Record companies and musicians are not much different from film people. They, too, need to find an excuse to get themselves together and pat each other on the back, usually for doing little more than they are paid to do in the first place.
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However, there are some areas where success can be earned and demonstrated, namely, throughrecord sales certifications. These are given to singles and albums that reach certain sales requirements.
So, I’ve decided to answer the question, “What does Platinum, Gold, and Diamond mean in music?” That will mean we need some basic understanding of terms and numbers. So, let’s get to it.
Records Sales – Levels and Certifications
Certification for Platinum, Gold, and Diamondis acknowledged by placing a stamp on the cover of the single or album. The stamp shows that it has achieved the required level of sales.
Those record sales levels are:
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- Silver.
- Gold.
- Platinum.
- Multi-Platinum.
- Diamond.
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Sales requirements for each level will depend on which country the certification is made in, as well as whether it is an album or a single.
| Certification Levels for Singles | Number of Copies Sold in the United Kingdom (UK) | Number of Copies Sold in the United States (US) |
|---|---|---|
| Siver | 200,000 | N/A |
| Gold | 400,000 | 500,000 |
| Platinum | 600,000 | 2,000,000 |
| Multi-Platinum | Over 600,000 | Over 2,000,000 |
| Diamond | N/A | 10,000,000 |
| Certification Levels for Albums | Number of Copies Sold in the United Kingdom (UK) | Number of Copies Sold in the United States (US) |
|---|---|---|
| Siver | 60,000 | N/A |
| Gold | 100,000 | 500,000 |
| Platinum | 300,000 | 1,000,000 |
| Multi-Platinum | Over 300,000 | Over 1,000,000 |
| Diamond | N/A | 10,000,000 |
These requirements will differ depending on which country you are in. Nonetheless, if you see an album or a single with certification that says Gold, Platinum, or Diamond, it indicates a big seller and popular record.
What Does Platinum, Gold, and Diamond Mean in Music? And Does It Even Matter?
If you want to take the view that record sales certifications don’t truly matter, you may well be right. All it says is that the song has sold well and is popular. That doesn’t make it any good, of course. And it says nothing about the quality of the song, the production, or the artist(s).
However, some will tell youwhy record sales certification levels are important. In a nutshell, the numbers reflect something that people enjoy. And that is the business, after all.
Some artists produce material for themselves. But, in the main, they produce music that they hope people will enjoy. On that basis, this award system can be a measure of that. Assuming that the figures are accurate, of course. I will return to that later.
Who Sits On Top Of The Mountain for Album Sales?
This will depend on which list you look at. Some lists are biased towards artists of the country in which they publish. That only adds to the confusion, as there is no clear balance. Having said that, it is not unreasonable to have different levels of achievement based on even simple issues like population size.
The population of America is around 330 million. That would make it an awful lot easier to get certificated numbers for sales than, say, the UK with its 67 million residents. The difference inrecords sales certification requirementsis, therefore, justifiable on that basis.
If you rank artists by the number of Platinum discs they have achieved, it makes interesting reading.
#1 – Elvis Presley
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- 67 Platinum discs.
- 27 Multi-platinum discs.
- 1 Diamond disc.
- Biggest selling album:Elvis Christmas(10 million in sales).
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#2 – The Beatles
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- 42 Platinum discs.
- 26 Multi-Platinum discs.
- 6 Diamond discs.
- Biggest selling album:The White Album(19 million in sales).
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This is an example of where it can give a misleading position. The Beatles sold many more albums than Elvis, but sit below him on the list of Platinum sales. Another example is Led Zeppelin, down at #13. They are listed with:
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- 18 Platinum discs.
- 14 Multi-platinum disks.
- 5 Diamond discs.
- Biggest selling album:Led Zeppelin 4(23 million copies sold).
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In Zep’s case…
They have sold many more albums than artists placed above them. Yes, they are in Platinum order, but some people might think that makes them the bigger-selling artists than Led Zeppelin. It doesn’t.
Furthermore, the likes of Ella Fitzgerald and Frank Sinatra are not on the list. That in itself speaks volumes. I checked four different listings for the biggest-selling albums of all time, and they all gave different results.
Pinch of salt is probably the best term to use. The same applies to singles, of course.
Can These Certifications Help an Artist
Yes, they can. Marketing people will push and praise these certifications to ensure their product is kept in the public eye. Therefore, certifications can help to achieve a ranking for either a single or an album.
Sales, exposure, and chart positions, all of them equal more royalties. That means money. I shall say no more on that subject.
Digital Media Certification
The rise of digital media and the sales accrued from that source have made life a little more complicated. Now, record sales do not just refer to physical copies but to digital downloads as well. Some well-thought-out controls exist for monitoring this new sales source.
The most important is that the sale must occur via a digital streaming service to qualify as a digital download. Sales are monitored and tracked by the relevant organization responsible in every country.
For example, in the UK, this is conducted by the British Phonographic Industry or BPI. In America, the Recording Industry Association of America or RIAA.
A Necessary Change
This was a necessary adjustment to how things are tracked and monitored. Before the streaming rules were created, it was difficult to identify album and single sales in the digital market.
And, as people went from buying hard copy albums to digital downloads, it became very hard to reach the sales figures needed to achieve a certification level just from physical sales.
So, What Do Record Sales Certification Levels Mean in Basic Terms?
Let’s take a minute to identify each a little more closely.
Silver
Only awarded in Britain, it became a necessity. The standard for Gold records was created for the American market. That could not apply to the UK because of the sheer number of potential buyers.
At the time, Gold records required over a million sales. In the UK, in the whole of the 1950s, only three songs achieved that. Bill Haley with “Rock Around The Clock,” “Diana” by Paul Anka, and “Mary’s Boy Child” by Harry Belafonte.
As a result, Silver certification was amended and awarded for sales of over 250,000. The first winner was Russ Conway with “Side Saddle.” That was followed soon after by Buddy Holly and “It Doesn’t Matter Anymore.”
Gold
This was the original record sales standard and is still in use today, albeit with lower sales requirements. Originally, sales of more than one million were required. However, that number dropped to 100,000 in the UK and 500,000 in America.
Platinum
Therequirements for a platinum-certificated albumare set at 300,000 in the UK and 1 million in America. Platinum is the second-highest certification and one that is prized amongst artists.
Diamond
This is reserved for sales of more than 10 million and is only awarded in the US. Diamond-certified singles and/or albums have been very successful and have a high earnings ratio. Not surprisingly, they don’t happen very often.
To date, there are only 92 Diamond-certified albums and 87 Diamond-certified singles. But there is one impressive stat worth mentioning here.Adele’s album,25, reached Diamond status in less than a year. It was Adele’s second Diamond-certified album after her previous album,21.
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What Does Platinum, Gold, and Diamond Mean in Music? – Final Thoughts
In the music industry, sales certifications are important. But, as I said, only in terms of product moved rather than any quality implied. Some people will try to tell you that a Platinum disc means it must be great. That is not the case. It may be good, as most are, but it only indicates sales.
There’s no accounting for taste, I suppose…
As we have seen, thedefinition of record sales certification levelshas changed over time. And they will no doubt continue to evolve as the music industry evolves.
We mentioned that anomalies exist, and these sales figures can be very misleading at times. If we look at the list of Platinum-selling musicians, where is Michael Jackson?
Way down the list, despite some people claiming thatThrillersold over 70 million copies. That list puts it at only 33 million copies. One of them is way off the mark, or both are.
And where are Dire Straits?
Again, some people claimBrothers in Armsto be one of thebiggest-selling albums ever. It was certified 10x platinum in the UK and 9x in America. And that is just one album.
Yet, Dire Straits are not even in the Top 50. But, others who clearly shouldn’t be in the Top 50 are, for some unaccountable reason. The point is you shouldn’t read too much into the figures for sales and lists that say “biggest-selling.”
“Official” Platinum, Gold, Diamond, and Silver certifications are important awards recognizing sales. They, therefore, offer an indication as to the success of each record. Something that people, and especially artists, will take some interest in and appreciate.
Until next time, let the music play.
