Since the Recording Industry Association of America – RIAA – began tracking the sale of recordings over 60 years ago, they have seen those recordings released in a variety of formats including vinyl, 8-track, cassette tape, compact disc, and most recently online streaming.

Previously when counting single and album sales to verify a gold, platinum, multi-platinum, and since 199 Diamond award status, one sale equaled on unit.  Since the RIAA began counting streams, it takes 1,500 streams to equal a single 10 song album.

With the addition of counting streams, several artists have seen the RIAA certifications jump significantly.

In 1999, the RIAA added the Diamond Award which is awarded anytime a single or album sells a minimum of 10 million units.  Unlike the multiplatinum award which increases with each million sold, the Diamond Award is given only once.

For many years there was a constant disagreement between fans as to who held the top spot in the Diamond Award tally – The Eagles or Michael Jackson.  There is no longer any discrepancy over who is number one…it’s The Eagles with 38 million copies of their “Greatest Hits 1971-1975” sold in the United States.

RIAA Diamond Award list (numbers are millions sold):
“Greatest Hits 1971-1975” by the Eagles – 38
“Thriller” by Michael Jackson – 34
“Hotel California” by the Eagles – 26
“Back in Black” by AC/DC – 25
“Led Zeppelin IV” by Led Zeppelin – 24
“The Beatles” by The Beatles – 24
“Greatest Hist Volume 1 & Volume II” by Billy Joel – 23
“The Wall” by Pink Floyd – 23
“Double Live” by Garth Brooks – 21
“Cracked Rear View” by Hootie & The Blowfish – 21
“Rumours” by Fleetwood Mac – 20
“Come on Over “by Sania Twain – 20
“No Fences” by Garth Brooks – 18
“Appetite for Destruction” by Guns N’ Roses – 18
“The Bodyguard” Soundtrack by Whitney Houston – 18
“Boston” by Boston – 17
“Greatest Hits “ by Elton John – 17
“The Beatles 1967-1970” by The Beatles – 17
“Jagged Little Pill” by Alanis Morissette – 16
“Saturday Night Fever” Soundtrack – 16
“Physical Graffiti” by Led Zeppelin – 16
“Meatllica” by Metallica – 16
“Legend” by Bob Marley & The Wailers – 15
“Born in the U.S.A.” by Bruce Springsteen – 15
“Greatest Hits” by Journey – 15
“The Dark Side of the Moon” by Pink Floyd – 15
“Supernatural” by Santana – 15
“The Greatest Hits 1974-1978” by the Steve Miller Band – 15
“The Beatles 1962-1966” by The Beatles – 15
“21” by Adele – 14
“The Backstreet Boys” by the Backstreet Boys – 14
“…Baby One More Time” by Britney Spears – 14
“Ropin’ the Wind” by Garth Brooks – 14
“Bat Out of Hell” by Meat Loaf – 14
“Simon & Garfunkel’s Greatest Hits” by Simon & Garfunkel – 14
“Millennium” by the Backstreet Boys – 13
“Bruce Springsteen & E Street Band Live 1975-1985” by Bruce Springsteen – 13
“Tapestry” by Carole King – 13
“Ten” by Pearl Jam – 13
“Purple Rain” Soundtrack by Prince & The Revolution – 13
“Wide Open Spaces” by The Chicks (formerly the Dixie Chicks) – 13
“Whitney Houston” by Whitney Houston – 13
“Aerosmith’s Greatest Hits” by Aerosmith – 12
“Slippery When Wet” by Bon Jovi – 12
“II” by Boyz II Men – 12
“Falling Into You” by Celine Dion – 12
“Hysteria” by Def Leppard – 12
“The Eminem Show” by Eminem – 12
“Pieces of You” by Jewel – 12
“Breathless” by Kenny G – 12
“Kenny Rogers greatest Hits” by Kenny Rogers – 12
“Led Zeppelin II” by Led Zeppelin – 12
“Hybrid Theory” by Linkin Park – 12
“Yourself or Someone Like You” by Matchbox 20 – 12
“Come Away with Me” by Norah Jones – 12
“No Jacket Required” by Phil Collins – 12
“The Woman in Me” by Shania Twain – 12
“Forest Gump” Soundtrack – by Various Artists – 12
“Abbey Road” by The Beatles – 12
“Hot Rocks” by The Rolling Stones – 12
“CrazySexyCool” by TLC – 12
“Greatest Hits” by Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers – 12
“25” by Adele – 11
“Human Clay” by Creed – 11
“Greatest Hits Volume II” by the Eagles – 11
“The Marshall Mathers LP” by Eminem – 11
“James Taylor’s Greatest Hits” by James Taylor – 11
“Devil Without a Cause” by Kid Rock – 11
“Houses of the Holy” by Led Zeppelin – 11
“Daydream” by Mariah Carey – 11
“Bad” by Michael Jackson – 11
“No Strings Attached” by N Sync – 11
“Life After Death” by Notorious B.I.G. – 11
“Speakerboxxx/The Love Below” by Outkast – 11
“Up!” by Shania Twain – 11
“Titanic” Soundtrack – by Various Artists – 11
“Dirty Dancing” Soundtrack by Various Artists – 11
“Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band” by The Beatles – 11
“1” by The Beatles – 11
“Fly” by The Chicks – 11
“Greatest Hits” by 2 Pac – 10
“All EYez on Me” by 2 Pac – 10
“Licensed to Ill” by the Beastie Boys – 10
“The Stranger” by Billy Joel – 10
“Greatest Hits” by Bob Seger & The Silver Bullet Band – 10
“Oops!…I Did it Again” by Britney Spears – 10
“Let’s Talk About Love” by Celine Dion – 10
“Chronicle: 20 Greatest Hits” by Creedence Clearwater Revival – 10
“Pyromania” by Def Leppard – 10
“Best of the Doobies” by The Doobie Brothers – 10
“Elvis’ Christmas Album” by Elvis Presley – 10
“Curtain Call: The Hits” by Eminem – 10
“Unplugged” by Eric Clapton – 10
“The Ultimate Hits” by Garth Brooks – 10
“Sevens” by Garth Brooks – 10
“The Hits” by Garth Brooks – 10
“In Pieces” by Garth Brooks – 10
“The Chase” by Garth Brooks – 10
“Garth Brooks” by Garth Brooks – 10
“Faith” by George Michael – 10
“Dookie” by Green Day – 10
“Please Hammer Don’t Hurt ‘Em” by Hammer – 10
“Escape” by Journey – 10
“The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill” by Lauryn Hill – 10
“Led Zeppelin” by Led Zeppelin – 10
“Can’t Slow Down” by Lionel Richie – 10
“Like a Virgin” by Madonna – 10
“The Immaculate Collection” by Madonna – 10
“Music Box” by Mariah Carey – 10
“N Sync” by N Sync – 10
Country Grammar” by Nelly – 10
“All the Right Reasons” by Nickelback – 10
“Nevermind” by Nirvana – 10
“Tragic Kingdom” by No Doubt – 10
“Greatest Hits” by Patsy Cline – 10
“Hi Infidelity” by R.E.O. Speedwagon – 10
“Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness” by Smashing Pumpkins – 10
“The Lion King” Soundtrack by Various Artists – 10
“Songs in the Key of Life” by Stevie Wonder – 10
“Fearless” by Taylor Swift – 10
“The Best of The Doors” by The Doors – 10
“The Joshua Tree” by U2 – 10
“Confessions” by Usher – 10
“Van Halen” by Van Halen – 10
“1984 (MCMLXXXIV)” by Van Halen – 10
“Whitney” by Whitney Houston – 10
“Eliminator” by ZZ Top – 10



The singles awarded Diamond Awards Lil Nas X leads the way with 16 million copies sold.

Singles Diamon Awards:
“Old Town Road” by Lil Nas X with Billy Ray Cyrus – 16
“Somebody That I Used to Know” by Gotye – 14
“Radioactive” by Imagine Dragons – 14
“All of Me” by John Legend – 14
“Closer” by The Chainsmokers – 14
“Just the Way You Are” by Bruno Mars – 13
“Lose Yourself” by Eminem – 13
“Love the Way You Lie” by Eminem with Rihanna – 13
“Despacito” by Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee – 13
“Thinking Out Loud” by Ed Sheeran – 12
“Baby” by Justin Bieber with Ludacris – 12
“Firework” by Katy Perry – 12
“Meant to Be” by Bebe Rexha with Florida Georgia Line – 11
“When I Was Your Man” by Bruno Mars – 11
“God’s Plan” by Drake – 11
“Candle in the Wind 1997/Something You Look Tonight” by Elton John – 11
“Not Afriad” by Eminem – 11
“Cruise” by Florida Georgia Line – 11
“Dark Horse” by Katy Perry – 11
“Bad Romance” by Lady Gaga – 11
“Uptown Funk” by Mark Ronson with Bruno Mars
“Sugar” by Maroon 5 – 11
“Happy” by Pharrell Williams – 11
“Baby Shark” by Pinkfong – 11
“Congratulations” by Post Maline with Quavo – 11
“Sunflower” from “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse” by Post Maline and Swae Lee – 11
“Starboy” by The Weeknd – 11
“The Hills” by The Weeknd – 11
“See You Again” by Wiz Khalifa with Charlie Puth – 11
“Sail” by Awolnation – 10
“That’s What I Like” by Bruno Mars – 10
“Grenade” by Bruno Mars – 10
“Havana” by Camila Cabello with Young Thug – 10
“I Like it” by Cardi B with J Balvin and Bad Bunny  – 10
“Bodak Yellow” by Cardi B – 10
“Call Me Maybe” by Carly Rae Jepsen – 10
“Tennessee Whiskey” by Chris Stapleton – 10
“A Thousand Years” by Christina Perri – 10
“Perfect” by Ed Sheeran – 10
“Shape of You” by Ed Sheeran – 10
“Trap Queen” by Fetty Wap – 10
“Low” by Flo Rida with T-Pain – 10
“Pumped Up Kicks” by Foster the People – 10
“We Are Young” by Fun. With Janelle Monae
“Life is Good” by Future with Drake – 10
“Believer” by Imagine Dragons – 10
“Demons” by Imagine Dragons – 10
“I’m Yours” by Jason Mraz – 10
“Lucid Dreams” by Juice Wrld – 10
“Sorry” by Justin Bieber – 10
“Stronger” by Kanye West – 10
“Roar” by Katy Perry – 10
“Location” by Khalid – 10
“Poker Face” by Lady Gaga – 10
“Party Rock Anthem” by LMFAO – 10
“Royals” by Lorde – 10
“Thrift Shop” by Macklemore & Ryan Lewis with Wanz – 10
“Lean On” by Major Lazer with Mo and DJ Snake – 10
“All I Want for Christmas is You” by Mariah Carey – 10
“Moves Like Jagger” by Maroon 5 – 10
“Girls Like You” by Maroon 5 with Cardi B – 10
“All About that Bass” by Meghan Trainor – 10
“Party in the U.S.A.” by Miley Cyrus – 10
“Super Bass” by Nicki Minaj – 10
“Counting Stars” by One Republic – 10
“Rockstar” by Post Malone with 21 Savage – 10
“Bohemian Rhapsody” by Queen” – 10
“Blurred Lines” by Robin Thicke – 10
“The Box” by Roddy Ricch – 10
“Stay with Me” by Sam Smith – 10
“Shake it Off” by Taylor Swift – 10
“I Got a Feeling” by the Black Eyed Peas – 10
“Blinding Lights” by The Weeknd – 10
“Hey, Soul Sister” by Train – 10
“Sicko Mode” by Travis Scott with Drake – 10
“Stressed Out” by Twenty One Pilots – 10
“I Will Always Love You” by Whitney Houston – 10
“SAD!” by XXXtentacion – 10