The 2023 Grammy Awards ceremonies sparked controversy once again when Beyonce lost the Album of the Year category to Harry Styles for her fourth loss in a row. While she did not win the category, Beyond took home four Grammy Awards to become the winningest Grammy winner in history with 32.
But is it the trophy room full of awards or the numbers released for album and singles sales that really count and determine the greatness of an artist?
The RIAA – Recording Industry Association of America keeps track of how many records – albums and singles – bands and artists sell. They award a gold album for 500,000 units sold and a platinum award when an artist sell one million units. The RIAA also awards multiple platinum awards for each additional one million units sold.
Several years ago, the RIAA added a new award – the Diamond Award – given to an artist who has sold 10 million units of a single or album. The RIAA counts only sales made in the United States.
With the advent and popularity of streaming, the RIAA has a formula for adding streamed music into the mix. For a single, 150 streams is equal to one sale unit and 1,500 streams from an album is equal to one album sold.
For a few years, there was a great debate as to who held the number one spot in album sales for a single album between The Eagles and Michael Jackson. While it was very close with each artist leading out the other; The Eagles have finally claimed the top spot by themselves.
Below is a current list of all certified Diamon Awards:
Singles:
“Old Town Road” by Lil Nas X with Billy Ray Cyrus with 17 million
“Sunflower” from “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-verse” by Post Malone and Swae Lee with 17 million
“Closer” by The Chainsmokers with 15 million
“Cruise” by Georgia Florida Line with 14 million
“Somebody That I Used to Know” by Gotye with 14 million
“Radioactive” by Imagine Dragons with 14 million
“All of Me” by John Legend with 14 million
“Congratulations” by Post Maline with Quavo with 14 million
“Just the Way You Are” by Bruno Mars with 13 million
“Tennessee Whiskey” by Chris Stapleton with 13 million
“Love the Way You Lie” by Eminem with Rihanna with 13 million
“Lose Yourself” by Eminem with 13 million
“Despacito” by Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee with 13 million
“Thinking Out Loud” by Ed Sheeran with 12 million
“Baby” by Justin Bieber with Ludacris with 12 million
“Firework” by Katy Perry with 12 million
“All I Want for Christmas is You” by Mariah Carey with 12 million
“Meant to Be” by Bebe Rexha with Florida Georgia Line with 11 million
“When I Was Your Man” by Bruno Mars with 11 million
“I Like it” by Cardi B with J Balvin and Bad Bunny with 11 million
“Bodak Yellow” by Cardi B with 11 million
“Wagon Wheel” by Darius Rucker with 11 million
“Something About the Way You Look Tonight/Candle in the Wind 1997” by Elton John with 11 million
“Not Afraid” by Eminem with 11 million
“Life is Good” by Future with Drake
“Dark Horse” by Katy Perry with 11 million
“Bad Romance” by Lady Gaga with 11 million
“XO Your Llif3” by Lil Uzi Vert with 11 million
“Uptown Funk” by Mark Ronson with Bruno Mars with 11 million
“Sugar” by Maroon 5 with 11 million
“Party in the U.S.A.” by Miley Cyrus with 11 million
“Happy” by Pharrell Williams with 11 million
“Baby Shark by Pinkfong with 11 million
“The Hills” by The Weeknd with 11 million
“Starboy” by The Weeknd with 11 million
“Hey, Soul Sister” by Train with 11 million
“See You Again” by Wiz Khalifia with Charlie Puth
“Sail” by Awolnation with 10 million
“Grenade” by Bruno Mars with 10 million
“That’s What I Like” by Bruno Mars with 10 million
“Locked Out of Heaven” by Bruno Mars with 10 million
“Havana” by Camila Cabello with Young Thug with 10 million
“Call Me Maybe” by Carley Rae Jepsen with 10 million
“A Thousand Years” by Christina Perri with 10 million
“Hotline Bling” by Drake with 10 million
“One Dance” by Drake with Wizkid and Kyla with 10 million
“Perfect” by Ed Sheeran with 10 million
“Shape of You” by Ed Sheeran with 10 million
“Trap Queen” by Fetty Wap with 10 million
“Low” by Flo Rida with T-Pain with 10 million
“Pumped Up Kicks” by Foster the People with 10 million
“Unforgettable” by French Montana with Swae Lee with 10 million
“We are Young” by Fun. With Janelle Monae with 10 million
“Without Me” by Halsey with 10 million
“Believer” by Imagine Dragons with 10 million
“Thunder” by Imagine Dragons with 10 million
“Demons” by Imagine Dragons with 10 million
“I’m Yours” by Jason Mraz with 10 million
“Lucid Dreams” by Juice Wrld with 10 million
“Sorry” by Justin Bieber with 10 million
“Stronger” by Kanye West with 10 million
“Roar” by Katy Perry with 10 million
“Location” by Khalid with 10 million
“Pursuit of Happiness (Nightmare) by Kid Cudi with 10 million
“Poker Face” by Lady Gaga with 10 million
“Drip too Hard” by Lil Baby & Gunna
“Lollipop” by Lil Wayne with Static Major with 10 million
“Party Rock Anthem” by LMFAO with 10 million
“Royals” by Lorde with 10 million
“Can’t Hold Us” by Maclemore & Ryan Lewis with Ray Dalton with 10 million
“Thrift Shop” by Maclemore & Ryan Lewis with Wanz with 10 million
“Lean on” by Major Lazer with Mo & DJ Snake with 10 million
“Moves Like Jagger” by Maroon 5 with 10 million
“Girls Like You” by Maroon 5 with Cardi B with 10 million
“All About that Bass” by Meghan Trainor with 10 million
“Thriller” by Michael Jackson with 10 million
“Billie Jean” by Michael Jackson with 10 million
“Super Bass” by Nicki Minaj with 10 million
“Counting Stars” by One Republic with 10 million
“Fireflies” by Owl City with 10 million
“Timber” by Pitbull and Kesha with 10 million
“White Iverson” by Post Malone with 10 million
“Psycho” by Post Malone and Ty Dolla $ign with 10 million
“Rockstar” by Post Malone and 21 Savage with 10 million
“Bohemian Rhapsody” by Queen with 10 million
“Blurred Lines” by Robin Thicke, T.I., and Pharrell Williams with 10 million
“The Box” by Roddy Ricch with 10 million
“Stay With Me” by Sam Smith with 10 million
“Shake it Off” by Taylor Swift with 10 million
“I Gotta Feeling” by The Black Eyed Peas with 10 million
“Don’t Let Me Down” by The Chainsmokers and Daya with 10 million
“Something Just Like This” by The Chainsmokers and Coldplay with 10 million
“Blinding Lights” by The Weeknd with 10 million
“Sicko Mode” by Travis Scott and Drake with 10 million
“Stressed Out” by Twenty One Pilots with 10 million
“Heathens” by Twenty One Pilots with 10 million
“I Will Always Love You” by Whitney Houston with 10 million
“Sad!” by XXXTentacion with 10 million
Albums:
“Eagles: Their Greatest Hits 1971-1975” by The Eagles with 38 million
“Thriller” by Michael Jackson with 34 million
“Hotel California” by The Eagles with 26 million
“Back in Black” by AC/DC with 25 million
“Led Zeppelin IV” by Led Zeppelin with 24 million
“The Beatles” by The Beatles with 24 million
“Greatest Hits Volume I & II” by Billy Joel with 23 million
“The Wall” by Pink Floyd with 23 million
“Double Live” by Garth Brooks with 21 million
“Cracked Rear View” by Hootie & the Blowfish with 21 million
“Rumours” by Fleetwood Mac with 20 million
“Come on Over” by Shania Twain with 20 million
“No Fences” by Garth Brooks with 18 million
“Appetite for Destruction” by Guns N’ Roses with 18 million
“The Bodyguard” soundtrack by Whitney Houston with 18 million
“Boston” by Boston with 17 million
“Born in the U.S.A.” by Bruce Springsteen
“Greatest Hits” by Elton John with 17 million
“The Beatles 1967-1970” by The Beatles with 17 million
“Jagged Little Pill” by Alanis Morissette with 16 million
“Saturday Night Fever” soundtrack by the Bee Gees with 16 million
“Physical Graffiti” by Led Zeppelin with 16 million
“Metallica” by Metallica with 16 million
“Legend” by Bob Marley & The Wailers with 15 million
“God’s Plan” by Drake with 15 million
“Greatest Hits” by Journey with 15 million
“Dark Side of the Moon” by Pink Floyd with 15 million
“Supernatural” by Santana with 15 million
“Greatest Hits 1974-1978” by the Steve Miller Band
“The Beatles 1962-1966” by The Beatles with 15 million
“21” by Adele with 14 million
“Backstreet Boys” by the Backstreet Boys with 14 million
“…Baby One More Time” by Britney Spears with 14 million
“Tapestry” by Carole King with 14 million
“Ropin’ the Wind” by Garth Brooks in 14 million
“Bat Out of Hell” by Meat Loaf with 14 million
“Simon & Garfunkel’s Greatest Hits” by Simon & Garfunkel with 14 million
“Dirty Dancing” soundtrack by various artists with 14 million
“Whitney Houston” by Whitney Houston with 14 million
“Millennium” by the Backstreet Boys with 13 million
“Bruce Springsteen & E Street Band Live 1975-1985” by Bruck Springsteen with 13 million
“Ten” by Pearl Jam with 13 million
“Purple Rain” soundtrack by Prince & The Revolution with 13 million
“Wide Open Spaces” by The Chicks with 13 million
“Aerosmith’s Greatest Hits” by Aerosmith with 12 million
“Slippery When Wet” by Bon Jovi with 12 million
“II” by Boyz II Men with 12 million
“Falling into You” by Celine Dion with 12 million
“Hysteria” by Def Leppard with 12 million
“The Eminem Show” by Eminem with 12 million
“Pieces of You” by Jewel with 12 million
“Breathless” by Kenny G with 12 million
“Kenny Rogers Greatest Hits” by Kenny Rogers with 12 million
“Led Zeppelin II” by Led Zeppelin with 12 million
“Hybrid Theory” by Linkin Park with 12 million
“Yourself or Someone Like You” by Matchbox Twenty with 12 million
“Come Away with Me” by Norah Jones with 12 million
“No Jacket Required” by Phil Collins with 12 million
“The Woman in Me” by Shania Twain with 12 million
“Forrest Gump” soundtrack by Various Artists with 12 million
“Abbey Road” by The Beatles with 12 million
“Hot Rocks” by The Rolling Stones with 12 million
“Crezysexycool” by TLC with 12 million
“Greatest Hits” by Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers with 12 million
“25” by Adele with 11 million
“The Stranger” by Billy Joel with 11 million
“Let’s Talk About Love” by Celine Dion with 11 million
“Human Clay” by Creed with 11 million
“Eagles Greatest Hits Volume II” by the Eagles with 11 million
“The Marshall Mathers LP” by Eminem with 11 million
“James Taylor’s Greatest Hits” by James Taylor with 11 million
“Devil Without a Cause” by Kid Rock
“Houses of the Holy” by Led Zeppelin with 11 million
“Daydream” by Mariah Carey with 11 million
“Bad” by Michael Jackson with 11 million
“No Strings Attached” by N’Sync with 11 million
“Speakerboxxx/ The Love Below” by Outkast with 11 million
“Up!” by Shania Twain with 11 million
“Titanic” soundtrack by Various Artists with 11 million
“1” by The Beatles with 11 million
“Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band” by The Beatles with 11 million
“Fly” by The Chicks with 11 million
“Life After Death” by The Notorious B.I.G. with 11 million
“Greatest Hits” by 2 Pac with 10 million
“All Eyez on Me” by 2 Pac with 10 million
“Licensed to Ill” by the Beastie Boys with 10 million
“Greatest Hits” by Bob Seger & The Silver Bullett Band with 10 million
“Oops!…I Did it Again” by Britney Spears with 10 million
“Chronicle: 20 Greatest Hits” by Credence Clearwater Revival with 10 million
“Pyromania” by Def Leppard with 10 million
“Best of the Doobies” by the Doobie Brothers with 10 million
“Elvis’ Christmas Album” by Elvis Presley with 10 million
“Curtain Call the Hits” by Eminem with 10 million
“Unplugged” by Eric Clapton with 10
“Fallen” by Evanescence with 10 million
“The Hits” by Garth Brooks with 10 million
“Sevens” by Garth Brooks with 10 million
“The Ultimate Hits” by Garth Brooks with 10 million
“In Pieces” by Garth Brooks with 10 million
“The Chase” by Garth Brooks with 10 million
“Garth Brooks” by Garth Brooks with 10 million
“Faith” by George Michael with 10 million
“Dookie” by Green Day with 10 million
“Please Hammer Don’t Hurt Me” by Hammer
“Escape” by Journey with 10 million
“The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill” by Lauryn Hill with 10 million
“Led Zeppelin” by Led Zeppelin with 10 million
“Can’t Slow Down” by Lionel Richie with 10 million
“Like a Virgin” by Madonna with 10 million
“Music Box” by Mariah Carey with 10 million
“N’Sync” by N’Sync with 10 million
“Country Grammar” by Nelly with 10 million
“All the Right Reasons” by Nickelback with 10 million
“Nevermind” by Nirvana with 10 million
“Tragic Kingdom” by No Doubt with 10 million
“Greatest Hits” by Patsy Cline with 10 million
“High Infidelity” by REO Speedwagon with 10 million
“Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness” by Smashing Pumpkins with 10 million
“The Lion King” soundtrack by Elton John with 10 million
“Songs in the Key of Life” by Stevie Wonder with 10 million
“Fearless” by Taylor Swift” with 10 million
“The Best of the Doors” by The Doors with 10 million
“The Joshua Tree” by U2 with 10 million
“Confessions” by Usher with 10 million
“1984 (MCMLXXXIV)” by Van Halen with 10 million
“Van Halen” by Van Halen with 10 million
“Whitney” by Whitney Houston with 10 million
Feature photo credit: Platinum records, Prince, Bruce Springsteen, Juliens Auctions Preview 2011-03-08.jpg