Twenty percent of the Recording Industry Association of America’s 2024 gold and platinum-selling albums and singles claim Music City roots in their development. This includes Taylor Swift and Shaboozey as the chart-toppers in both categories.
Also, marking the surge in streaming play and social media-driven acclaim for those songs in the past calendar year, twice as many singles as albums from Nashville’s industry achieved pinnacle-marking success.
Swift’s 6x platinum-selling “The Tortured Poets Department” album was the year’s best-seller, while Shaboozey’s “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” led the field as a 5x platinum-selling single. Notably, the latter achieved platinum status only 31 days after its April 12, 2024 release.
Country’s platinum-selling era expands
In 2024, Zach Bryan increased his successful tally by eight gold singles and three platinum-sellers, including the War and Treaty collaboration “Hey Driver,” the Kacey Musgraves duet “I Remember Everything,” and his breakout hit “Something In The Orange.” Bailey Zimmerman also added a quartet of platinum-sellers via “Fall In Love,” “Religiously,” “Rock and A Hard Place” and “Where It Ends.”
Need a break? Play the USA TODAY Daily Crossword Puzzle.
In 2024, Luke Combs also achieved diamond-selling status for hits including “Hurricane,” the song that provided the naming inspiration for his just-opened “Category 10” Lower Broadway honky-tonk.
Kane Brown, Tyler Childers, Dan + Shay, Cody Johnson, Tim McGraw, Thomas Rhett and Morgan Wallen were all acts who achieved three or more songs achieving platinum hit status in the past year.
Notable too, digital catalog strength and renewed visibility have surged “Reboot II” album makers and the Country Music Association’s Vocal Duo of the Year, Brooks & Dunn, plus Post Malone collaborator Hank Williams, Jr. — both veteran Country Music Hall of Fame-inducted acts — to achieve over a dozen platinum certifications between them in 2024.
Even newcomers like Dasha — via her hit “Austin” — experienced plays and sales equivalent to platinum-selling status in 2024. This marks numerous stunning successes for the California-born artist in the past year.
“I never could have imagined this year unfolding the way it has. Selling out my first headlining tour, my first People’s Choice Country Awards win at the Grand Ole Opry, performing at the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade and reaching platinum status in 18 countries — it’s all so insanely surreal,” she noted to The Tennessean.
Kane Brown, Riley Green, Ella Langley, Jessie Murph, Nate Smith and Koe Wetzel were also platinum or multi-platinum-selling country artists in 2024.
Nashville’s breakout stars gaining traction
Gold-selling breakout stars abound in Nashville’s country industry, too.
During her recent appearance opening for Tyler Hubbard at the Ryman Auditorium, Alana Springsteen was presented with a plaque for the success of her Mitchell Tenpenny collaboration, “Goodbye Looks Good On You.”
“I started writing songs when I was nine years old and all I really used to dream about back then was playing songs for people that needed to hear them. I didn’t even realize what a Gold record was until I learned that most of the songs that made me the artist and songwriter that I am have been certified. And I’m just beyond honored to be joining a group of artists and storytellers who have somehow connected with people worldwide through the gift of song,” noted the Virginia-born emerging country star.
In 2024, she joins acts such as Green and Wetzel, Tyler Braden, Megan Moroney, Dylan Scott and Tucker Wetmore in achieving that acclaim.
“When you’re in an industry like this, you learn to put these incremental goals together and you have these small steps that you’re looking forward to taking and celebrating. But a Gold or Platinum record is something everyone knows about, whether you’re in the industry or not,” Braden added via a press statement.
RIAA’s 2024 certifications
The RIAA’s Year-End analysis includes singles and albums released and certified between Dec. 1, 2023 and Nov. 30, 2024.
“The RIAA Gold & Platinum Class Of 2024 is our largest to date. Sixty-five artists broke through amazingly, proving how new music discovery and creative partnerships drive the next generation of icons. We are so proud of this group of artists and their label teams for their inspiring work that fans love,” RIAA Chairman & CEO Mitch Glazier offered.
Billie Eilish earned the most certified titles with ten via her platinum-selling album “Hit Me Hard and Soft,” plus singles like the 4x platinum “Birds of a Feather,” platinum-status hits “Lunch,” “Chihiro” and “Wildflower,” plus gold sellers “Skinny,” “Blue, “The Greatest,” “L’amour de ma vie” and “The Diner.”
Rappers BossMan Dlow, Odetari and Sexxy Redd all achieved a quintet of placements on 2024’s list, while R&B performer Tommy Richman’s 4x platinum single “Million Dollar Baby,” plus Latin hits from Peso Pluma (the album “Éxodo”) and Fuerza Regida’s Marshmello duet “Harley Quinn” also received noteworthy acclaim.
