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Beyoncé is on top – again.
The most-awarded Grammy winner of all time set another mark this week. She became the top Recording Industry Association of America female artist as well, earning the most certifications of any artist in music history. The RIAA is the organization created in 1958 that certifies platinum, gold, and diamond singles and albums, confirming how many records a recording artist has sold.
It also acts on behalf of music copyright holders, ensuring they’re not infringed upon. In June, the RIAA filed a lawsuit against two music generation services, Sunio and Udio, alleging that the two multimillion-dollar AI companies are using protected music to create content.
Beyoncé has achieved 103 RIAA-certified records across her two-decade-plus career. They include the 7X platinum albums I Am Sasha Fierce and Dangerously in Love, as well as the 5X platinum release B’Day and 6X platinum Beyoncé.
Among her top certified singles are “Halo” and “Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It)” both 11X platinum (which means they are also ‘diamond’ certified singles) and “Crazy In Love” “Drunk In Love” and “Irreplaceable” which went 8X platinum. If you’re wondering if hubby Jay-Z contributed to any of her top-certified hits, he did. “Shining,” “Top Off,” “03 Bonnie & Clyde,” “Family Feud,” and “Upgrade You” are all collaborations the couple appeared on together.
Beyoncé’s gold-certified single “Blue” features her 12-year-old daughter, who appeared with her in Mufasa, the recently released prequel to The Lion King.
“We are so excited to recognize the incredible talent, hard work, and creative spirit reflected across diverse genres,” said RIAA president and COO Michele Ballantyne. “Beyoncé’s iconic catalogue has earned the achievement of most certified titles for a female artist in RIAA’s history. Congratulations on this crowning milestone, Beyoncé, Parkwood Entertainment, Columbia Records — and we see you, BeyHive, streaming on repeat!”
RIAA certifications recognize platinum sales of one million or more records sold. In recent years, this has also included streaming numbers since fewer people purchase physical CDs, albums and singles. But how the organizations determine certifications has been questioned, most notably with The Eagles Greatest Hits surpassing Michael Jackson’s Thriller as the top-selling album of all time in the U.S. with streaming numbers and new data factored in.
Beyoncé will next be seen performing during the halftime show at the Christmas Day game between the Houston Texans and the Baltimore Ravens. This is the second game in a doubleheader marking the streamer’s first live NFL broadcast. The game starts at 4:30 p.m.
After that, she’s expected to appear at the Grammy Awards, where she will be up for 11 statues for her Country Carter album. The nominations make Beyoncé the most recognized artist in Grammy history and if she wins, she’ll extend her record for Grammy wins overall.
