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Music recording sales certification
Music recording sales certification is a system of certifying that a music recording has sold a certain number of copies. Almost all countries follow variations of the RIAA certification categories, which are named after the precious materials gold, platinum and diamond (silver is also used in some countries). The number of sales required for these awards vary depending on the population of the territory in which the album is released. Normally they are awarded only to albums released at least nationally, and are awarded individually for each country in which the album is sold. Additionally, different sales levels may exist for different music media, such as albums, singles or videos. Originally applied to LP records, certification is now most commonly awarded for compact disc sales. Certification is usually awarded cumulatively, and it is possible for a single album to be certified silver, gold, and platinum in turn. An album that becomes platinum twice over is said to be "double platinum".
History
The original "Gold Record" awards were presented to artists by their own record companies to publicize the achievement of 1,000,000 sales. The first of these was awarded by RCA to Glenn Miller in February 1942, celebrating 1,200,000 sales of "Chattanooga Choo Choo". Another example of a company award is the gold record awarded to Elvis Presley in 1956 for 1,000,000 sales of the single "Hound Dog". This has led to controversy over how to determine the placings for the biggest selling artists of all time, and claims that some gold albums should be disregarded or even retroactively withdrawn although they were legitimately awarded at the time.
RIAA certification
Several different thresholds have been in use at different times and places for both album and single awards. Some of these were based on units sold and others on the value of retail sales. The first official designation of a "gold record" by the RIAA was established for singles in 1958, and the RIAA also trademarked the term "gold record" in the United States. On March 14, 1958 the RIAA certified Perry Como's hit single "Catch a Falling Star" as its first ever "gold record". Later that year, the Elvis Presley hit "Hard Headed Woman" became the first rock and roll single to earn the RIAA designation. Like many record industry awards and rankings, the measurement is usually based on wholesale shipments to all types of retail outlets, not actual retail sales or financial transactions. This means that an early award or ranking for a new release reflects a distributor's expectations for the album and their market power.
IFPI certification
The International Federation of Phonogram and Videogram Producers (IFPI) awards the IFPI Platinum Europe Award for album sales over one million within Europe. Multi-platinum Europe Awards are presented for sales in subsequent multiples of a million. The award, which was inaugurated in 1996, is not restricted to European group artists.
List of international sales certification thresholds
Most countries have only one threshold series, but some have different categories with different quantities to achieve a mark. Popular categorizations include:
Country / Certifier / Classification / Silver / Gold / Platinum / Diamond
Argentina CAPIF All - 20,000 40,000 250,000 2006 [1]
Austria IFPI Albums and Singles - 15,000 30,000 - 2006 [2]
DVDs - 5,000 10,000 -
Australia ARIA Albums and Singles - 35,000 70,000 - 2006 [3]
Music Videos - 7,500 15,000 -
Belgium IFPI Native artists - 15,000 30,000 - 2006 [4]PDF
Foreign artists - 25,000 50,000 -
Brazil [1] ABPD Albums - 100,000 250,000 1,000,000 2006 [5]
Singles - 25,000 50,000 100,000
DVDs - 25,000 50,000 100,000
Canada CRIA Albums - 50,000 100,000 1,000,000 2006 [6]
Singles - 5,000 10,000 100,000
DVDs - 5,000 10,000 100,000
Digital Music (Legal Downloads) - 10,000 20,000 200,000
Denmark IFPI Albums - 20,000 40,000 - 2006 [7]
Singles/Musicvideo DVD - 4,000 8,000 -
Entertainment DVD - 20,000 40,000 -
Finland IFPI Albums - 15,000 30,000 - 2006 [8]
Singles - 5,000 10,000 -
DVD - 5,000 10,000 -
France [2] SNEP Albums 40,000 75,000 200,000 750,000 2006 [9]
Singles 100,000 200,000 300,000 500,000
Germany IFPI Albums - 100,000 200,000 - 2006 [10]PDF
Singles - 150,000 300,000 -
Greece IFPI Albums (domestic) - 20,000 40,000 - 2006 [11]PDF
Albums (foreign) - 10,000 20,000 -
Singles - 10,000 20,000 -
Music videos - 5,000 10,000 -
Hungary Mahasz Albums (domestic) - 7,500 15,000 - 2006 [12]
Albums (foreign) - 3,000 6,000 -
Jazz/world music/classic/single/spoken word releases - 1,500 3,000 -
India [3] IMI International - 10,000 20,000 - 2006 [13]
Classical/non-classical - 10,000 40,000 -
Regional Basic - 60,000 120,000 -
National Basic - 100,000 200,000 -
Indonesia ?? Albums - 75,000 150,000 1,500,000 2005 [citation needed]
Israel IFPI All - 20,000 40,000 - 2006 [citation needed]
Italy FIMI Albums 20,000 40,000 80,000 400,000 2006 [14]PDF
Singles - 10,000 20,000 -
Japan RIAJ All - 100,000 250,000 1,000,000[4] 2005 [15]PDF
Malaysia RIM All - 15,000 25,000 150,000 2003 [citation needed]
Mexico [5] AMPROFON Albums - 100,000 200,000 500,000 2006 [citation needed]
Music DVDs - 10,000 20,000 100,000
Netherlands NVPI Albums (popular) - 35,000 70,000 - 2006 [16]
Albums (classical/jazz) - 15,000 25,000 -
Singles - 40,000 60,000 -
New Zealand RIANZ Albums - 7,500 15,000 - 2006 [17]
Singles - 5,000 10,000 -
Music videos - 2,500 5,000 -
Norway IFPI Albums - 20,000 40,000 - 2002 [18]
Singles/Musicvideo DVD - 5,000 10,000 -
Philippines PRIMA All 15,000 30,000 1,000,000 2004 [citation needed]
Poland ZPAV Singles - 10,000 20,000 100,000 2006 [19]
Album (domestic pop artists) - 15,000 30,000 150,000
Album (foreign pop artists) - 10,000 20,000 100,000
Album (jazz/classical) - 5,000 10,000 50,000
Album (soundtrack) - 10,000 20,000 100,000
Music video - 5,000 10,000 50,000
Music video (classical/jazz) - 2,500 5,000 25,000
DVD - 5,000 10,000 -
Portugal AFP All - 10,000 20,000 - 2006 [citation needed]
Republic of Ireland IRMA Albums - 7,500 10,000 - - [citation needed]
Singles - 7,500 10,000 15,000
Singapore RIAS All - 10,000 15,000 - 2006 [citation needed]
South Africa RISA Albums - 25,000 50,000 - 2005 [20]
Spain PROMUSICAE Albums - 40,000 80,000 - 2005[6] [21]
Singles - 10,000 20,000 -
Sweden IFPI Singles - 10,000 20,000 2006 [22]
Album - 30,000 60,000 -
Classic Albums - 10,000 20,000 -
Jazz Albums - 10,000 20,000 -
Folkmusik Albums - 10,000 20,000 -
DVD - 10,000 20,000 -
Switzerland IFPI All - 15,000 30,000 - 2006 [23]
DVD 3,000 6,000 - -
Turkey MÜ-YAP Albums - 100,000 200,000 300,000 2006 [24]
Ukraine UMA Native artists 50,000 100,000 500,000 - 2003 [25]
Foreign artists 25,000 50,000 200,000 -
United Kingdom BPI Albums 60,000 100,000 300,000 - 2006 [26]
Singles 200,000 400,000 600,000 -
United States [7] [8] RIAA Albums and Singles - 500,000 1,000,000 10,000,000 2006 [27]
Music Videos - 50,000 100,000 -
Digital Music (Legal Downloads) - 500,000 1,000,000 -
Uruguay CUD All - 2,000 4,000 - 2006 [28]
Vietnam [???] All - 5,000 10,000 - 2006 [citation needed]
Country Certifier Classification Thresholds Info as of Source reference
Silver Gold Platinum Diamond
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