See also List of Platinum singles in the United Kingdom awarded since 2000, List of million-selling singles in the United Kingdom.
On 1 April 1973 the British Phonographic Industry (BPI) launched the Certified Awards scheme for singles and albums. From then until 1988, Platinum was awarded to singles with sales or shipments of 1 million (with double or triple Platinum being introduced in 1985). [1]
In 1989, the thresholds were changed so that a single with sales or shipments of 600,000 became eligible for Platinum (and any multiples thereof). The only song to be certified Platinum during both periods is "Bohemian Rhapsody" by Queen (in its original release in 1975 and again in 1991 following the death of Freddie Mercury), while the Spice Girls had the most Platinum singles awarded before 2000 with eight. [2] This total has been passed in the 21st century by Rihanna with 13.
Only one single was ever awarded a multi-Platinum certification during the 1 million unit era, although "Do They Know It's Christmas?" by Band Aid would also have qualified.
Artist | Song | Date released | Date certified Platinum | Date certified 2× Platinum |
---|---|---|---|---|
Wings | "Mull of Kintyre" | November 1977 | December 1977 | November 1986 |
Only one single was awarded a multiple above double: "Candle in the Wind 1997"/"Something About the Way You Look Tonight" by Elton John which is certified as 9× Platinum for shipping over 5.4 million units, following the funeral of Diana, Princess of Wales in 1997.
Artist | Song | Date released | Date certified multi-Platinum |
---|---|---|---|
Elton John | "Candle in the Wind 1997"/"Something About the Way You Look Tonight" | September 1997 | October 1997 |
Artist | Song | Date released | Date certified double platinum |
---|---|---|---|
Bryan Adams | "(Everything I Do) I Do It for You" | June 1991 | September 1991 |
Whitney Houston | "I Will Always Love You" | October 1992 | January 1993 |
Wet Wet Wet | "Love Is All Around" | May 1994 | August 1994 |
One Direction | "Little Things" | November 2012 | December 2022 |
Robson & Jerome | "Unchained Melody/White Cliffs of Dover" | May 1995 | May 1995 |
Fugees | "Killing Me Softly" | June 1996 | August 1996‡ |
Spice Girls | "Wannabe" | July 1996 | December 1996 |
Puff Daddy featuring Faith Evans | "I'll Be Missing You" | June 1997 | August 1997† |
Aqua | "Barbie Girl" | October 1997 | December 1997† |
All Saints | "Never Ever" | November 1997 | January 1998 |
Various Artists | "Perfect Day" | November 1997 | January 1998 |
Teletubbies | "Teletubbies say "Eh-oh!"" | December 1997 | December 1997 |
Robbie Williams | "Angels" | December 1997 | December 1998 |
Celine Dion | "My Heart Will Go On" | February 1998 | April 1998 |
Cher | "Believe" | October 1998 | January 1999† |
Britney Spears | "...Baby One More Time" | February 1999 | March 1999 |
†Awarded triple platinum after 2000
‡Also awarded double platinum in 2013
†Certified 2× Platinum since 2000
In the United States, the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) award certification based on the number of albums and singles sold through retail and other ancillary markets. Other countries have similar awards. Certification is not automatic; for an award to be made, the record label must first request certification. The audit is conducted against net shipments after returns, which includes albums sold directly to retailers and one-stops, direct-to-consumer sales and other outlets.
Music recording certification is a system of certifying that a music recording has shipped, sold, or streamed a certain number of units. The threshold quantity varies by type and by nation or territory.
Spice is the debut studio album by English girl group the Spice Girls, released in Japan on 19 September 1996 and in the United Kingdom on 4 November 1996 by Virgin Records. The album was recorded between 1995 and 1996 at Olympic Studios in Barnes, London, and Strongroom Studios in Shoreditch, London, by producers Matt Rowe and Richard Stannard, and the production duo Absolute. Spice is a pop album that incorporates styles such as dance, R&B and hip hop. It is considered to be the record that brought teen pop back, opening the doors for a wave of teen pop artists. Conceptually, the album centered on the idea of Girl Power, and the hype surrounding the group was compared to Beatlemania.
Spiceworld is the second studio album by English girl group the Spice Girls, released on 1 November 1997 by Virgin Records. Its music incorporates dance-pop music and production. The album became a commercial success worldwide, lengthening the so-called "Spicemania" of the time. It debuted at number one on the UK Albums Chart, with first-week sales of 190,000 copies and shipped 1.4 million copies in two weeks. The album also reached number one in 13 countries, while peaking inside the top three in Australia, Canada, France, Switzerland and the United States. Spiceworld has sold over 14 million copies worldwide, making it one of the world's best-selling albums by a girl group.
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The Spice Girls, an English girl group, have released three studio albums, one compilation album, 11 singles and 18 music videos. Formed in 1994, the group was made up of singers Geri Halliwell, Emma Bunton, Melanie Brown, Melanie Chisholm and Victoria Beckham.
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British Phonographic Industry (BPI) is the British recorded music industry's Trade association. It runs the BRIT Awards; is home to the Mercury Prize; co-owns the Official Charts Company with the Entertainment Retailers Association; and awards UK music sales through the BRIT Certified Awards.
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