It took long enough, but Kendrick Lamar and Big Sean‘s latest albums are now certified platinum. To Pimp A Butterfly and Dark Sky Paradise, respectively, got the honors thanks to a new RIAA rules that account for album streams.
“For nearly six decades, whether it’s vinyl, CDs, downloads or now streams, the Gold & Platinum Program has adapted to recognize the benchmarks of success in an evolving music marketplace,” said Cary Sherman, Chairman and CEO of RIAA, via a press release. “We know that music listening – for both for albums and songs – is skyrocketing, yet that trend has not been reflected in our album certifications. Modernizing our Album Award to include music streaming is the next logical step in the continued evolution of Gold & Platinum Awards, and doing so enables RIAA to fully reward the success of artists’ albums today.”
According to the RIAA, 1500 streams of an album equate to the sale of one unit (“1,500 on-demand audio and/or video song streams = 10 track sales = 1 album sale.”)
The new rules also upped Michael Jackson’s Thriller from the previous 30X Platinum, just announced in December, to 32X Platinum. Also, Wale’s Ambition album is now officially Gold and The Weeknd’s Beauty Behind the Madness is double Platinum.
Considering the news, you might as well revisit “Control.”
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Photo: screen cap
