TJ Chapman: Decade Of Meteoric Sales Of Mostly Mediocre Music

Decade Of Meteoric Sales Of Mostly Mediocre Music

(UPDATED) The recorded music industry may feel like its in a death spiral, but that didn't stop The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) from releasing a celebratory tally of the decade's highest Gold and Platinum award achievemecelnts.
TOP ARTIST TALLIES
Each level of multi-Platinum counts as its own unit and contributes to the tally. Only music released, as well as certifications granted, during 2000 - 2009 are included. Most total certifications (includes cumulative album, digital song, master ringtone, and music video certifications):

Group: The Eagles – 48 (Warner)

Male solo artist: Michael Jackson – 44 (Sony/Epic)

Female solo artist: Beyonce – 64 (Sony/Columbia)

Most album certifications:

Group: Nickelback – 25 (Roadrunner)

Male solo artist: George Strait – 29 (UMG/MCA Nashville)

Female solo artist: Britney Spears – 23 (Sony/Jive)

Most digital song certifications:

Group: Linkin Park – 13 (Warner)

Male solo artist: Kanye West – 19 (UMG/Def Jam)

Female solo artist: Taylor Swift – 25 (Big Machine)

Most master ringtone certifications:

Male solo artist: T.I. – 15 (WMG/Atlantic/Grand Hustle)

Female solo artist: Beyonce – 19 (Sony/Columbia)

HIGHEST CERTIFIED RELEASES
*Format is: (record label/year released)
Highest certified album:

Group: *NSYNC’s No Strings Attached (Sony/Jive, 2000), – 11x Platinum & OutKast’s Speakerboxxx/The Love Below – 11x Platinum (LaFace/Jive, 2003)

Male solo artist: Usher’s Confessions – 10x Platinum (LaFace/Jive, 2004)

Female solo artist: Shania Twain’s Up! – 11x Platinum (UMG/Mercury Nashville, 2002)

Highest certified digital song:

Group: Coldplay’s “Viva La Vida” – 3x multi-Platinum (EMI/Capitol, 2008) and The Fray’s “How to Save a Life” – 3x multi-Platinum (Sony/Epic, 2006)

Male solo artist: Flo Rida’s “Low” – 5x multi-Platinum (Warner/Atlantic, 2008)

Female solo artist: Lady Gaga’s “Just Dance” – 4x multi-Platinum (UMG/Interscope, 2008) and Taylor Swift’s “Love Story” – 4x multi-Platinum (Big Machine, 2008)

Highest certified master ringtone:

Group: D4L’s “Laffy Taffy” – 3x multi-Platinum (Atlantic, 2006), Hinder’s “Lips of an Angel” – 3x multi-Platinum (Universal Records, 2006), and Shop Boyz’ “Party Like a Rockstar” –3x multi-Platinum (Universal, 2007)

Male solo artist: Lil Wayne’s “Lollipop” – 5x multi-Platinum (Universal/Cash Money, 2008)

Female solo artist: Beyonce’s “Irreplaceable” – 3x multi-Platinum (Sony/Columbia, 2006)

NOTABLE DECADE DATES
January 3, 2000 LeAnn Rimes’ self-titled 1999 Curb album becomes the decade’s first Platinum album
May 10, 2001 *NSYNC’s 2000 Jive album No Strings Attached is certified the first decade’s Diamond album of the decade
July 29, 2003 The decade’s top certified artist – Beyonce – receives her very first Gold album award for Dangerously in Love (Columbia, 2003). The album is currently 4x multi-Platinum

September 23, 2004 The decade’s highest certified album by a female solo artist – Shania Twain’s Up! – reaches 11x multi-Platinum

October 22, 2004 Digital Single award introduced. 45 titles were included in the initial group of certifications, encompassing tracks from each major recording company and representing nearly every genre in music

October 7, 2005 Interscope artist Gwen Stefani’s “Hollaback Girl” becomes first digital single to sell one million units

January 7, 2005 Warner band Linkin Park earns a Diamond award for Hybrid Theory (2000)

February 15, 2005 Norah Jones’ debut Blue Note album Come Away with Me turns Diamond three years after its release

April 15, 2005 The Beatles earn their 5th Diamond award for 1 (Apple Corps Ltd./Capitol, 2000)

November 1, 2006 Capitol Nashville country artist Garth Brooks takes Double Live (2008) 21x multi-Platinum. Garth Brooks is currently the best-selling solo artist in history having certified more than 128 million units to date

June 2006 Master Ringtone award introduced. The Black Eyed Peas, Chamillionaire, D4L, T-Pain earn the RIAA’s first multi-Platinum ringtone certifications

January 10, 2007 Daniel Powter’s “Bad Day” goes double-Platinum to become the RIAA’s first multi-Platinum digital download

July 27, 2007 The best selling ringtone by a female solo artist, Beyonce’s “Irreplaceable,” certifies 3x multi-Platinum
2008 RIAA celebrates 50th Anniversary of Gold Record

November 7, 2008 The decade’s highest certified album by a male solo artist – Usher’s Confessions – reaches 10x multi-Platinum

May 8, 2009 Flo Rida’s “Low” goes 5x multi-Platinum; is the highest certified digital download in history

August 21, 2009 Michael Jackson’s legendary album Thriller climbs to 29x multi-Platinum to tie the Eagles’ Their Greatest Hits (1971-1975) as the highest certified album in RIAA Gold & Platinum history

October 12, 2009 The decade’s top recipient of digital download certifications – Taylor Swift – takes her best selling song “Love Story” 4x multi-Platinum

December 15, 2009 Lil Wayne’s ringtone “Lollipop” becomes the highest certified ringtone ever at 5x multi-Platinum