What was the first album to officially “go platinum”?
Just as the Brits do with the monarchy’s Jubilees, recording certification in the music world follows a system of precious metal nomenclature. The system was first introduced by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), which awards these certifications based on the number of albums and singles sold through retail and other concomitant markets.
For an artist to achieve a Gold award, their album must sell 500,000 copies, for Platinum, 1,000,000 copies, and Multi-Platinum, 2,000,000 copies. After the formation of RIAA in the 1950s, the first Gold award was issued to Perry Como for his hit single ‘Catch a Falling Star’.
Since then, the rock explosion of the 1960s saw recorded music technology and consumption skyrocket, with stars like The Rolling Stones and The Beatles scooping up the awards in a comfortable stride. In 1976, the RIAA decided to introduce the Platinum Award for the first time ever.
At present, Elvis Presley, “The King of Rock ‘n’ Roll”, holds the title for the most Platinum selling albums, with the likes of Barbra Streisand and Elton John hot on his heels.
Surprisingly, the artist to have won the race to the first official Platinum album award in 1976 does not appear on this top ten list. Back in 1976, The Eagles earned the coveted title for the first time with their compilation, Eagles/Their Greatest Hits 1971-1975.
Top 10 artists with the most Platinum album certifications:
- Elvis Presley – 30
- George Strait – 24
- The Beatles – 19
- The Rolling Stones – 18
- Barbra Streisand – 17
- Elton John – 16
- Reba McEntire – 15
- Alabama – 15
- Luther Vandross – 15
- AC/DC – 14
This early greatest hits compilation was home to some of the Los Angeles soft rockers’ most beloved hits, including ‘Take It Easy’, ‘One of These Nights’ and ‘Tequila Sunrise’.
In the same year as this milestone, The Eagles released Hotel California, their most successful studio album to date. The classic record has now reached the platinum mark 26 times over.
Listen to the RIAA’s first-ever Platinum-selling album below.
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