News

Hunter Hayes, J. Cole, Jay-Z & Kanye West Earn Certifications *** While F.G.L., Daft Punk, Icona Pop, Mariah Carey, Carrie Underwood & More Receive Top Digital Song Awards

WASHINGTON – Summer album releases by Hunter Hayes, J. Cole, Jay-Z and Kanye West earned swift certifications this season, while a variety of music’s top acts also earned sizzling awards, according to the RIAA’s newest July and August G&P Program certifications tally.

Atlantic Records star Hunter Hayes’ debut “Hunter Hayes” and Roc Nation mogul Jay-Z’s twelfth  solo album “Magna Carta…Holy Grail” (click here for pic of your RIAA team giving Jay-Z his award) each sold more than one million copies to earn timely Platinum plaques, while J. Cole’s “Born Sinner” (Roc Nation/Columbia) and Kanye West’s “Yeezuz” (Def Jam)  each sold more than 500,000 copies to go Gold.  Hunter Hayes also earned his second double-Platinum song award for hot summer song “I Want Crazy.”

Be sure to follow @RIAA on Twitter and “Like” the group’s G&P Facebook page (facebook.com/GoldandPlatinum) to get the latest certification news, artists’ award photos and much more!

First ever RIAA Platinum album awards were awarded to Florida Georgia Line, Kendrick Lamar and Phillip Phillips this summer for their respective 2012 debuts “Here’s To The Good Times” (Republic Nashville), “Good Kid, M.A.A.D. City” (Top Dawg Entertainment) and “The World From The Side Of The Moon”  (19/Interscope).

On the Gold album front, Columbia rock band Train took home their career fifth for “California 37” while Demi Lovato earned her second for “Unbroken” (Hollywood Records).

Florida Georgia Line heated up summer’s G&P count, receiving the highest digital song award (now counting sales and streams): a 5x multi-Platinum for “Cruise” (Republic Nashville).

First double-Platinum song certifications were awarded to futuristic DJ duo Daft Punk, electronic artists Icona Pop, solo singer Anna Kendrick and South Carolina crooner Darius Rucker for their respective summer anthems “Get Lucky” (Columbia), “I Love It” (Atlantic Records), “Cups” (Ume) and “Wagon Wheel” (Capitol Records Nashville).

Mariah Carey’s new song release “Beautiful” (Island/Def Jam) soared to Gold and Platinum status this summer.  Look for her first album in three years “The Art of Letting Go” to be released later this year.

Last but not least, new Gold awards for “See You Again” and “Don’t Forget To Remember Me” brought Carrie Underwood’s career Gold digital single tally to 18 this summer!

In July and August 17 album certifications and 87 digital singles were awarded.  All certifications are calculated by Gelfand, Rennert & Feldman.  Complete lists of all album, single, mastertone and video awards can also be accessed at www.riaa.com.