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Music recording sales certification

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Music recording sales certification is a system of certifying that a music recording has sold a certain number of copies.

Almost all countries follow variations of the RIAA certification categories, which are named after the precious materials gold, platinum and diamond (silver is also used in some countries). The number of sales required for these awards varies depending on the population of the territory in which the album is released. Normally they are awarded only to albums released at least nationally and are awarded individually for each country in which the album is sold. Additionally, different sales levels may exist for different music media, such as albums, singles, or videos.

Originally applied to LP records, certification is now most commonly awarded for compact disc sales. Certification is usually awarded cumulatively, and it is possible for a single album to be certified silver, gold, and platinum in turn. An album that becomes platinum twice over is said to be "double platinum". An artist can also become a multi-platinum seller, if they have at least two albums both going single platinum, therefore meaning that they do not have an individual album selling these amounts.

History

The original "Gold Record" awards were presented to artists by their own record companies to publicize the achievement of 1,000,000 sales. The first of these was awarded by RCA to Glenn Miller in February 1942, celebrating 1,200,000 sales of "Chattanooga Choo Choo." Another example of a company award is the gold record awarded to Elvis Presley in 1956 for 1,000,000 sales of the single "Hound Dog". This has led to controversy over how to determine the placings for the biggest selling artists of all time, and claims that some gold albums should be disregarded or even retroactively withdrawn although they were legitimately awarded at the time.

RIAA certification

Several different thresholds have been in use at different times and places for both album and single awards. Some of these were based on units sold and others on the value of retail sales. The first official designation of a "gold record" by the RIAA was established for singles in 1958, and the RIAA also trademarked the term "gold record" in the United States. On March 14 1958 the RIAA certified Perry Como's hit single "Catch a Falling Star" as its first ever "gold record". Later that year, the Elvis Presley hit "Hard Headed Woman" became the first rock and roll single to earn the RIAA designation. In 1976, RIAA introduced the platinum certification with Linda Ronstadt's Hasten Down the Wind being one of the first albums to be certified platinum. The RIAA, prior to the 1980s when precious metals and diamonds became more expensive, used gold, platinum, and diamonds to cover the artists album.

Like many record industry awards and rankings, the measurement is usually based on wholesale shipments to all types of retail outlets, not actual retail sales or financial transactions. This means that an early award or ranking for a new release reflects a distributor's expectations for the album and their market power.

IFPI certification

The International Federation of Phonogram and Videogram Producers (IFPI) awards the IFPI Platinum Europe Award for album sales over one million within Europe. Multi-platinum Europe Awards are presented for sales in subsequent multiples of a million. The award, which was inaugurated in 1996, is not restricted to European group artists. Time is not a factor for an album to reach platinum.

List of international sales certification thresholds

Most countries have only one threshold series, but some have different categories with different quantities to achieve a mark. Popular categorizations include:

Country Certifier Classification Thresholds Info as of Source reference
Silver Gold Platinum Diamond
Argentina CAPIF All - 20,000 40,000 250,000 2006
Austria IFPI Albums - 10,000 20,000 - 2008
Singles - 15,000 30,000 -
DVDs - 5,000 10,000 -
Australia ARIA Albums and Singles - 35,000 70,000 - 2006
Music Videos - 7,500 15,000 -
Belgium IFPI Native artists - 10,000 20,000 - 2006
Foreign artists - 15,000 30,000 -
Bulgaria IFPI Native artists - 15,000 30,000 - 2006
Foreign artists - 10,000 20,000 -
Brazil ABPD Albums - 50,000 125,000 500,000 2006
Singles - 25,000 50,000 100,000
DVDs - 25,000 50,000 100,000
Canada CRIA Albums - 50,000 100,000 1,000,000 2006
Singles - 5,000 10,000 100,000
DVDs - 5,000 10,000 100,000
Digital Music (Legal Downloads) - 10,000 20,000 200,000
Chile - All - 7,500 15,000 - 2007 -
Colombia - All - 10,000 20,000 - 2007 -
Croatia IHGI Albums and Singles (domestic) 7,500 15,000 30,000 60,000 2004
Albums and Singles (foreign) - 5,000 10,000 20,000
DVDs - 1,000 2,000 4,000
Czech Republic IFPI All - 10,000 20,000 - 2002
Denmark IFPI Albums - 20,000 40,000 - 2006
Singles/Music video DVD - 4,000 8,000 -
Entertainment DVD - 20,000 40,000 -
Ecuador - All - 7,500 15,000 - 2007 -
Finland IFPI Albums - 15,000 30,000 - 2006
Singles - 5,000 10,000 -
DVD - 5,000 10,000 -
France SNEP Albums 50,000 100,000 300,000 1,000,000 2006
Singles 100,000 200,000 300,000 500,000
Germany IFPI Albums - 100,000 200,000 - 2008
Singles - 150,000 300,000 -
Greece IFPI Albums (domestic) - 15,000 30,000 - 2007
Albums (foreign) - 7,500 15,000 -
Singles - 7,500 15,000 -
Music videos - 5,000 10,000 -
Hong Kong, China IFPI All - 10,000 20,000 - 2006
Hungary Mahasz Albums (domestic) - 7,500 15,000 - 2006
Albums (foreign) - 3,000 6,000 -
Jazz/world music/classic/single/spoken word releases - 1,500 3,000 -
India IMI International - 10,000 20,000 - 2006
Classical/non-classical - 10,000 40,000 -
Regional Basic - 60,000 120,000 -
National Basic - 100,000 200,000 -
Indonesia RII Albums (domestic) - 75,000 150,000 - 2007
Albums (foreign) - 25,000 50,000 -
Israel IFPI All - 20,000 40,000 - 2006
Country Certifier Classification Thresholds Info as of Source reference
Silver Gold Platinum Diamond
Italy FIMI Albums 20,000 40,000 80,000 400,000 2006
Singles - 10,000 20,000 -
Music videos - 15,000 30,000 -
Japan RIAJ All - 100,000 250,000 1,000,000 2005
Malaysia RIM Albums - 15,000 25,000 - 2007
Mexico AMPROFON Albums - 50,000 100,000 500,000 2007
Music videos - 10,000 20,000 -
Digital single downloads - 1,500 3,000 250,000
Digital album downloads - 5,000 10,000 250,000
Ringtones - 10,000 25,000 250,000
Netherlands NVPI Albums (popular) - 35,000 70,000 - 2006
Albums (classical/jazz) - 15,000 25,000 -
Singles - 40,000 60,000 -
New Zealand RIANZ Albums - 7,500 15,000 - 2006
Singles - 5,000 10,000 -
Music videos - 2,500 5,000 -
Norway IFPI Albums - 15,000 30,000 - 2002
Singles/Musicvideo DVD - 5,000 10,000 -
Peru - All - 5,000 10,000 - 2007 -
Philippines PRIMA Albums 15,000 30,000 - 2007
Poland ZPAV Singles - 10,000 20,000 100,000 2006
Album (domestic pop artists) - 15,000 30,000 150,000
Album (foreign pop artists) - 10,000 20,000 100,000
Album (jazz/classical) - 5,000 10,000 50,000
Album (soundtrack) - 10,000 20,000 100,000
Music video - 5,000 10,000 50,000
Music video (classical/jazz) - 2,500 5,000 25,000
DVD - 5,000 10,000 -
Portugal AFP Albums - 10,000 20,000 - 2007
Singles 10,000 20,000 40,000 -
Music videos - 4,000 8,000 -
Republic of Ireland IRMA Albums and Singles - 7,500 15,000 - 2007
Music videos - 2,000 4,000 -
Russia IFPI Native artists - 100,000 200,000 - 2007
Foreign artists - 10,000 20,000 -
Singapore RIAS Albums - 7,500 15,000 - 2007
Singles - 5,000 10,000 -
South Africa RISA Albums - 25,000 50,000 - 2005
Spain PROMUSICAE Albums - 40,000 80,000 - 2005
Singles/Legal Downloads - 10,000 20,000 -
Sweden IFPI Singles - 10,000 20,000 2006
Album - 20,000 40,000 -
Classic Albums - 10,000 20,000 -
Jazz Albums - 10,000 20,000 -
Folk music Albums - 10,000 20,000 -
DVD - 10,000 20,000 -
Switzerland IFPI All - 15,000 30,000 - 2006
DVD 3,000 6,000 - -
Turkey MÜ-YAP Albums - 100,000 200,000 300,000 2006
Ukraine UMA Native artists - 50,000 100,000 500,000 2003
Foreign artists - 25,000 50,000 200,000
United Kingdom BPI Albums 60,000 100,000 300,000 - 2006
Singles 200,000 400,000 600,000 -
United States RIAA Albums and Singles - 500,000 1,000,000 10,000,000 2007
Music Videos - 50,000 100,000 1,000,000
Digital Music (Legal Downloads) - 500,000 1,000,000 -
Uruguay CUD All - 2,000 4,000 - 2006
Venezuela - All - 10,000 20,000 - 2007
Vietnam - All - 5,000 10,000 - 2006
Country Certifier Classification Thresholds Info as of Source reference
Silver Gold Platinum Diamond

See also

External links

Notes



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Last updated on Friday March 07, 2008 at 23:28:49 PST (GMT -0800)
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