Taylor Swift has recently started her Eras Tour and is packing houses wherever she plays.  As a result, social media has been filled with bits of information on her being the first female or the only female to achieve a milestone on the music charts.

According to the RIAA – Record Industry Association of America – Swift has eleven gold records, eleven platinum records – nine of which are multi-platinum, and two Diamond Awards – one album and one single – for selling 10 million copies.  According to the RIAA 1,500 streams of one song equals one single sale; 1,500 streams of songs from an album equals one album sale.

RIAA awards count singles, albums, and long form (concert) videos.  RIAA certifications are for the United States only.

Swift’s album “Fearless” became the first album to be certified Diamond in 2017.  She has a total of 106.5 million total single awards across 52 singles.

The RIAA began tracking record sales in 1958 when only vinyl records were sold.  In 2003, they began tracking digital sales and they began tracking streaming numbers in 2013.

Nearly all RIAA certified awards today count physical sales, digital download sales, and streaming with 500,00 equaling gold, one million equaling a platinum award, and multi-platinum begins at two million.  Diamond Awards are given out only once and begin at 10 million.

Other notable achievements in music:

Country music’s Shania Twain has three Diamon Award albums – “Up”, “The Woman in Me”, and “Come On Over” – the only female to have three albums on the Diamon Award list.  “Come on Over” puts her at the top of the female artist list with 20 million.

The Eagles top the list on the Diamon Award chart with 38 million in sales for the “Eagles/Their Greatest Hits 1971-1975”.  They also hold the number three spot with “Hotel California”.  The Eagles have racked up 101 million in album sales across 13 albums.

Lady Gaga’s “Bad Romance” was the first Digital Diamond Award recipient.

While Taylor Swfit has a total of 106.5 million in singles sales across 52 singles; Rihanna was the first female artist to cross the 100 million mark and continues to hold the lead with 121 million across 43 songs.

Shania Twain has three Diamond certified albums on the list; but Katy Perry has put three of her singles on the Diamon Award list – “Roar”, “Dark Horse”, and “Firework”.


The Diamond Award Chart:

Albums:
The Eagles “Eagles/Their Greatest Hits 1971-1975” – 38 million
Michael Jackson “Thriller” – 34 million
Eagles “Hotel California” – 26 million
AC/DC “Back in Black” – 25 million
Led Zeppelin “Led Zeppelin IV” – 24 million
The Beatles “The Beatles” – 24 million
Billy Joel “Greatest Hits Volume I & Volume II” – 23 million
Pink Floyd “The Wall” – 23 million
Garth Brooks “Double Live” – 21 million
Hootie & The Blowfish “Cracked Rear View” – 21 million
Fleetwood Mac “Rumours” – 20 million
Shania Twain “Come on Over” – 20 million
Garth Brooks “No Fences” – 18 million
Guns N’ Roses “Appetite for Destruction” – 18 million
Whitney Houston “The Bodyguard” soundtrack – 18 million
Boston “Boston” – 17 million
Bruce Springsteen “Born in the U.S.A.” – 17 million
Elton John “Greatest Hits” – 17 million
The Beatles “The Beatles 1967-1970” – 17 million
Alanis Morissette “Jagged Little Pill” – 16 million
Bee Gees “Saturday Night Fever” soundtrack – 16 million
Led Zeppelin “Physical Graffiti” – 16 million
Metallica “Metallica” – 16 million
Bob Marley & The Wailers “Legend” – 15 million
Journey “Greatest Hits” – 15 million
Pink Floyd “Dark Side of the Moon” – 15 million
Santana “Supernatural” – 15 million
Steve Miller Band “Greatest Hits 1974-1978” – 15 million
The Beatles “The Beatles 1962-1966” – 15 million
Adele “21” – 14 million
Backstreet Boys “Backstreet Boys” – 14 million
Britney Spears “…Baby One More Time” – 14 million
Carole King “Tapestry” – 14 million
Garth Brooks “Ropin’ the Wind” – 14 million
Meat Loaf “Bat Out of Hell” – 14 million
Simon and Garfunkel “Simon and Garfunkel’s Greatest Hits” – 14 million
“Dirty Dancing” soundtrack – 14 million
Whitney Houston “Whitney Houston” – 14 million
Backstreet Boys “Millennium” – 13 million
Bruce Springsteen “Bruce Springsteen & E Street Band Live 1975-‘85” – 13 million
Pearl Jam “Ten” – 13 million
Prince & The Revolution “Purple Rain” soundtrack – 13 million
The Chicks “Wide Open Spaces” – 13 million
Aerosmith “Aerosmith’s Greatest Hits” – 12 million
Bon Jovi “Slpeery When Wet” – 12 million
Boyz II Men “II” – 12 million
Celine Dion “Falling into You” – 12 million
Def Leppard “Hysteria” – 12 million
Eminem “The Eminem Show” – 12 million
Jewel “Pieces of You” – 12 million
Kenny G “Breathless” – 12 million
Kenny Rogers “Kenny Rogers’ Greatest Hits” – 12 million
Led Zeppelin “Led Zeppelin II” – 12 million
LInkin Park “Hybrid Theory” – 12 million
Matchbox Twenty “ Yourself or Someone Like You” – 12 Million
Norah Jones “Come Away with Me” – 12 million
Phil Collins “No Jacket Required” – 12 million
Shania Twain “The Woman in Me” – 12 million
“Forrest Gump” soundtrack – 12 million
The Beatles “Abbey Road” – 12 million
The Rolling Stones “Hot Rocks” – 12 million
TLC “CrazySexyCool” – 12 million
Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers “Greatest Hits” – 12 million
Adele “25” – 11 million
Billy Joel “The Stranger” – 11 million
Celine Dion “Let’s Tak About Love” – 11 million
Creed “Human Clay” – 11 million
Eagles “Eagles Greatest Hit Volume II” – 11 million
Eminem “The Marshall Mathers LP” – 11 million
James Taylor “James Taylor’s Greatest Hits” – 11 million
Kid Rock “Devil Without a Cause” – 11 million
Led Zeppelin “Houses of the Holy” – 11 million
Mariah Carey “Daydream” – 11 million
Michael Jackson “Bad” – 11 million
N Sync” No Strings Attached” – 11 million
Outkast “Speakerboxxx/The Love Below” – 11 million
Shania Twain “Up” – 11 million
“Titanic” soundtrack – 11 million
“The Beatles “1” – 11 million
“The Beatles “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band” – 11 million
The Chicks “Fly” – 11 million
The Notorious B.I.G. “Life After Death” – 11 million
2 Pac “Greatest Hits” – 10 million
2 Pac “All Eyes on Me” – 10 million
Beastie Boys “Licensed to Ill” – 10 million
Bob Seger & The Silver Bullet Band “ Greatest Hits” – 10 million
Britney Spears “Oops!…I Did it Again” – 10 million
Creedence Clearwater Revival “Chronicle: 20 Greatest Hits” – 10 million
Def Leppard “Pyromania” – 10 million
Doobie Brothers “Best of the Doobies” – 10 million
Elvis Presley “Elvis’ Christmas Album” – 10 million
Eminem “Curtain Call: The Hits” – 10 million
Eric Clapton “Unplugged” – 10 million
Evanescence “Fallen” – 10 million
Garth Brooks “The Hits” – 10 million
Garth Brooks “Sevens” – 10 million
Garth Brooks “In Pieces” – 10 million
Garth Brooks “The Chase” – 10 million
Garth Brooks “Garth Brooks” – 10 million
Garth Brooks “The Ultimate Hits” – 10 million
George Michael “Faith” – 10 million
Green Day “Dookie” – 10 million
Hammer “Please Hammer Don’t Hurt ‘Em” – 10 million
Journey “Escape” – 10 million
Lauryn Hill “The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill” – 10 million
Led Zeppelin “Led Zeppelin” – 10 million
Lionel Richie “Can’t Slow Down” – 10 million
Madonna “The Immaculate Collection” – 10 million
Madonna “Like a Virgin” – 10 million
Mariah Carey “Music Box” – 10 million
N Sync “N Sync” – 10 million
Nelly “Country Grammar” – 10 million
Nickelback “All the Right Reasons” – 10 million
Nirvana “Nevermind” – 10 million
No Doubt “Tragic Kingdom” – 10 million
Patsy Cline “Greatest Hits” – 10 million
R.E.O. Speedwagon “Hi Infidelity” – 10 million
Smashing Pumpkins “Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness” – 10 million
“The Lion King” soundtrack – 10 million
Stevie Wonder “Songs in the Key of Life” – 10 million
Taylor Swift “Fearless” – 10 million
The Doors “Best of the Doors” – 10 million
U2 “The Joshua Tree” – 10 million
Usher “Confessions” – 10 million
Van Halen “Van Halen” – 10 million
Van Halen “1984 (MCMLXXXIV)” – 10 million
Whitney Houston “ Whitney” – 10 million
ZZ Top “Eliminator” – 10 million

Singles:
Lil Nas X with Billy Ray Cyrus “Old Town Road” – 17 million
Post Maline & Swae Lee “Sunflower” from “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse” – 17 million
Drake “God’s Plan” – 15 million
The Chainsmokers “Closer” – 15 million
Chris Stapleton “Tennessee Whiskey” – 14 million
Florida Georgia Line “Cruise” – 14 million
Gotye “Somebody That I Used to Know” – 14 million
Imagine Dragons “Radioactive” – 14 million
John Legend “All of Me” – 14 million
Post Malone with Quavo “Congratulations” – 14 million
Bruno Mars “Just the Way You Are” – 13 million
Eminem “Lose Yourself” – 13 million
Eminem with Rihanna “Love the Way you Lie” – 13 million
Luis Fonsi & Daddy Yankee “Despacito” – 13 million
Ed Sheeran “Thinking Out Loud” – 12 million
Hozier “Take Me to Church” – 12 million
Justin Bieber with Ludacris “Baby” – 12 million
Katy Perry “Firework” – 12 million
Mariah Carey “All I Want for Christmas is You” – 12 million
Miley Cyrus “Party in the U.S.A.” – 12 million
Bebe Rexha with Florida Georgia Line “Meant to Be” – 11 million
Bruno Mars “ When I Was Your Man” – 11 million
Cardi B with J Balvin and Bad Bunny “I Like it” – 11 million
Cardi B “Bodak Yellow” – 11 million
Darius Rucker “Wagon Wheel” – 11 million
Elton John “Something About the Way You Look Tonight/Candle in the Wind” – 11 million
Eminem “Not Afraid” – 11 million
Future with Drake “Life is Good” – 11 million
Justin Bieber “Sorry” – 11 million
Katy Perry “Dark Horse” – 11 million
Lady A “Need You Now” – 11 million
Lady Gaga “Bad Romance” – 11 million
Lady Gaga “Just Dance” – 11 million
Lil Uzi Vert “XO Tour LLIF3” – 11 million
Mark Ronson with Bruno Mars – “Uptown Funk” – 11 million
Maroon 5 “Sugar” – 11 million
Pharrell Williams “Happy” – 11 million
Pinkfong “Baby Shark” – 11 million
The Neighbourhood “Sweater Weather” – 11 million
The Weeknd “The Hills” – 11 million
The Weeknd “Starboy” – 11 million
Train “ Hey, Soul Sister” – 11 million
Wiz Khalifa with Charlie Puth “See You Again” – 11 million
Awolnation “Sail” – 10 million
Bruno Mars “That’s What I Like” – 10 million
Bruno Mars “Grenade” – 10 million
Camila Cabello with Young Thug “Havana” – 10 million
Carly Rae Jepsen “ Call Me Maybe” – 10 million
Christina Perri “A Thousand Years” – 10 million
Drake with Wizkid and Kyla “One Dance” – 10 million
Drake “Hotline Bling” – 10 million
Ed Sheeran “Shape of You” – 10 million
Ed Sheeran “Perfect” – 10 million
Fetty Wap “Trap Queen” – 10 million
Flo Rida with T. Pain “Low” – 10 million
Foster the People “Pumped Up Kicks” – 10 million
French Montana with Swae Lee “Unforgettable” – 10 million
Fun. With Janelle Monae “We are Young” – 10 million
Halsey “Without Me” – 10 million
Imagine Dragons “Demon” – 10 million
Imagine Dragons “Thunder” – 10 million
Imagine Dragons “Believer” – 10 million
James Arthur “Say You Won’t Let Go” – 10 million
Jason Mraz “I’m Yours” – 10 million
Juice Wrld “Lucid Dreams” – 10 million
Kanye West (Ye) – “Stronger” – 10 million
Katy Perry “Roar” – 10 million
Khalid “ Location” – 10 million
Kid Cudi with Nightmare “ Pursuit of Happiness” – 10 million
Lady Gaga “Poker Face” – 10 million
Lil Baby and Gunna “Drip too Hard” – 10 million
Lil Wayne with Static Major “Lollipop” – 10 million
LMFAO “Party Rock Anthem” – 10 million
Lorde “Royals” – 10 million
Macklemore & Ryan Lewis with Ray Dalton “Can’t Hold Us” – 10 million
Macklemore & Ryan Lewis with Wanz “Thrift Shop” – 10 million
Major Lazer with Mo and DJ Snake “Lean On” – 10 million
Maroon 5 “Moves Like Jagger” – 10 million
Maroon 5 with Cardi B “Girls Like You” – 10 million
Meghan Trainor “All About that Bass” – 10 million
Michael Jackson “Billie Jean” – 10 million
Michael Jackson “Thriller” – 10 million
Nicki Minaj “Super Bass” – 10 million
One Republic “Counting Stars” – 10 million
Owl City “Fireflies” – 10 million
Pitbull with Kesha “Timber” – 10 million
Post Malone “I Fall Apart” – 10 million
Post Malone “White Iverson” – 10 million
Post Malone with 21 Savage “Rockstar” – 10 million
Post Malone “Better Now” – 10 million
Post Malone with Ty Dolla $ign “Psycho” – 10 million
Post Malone “Circles” – 10 million
Queen “Bohemian Rhapsody” – 10 million
Robin Thicke with T.I. and Pharrell Williams “Blurred Lines” – 10 million
Roddy Ricch “The Box” – 10 million
Sam Smith “Stay with Me” – 10 million
Taylor Swift “Shake it Off” – 10 million
Black Eyed Peas “I Gotta Feeling” – 10 million
The Chainsmokers with Daya “Don’t Let Me Down” – 10 million
The Chainsmokers and Coldplay “Something Just Like This” – 10 million
The Weeknd “Blinding Lights” – 10 million
The Weeknd “Earned It” from “Fifty Shades of Grey” – 10 million
The Weeknd “Can’t Feel My Face” – 10 million
Travis Scott with Drake “Sicko Mode” – 10 million
Twenty One Pilots “Heathens” – 10 million
Twenty One Pilots “Stressed Out” – 10 million
Whitney Houston “I Will Always Love You” – 10 million
XXXTentacion “Sad!” – 10 million



Feature photo credit: RIAA logo colored.svg