Michael Jackson ‘Bad’ and Nickelback ‘All The Right Reasons’ have been awarded the RIAA Diamond certification.
Back in February, Michael Jackson’s Bad reached ten million in sales, garnering the Diamond award. It was a long road for the album, which was released on August 18, 1987, having hit Platinum on November 9 of that same year and four-times Platinum before the end of 1987. It was last certified as nine-times Platinum on May 16, 2013.
Taking a much faster path to ten million was Nickelback’s All the Right Reasons which was released on October 4, 2005 and hit Platinum on November 16 of that year.
Diamond certificates are much rarer today then in the past with the falling sales of the album as a format. Only two albums released since January 1, 2010 have achieved the award, Adele’s 21 (Released 2/22/11, Diamond 11/28/12) and 25 (Released 11/20/15, Diamond 9/20/16).
A total of 12 albums released by veteran artists before that date have been certified Platinum since the beginning of the decade:
The Eminem Show – Eminem (Released 5/26/02, Went Diamond 3/7/11)
The Marshall Mathers LP – Eminem (Released 5/23/00, Diamond 3/9/11)
Greatest Hits – 2Pac (Released 11/24/98, Diamond 6/23/11)
Elvis’ Christmas Album – Elvis Presley (Released 11/1/70, Diamond 9/9/11)
Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness – Smashing Pumpkins (Released 10/24/95, Diamond 8/28/12)
All Eyez on Me – 2Pac (Released 2/13/96, Diamond 7/23/14)
Licensed to Ill – Beastie Boys (Released 10/31/86, Diamond 3/4/15)
Chronicle: 20 Greatest Hits – Creedence Clearwater Revival (Released 9/5/85, Diamond 5/25/16)
Country Grammar – Nelly (Released 7/27/00, Diamond 7/21/16)
The Ultimate Hits – Garth Brooks (Released 11/6/07, Diamond 9/21/16)
Bad – Michael Jackson (Released 8/28/87, Diamond 2/16/17)
All the Right Reasons – Nickelback (Released 10/4/05, Diamond 3/3/17)
Michael Jackson’s Thriller also extended its lead as the biggest selling album of all time in the U.S., receiving its 33rd Platinum award indicating sales of over 33 million units. Its closest competitor is the Eagles’ Their Greatest Hits 1971-1975 which is 29 times Platinum.
The full list of recent Gold and Platinum certifications for veteran artists:
Platinum Albums (1,000,000+ Units per certification)
Thriller – Michael Jackson (33x’s)
Bad – Michael Jackson (10x’s)
All the Right Reasons – Nickelback (10x’s)
Lucky Old Sun – Kenny Chesney
Gold Albums (500,000+ Units)
Hot Blooded and Other Hits – Foreigner
The Big Revival – Kenny Chesney
Life on a Rock – Kenny Chesney
Blackstar – David Bowie
Platinum Singles (1,000,000+ Units per certification)
John Cougar, John Deere, John 3:16 – Keith Urban
Blue Ain’t Your Color – Keith Urban
Gold Singles (500,000+ Units)
Wasted Time – Keith Urban
Break on Me – Keith Urban
Platinum Long Form Video (100,000+ Units per certification)
Eight Days a Week: The Touring Years – Beatles
