Eminem has made history.
On Tuesday, the RIAA announced in a press release that the Detroit rapper has received 73.5 million new Gold and Platinum Program certifications, making him the most awarded musician for singles in RIAA history. He’s also only one of seven artists in any genre or era with three or more Diamond Album Awards.
Eminem’s RIAA career total now sits at 227.5 million, 166 million of which are single certifications and 61.5 million of which are album certifications. He also has six RIAA Diamond awards, three for albums, and three for singles.
“These awards recognize Eminem’s unflinching commitment to his craft and the enduring connection he has forged with fans over the last twenty years,” RIAA Chairman & CEO Mitch Glazier said in a statement. “With today’s announcement, Eminem becomes the top certified singles artist in our program’s history and adds a rare third Diamond Album to his many creative accomplishments. Congratulations to Eminem and his entire label team who have set the bar higher than ever!”
Steve Berman, Interscope’s Vice Chairman also commented on Em’s achievement, saying, “Interscope joins Aftermath in congratulating Marshall, Paul, and the entire Shady team on this remarkable achievement. It has been an honor to be part of one of the greatest journeys in the history of recorded music. The most beautiful part of this is it feels like the journey has just begun.”
The Recording Industry Association of America first launched the Gold and Platinum Awards Program in 1958 to recognize artists’ achievements in sales. The Gold Record marks 500,000 units, Platinum 1,000,000 units, Multi-Platinum 2,000,000 plus, and Diamond 10,000,000 plus.
