
• "Don't Tell Me", Madonna
• "Candy", Mandy Moore
• "Thank God I Found You", Mariah Carey
• "Loverboy,", Mariah Carey
• "Hot Boyz", Missy Elliott
• "It's Gonna Be Me", 'N Sync
• "Liquid Dreams", O-Town
• "There You Go", P!nk
• "If I Could Turn Back the Hands of Time", R. Kelly
• "Flying Without Wings", Ruben Studdard
• "Maria Maria", Santana
• "I Knew I Loved You", Savage Garden
• "He Wasn't Man Enough", Toni Braxton
• "Swear It Again", Westlife
• "Firestarter", The Prodigy

[edit] See also

• RIAA certification