With the increasing demand for streaming sources including Spotify, Rhapsody, Xbox Music, VEVO, YouTube, MTV, and others, the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) has changed their certification of Gold and Platinum awards to include audio and video song streams.
Their formula before was simple: 500,000 unit sales for Gold, 1 million for Platinum and 10 million for Diamond. With these changes, future certification will include audio and video streams and that stream data will also be added to the already certified songs.
Here's what CEO & Chairman Cary Sherman says on the change:
"Including music streaming in Gold & Platinum awards marks the continued evolution of the industry’s premier program for recognizing artistic achievement, and it reflects the wide spectrum of ways consumers enjoy music from their favorite bands. The music business, along with its incredible array of digital service partners, is offering fans more access to music than ever before. We’re thrilled that our awards will now more fully recognize artists’ commercial success today."
