RIAA certification
In the United States, the Recording Industry Association of America awards certification based on the number of sales albums and singles have made.
- Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) certification for sales of 500,000 album units is a Gold album.
- RIAA certification for shipment of 1 million units is a Platinum album.
- RIAA certification for net shipment of 10 million units is a Diamond album.
- Certification for new shipment of 100,000 units is an Oro album.
- Certification of 200,000 units is a Platino album.
- Certification of 400,000 units is a Multi-Platino album.
Some other countries have similar schemes. See Gold album.
The best-selling album of all time is The Eagles' Greatest Hits, which has gone 27 times platinum, meaning it has sold 27 million copies.
List of artists with most platinum albums
These artists have the most gold and platinum albums (each album is counted only once even if the album was certified gold, platinum, and multi-platinum):
- Elvis Presley (80)
- Barbra Streisand (46) (the female with the most multi-platinum titles)
- The Beatles (39)
- The Rolling Stones (38)
- Neil Diamond (37)
- Elton John (32)
- Kenny Rogers/First Edition (28)
- Frank Sinatra(26)
- Bob Dylan (28) (two with The Band)
- Willie Nelson (24)
- George Strait (24) (all 24 have gone gold and platinum)
- Kiss (23)
- Rush (22)
- Alabama (22)
List of artists with most platinum singles
These artists as having the most gold and platinum singles.
- Elvis Presley (24+28)
- The Beatles (18+6)
- Whitney Houston (14+6)
- Janet Jackson (16+3)
- Elton John (13+6)
- Madonna (18)
- Michael Jackson (7+9)
- The Temptations (10+6)
- Mariah Carey (7+8)
- Aretha Franklin (15)
Further research
