Live stream will be available after this brief ad from our sponsors
ContestsEvents

13 Albums Certified Double Diamond

The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) has bestowed many gold, platinum and diamond certifications over the years. However, only 12 titles in the United States have accomplished a unique feat. That feat? Moving over 20 million units and achieving double diamond status.

Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images

The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) has bestowed many gold, platinum and diamond certifications over the years. However, only 13 titles in the United States have accomplished a unique feat. That feat? Moving over 20 million units and achieving double diamond status.

In fact, of those 13 titles, two can be considered triple diamond moving a staggering 30 million units.

From rock to pop to country and areas in between, scroll through the gallery below to see which 13 albums have been certified double diamond.

Facts About the RIAA

The RIAA was formed in 1952 and acts as the main recording industry trade organization in the United States. Its mission statement reads, in part, "We work to protect artists’ creative freedom, fight for state and federal policies that strengthen the modern music ecosystem, and explain the work labels do to support their artist partners."

One of the most popular functions of the RIAA is its gold and platinum awards program, which first launched in 1958. In the 60+ year history of the program, the RIAA has certified over 17,000 titles gold or platinum. It wasn't until 1999 that the RIAA unveiled the Diamond Award, which honors an album or single selling 10 million copies or more.

And now, here are some additional facts about the RIAA, according to their statistics:

-The first single to be certified gold was Perry Como's "Catch a Falling Star."

-The first album to be certified gold was the cast album of Oklahoma! sung by Gordon MacRae.

-Eagles/Their Greatest Hits 1971-1975 was the first album to be certified platinum.

-Johnnie Taylor's "Disco Lady" was the first single to be certified platinum.

-USA for Africa's "We Are The World" was the first single to be certified multi-platinum.

-The highest-certified soundtrack album is Whitney Houston's The Bodyguard, which has been certified 18X platinum.

Green Day - 'Dookie'

green-day_dookie_double-diamond.jpgReprise

Shania Twain - 'Come On Over'

Shania_Mercury.jpgMERCURY NASHVILLE

Fleetwood Mac - 'Rumours'

Rumours_Warner-Bros.jpgWarner Bros.

Hootie & The Blowfish - 'Cracked Rear View'

hootie_Atlantic-Records.jpgAtlantic Records/Rhino

Garth Brooks - 'Double Live'

Garth-Brook_Capitol-Nashville.jpgCAPITOL NASHVILLE

Pink Floyd - ‘The Wall’

Pink-Floyd_The-Wall.jpgHarvest/Columbia

Billy Joel - 'Greatest Hits – Volume I & Volume II'

billy-joel_double-diamond.jpgColumbia

The Beatles - 'The Beatles'

beatles_UMG.jpgUMG

Led Zeppelin - 'Led Zeppelin IV'

Led-Zeppelin_Atlantic.jpgAtlantic

AC/DC - 'Back In Black'

acdc_back-in-black_double-diamond.jpgAlbert/Atlantic/Columbia

The Eagles - 'Hotel California'

eagles_hotel-california_double-diamond.jpgAsylum

Michael Jackson - 'Thriller'

MJ_epic.jpgEpic

The Eagles - 'Their Greatest Hits (1971–1975)'

Eagles_Elektra.jpgAsylum/Rhino
Erica Banas is a news blogger who's been covering the rock/classic rock world since 2014. The coolest event she's ever covered in person was the 2021 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony. (Sir Paul McCartney inducting Foo Fighters? C'mon now!) She's also well-versed in etiquette and extraordinarily nice. #TransRightsAreHumanRights