Kings of Leon
Sony/RCA rockers Kings of Leon earned three premiere Gold and Platinum certifications this summer, according to the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA’s) June and July G&P reports. The Grammy award winning troupe took their first Platinum album award for Only By The Night (2008) and first digital single nods for “Sex On Fire” and “Use Somebody,” each certifying both Gold and Platinum.
Fans rocked out to Atlantic artist Kid Rock this summer, turning Rock N Roll Jesus triple-Platinum to take June’s highest album certification. Also in June, two different acts – country musician Trace Adkins and South African rock group Seether – tied for the top single spot at Platinum (1,000,000 songs sold) for “Honky Tonk Badonkadonk” (Capitol Nashville) and “Fake It” (Wind-Up Records), respectively.
Solo “King” Elvis Presley’s 30 #1 Hits (RCA Records, 2002) was the highest album certification in July at 5x Platinum (his 24th career album award). No stranger to G&P recognition, Elvis himself was awarded the first ever RIAA Gold album for “Hard Headed Woman” in 1958.
Smooth singer Jason Mraz took the highest digital single certification — 4x Platinum — for “I’m Yours” in July. “I’m Yours” is off Mraz’s Platinum We Sing. We Dance. We Steal Things (Atlantic, 2008). Close behind, Universal/Island R&B star Rihanna’s “Umbrella” poured in triple-Platinum followed by 3OH!3’s “Don’t Trust Me” and Fall Out Boy’s “Sugar, We’re Goin Down” at double-Platinum.
(Jason Mraz, “I’m Yours”)
Kudos to Sean Kingston whose digital single “Fire Burning” (Epic, 2009) continues to sizzle this summer, certified Gold in June and Platinum in July. Sean is no stranger to RIAA digital single certifications — this is his sixth. And it’s been a golden summer for Kiwi born country rocker Keith Urban who scored three Gold single awards this June and July. Fans purchased more than 500,000 downloads of “Tonight I Wanna Cry,” “Stupid Boy” and “Sweet Thing” to up Keith’s career Gold song tally to seven.
On the ringtone side, ‘fierce’ songstress Beyonce earned her 12th career Gold mastertone award for “Halo” in June. “Halo,” currently Platinum as a digital single, hails from Beyonce’s double-Platinum I Am… Sasha Fierce (Columbia, 2008).
‘Hot’ can be used to describe more than temperatures this summer; namely these sizzlin’ acts who earned inaugural G&P certifications:
Alternative rock and hip hop group Flobots received its first Gold and Platinum awards for selling more than one million copies of “Handlebars” (Universal, 2008). Catch the catchy song on Fight with Tools, the Denver band’s second album release.
Cleveland rapper Kid Cudi also received his first Gold and Platinum nods for “Day ‘n’ Nite” (Universal, 2009). Look for Cudi’s upcoming album release Man on the Moon: The End of Day due in September.
R&B singer-songwriter Kristinia Debarge said hello to her very first Gold record for “Goodbye” (Mercury, 2009) while country music trio Lady Antebellum grabbed their first Gold prize for “I Run To You” (Capitol Nashville, 2008).
In June and July, the RIAA awarded a total 43 digital singles, 14 albums and 1 mastertone. 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.