How Many Streams to Go Gold? RIAA Rules Explained
Share
Seeing a gold plaque with your name on it is a big goal for a lot of artists. But how many streams does it actually take? In the US, gold and platinum awards come from the RIAA (Recording Industry Association of America), and the rules are public. Here is how they work, with the math done for you.
Quick answer
- Gold single: 500,000 units, which equals 75 million on-demand streams in the US if you count streams only.
- Platinum single: 1,000,000 units, or 150 million US streams.
- Diamond single: 10,000,000 units, or 1.5 billion US streams.
- Gold album: 500,000 units. With streams only, that is 750 million US streams of songs from the album.
These numbers follow directly from the RIAA's published audit requirements. The rest of this guide explains where they come from and what counts.
How the RIAA turns streams into units
The RIAA doesn't certify streams directly. It certifies units, and different things count as one unit. Since February 1, 2016, 150 streams count as one unit for singles (before that it was 100), and streams also count toward albums at 1,500 streams per unit.
Singles (Digital Single Award)
- 1 permanent digital download = 1 unit
- 150 on-demand audio and/or video streams = 1 unit
Award levels: Gold at 500,000 units, Platinum at 1,000,000, Multi-Platinum from 2,000,000 in steps of 1,000,000, and Diamond at 10,000,000.
Albums (Album Award)
- 1 album sale (digital or physical) = 1 unit
- 10 track downloads from the album = 1 unit
- 1,500 on-demand audio and/or video streams from the album = 1 unit
Award levels: Gold at 500,000 units, Platinum at 1,000,000 (then in steps of 1,000,000) and Diamond at 10,000,000. The RIAA also runs a Latin program for albums with lower thresholds: Oro at 30,000 units, Platino at 60,000 and Diamante at 600,000.
The math, step by step
- Take the award level in units. Gold = 500,000.
- Multiply by the stream ratio. For a single that is 150, for an album 1,500.
- 500,000 times 150 = 75,000,000 streams for a gold single.
- 500,000 times 1,500 = 750,000,000 streams for a gold album.
In real life, downloads and (for albums) sales also count, so most records reach the line with a mix. If you only stream and never sell downloads, the stream numbers above are your target.
What counts and what doesn't
- US only. The RIAA counts downloads and on-demand streams distributed within the United States. Your streams from other countries don't count toward a US award.
- Paid and free streams both count. On-demand streams from subscription services and from free, ad-supported tiers are accepted, as long as they are reported to the label.
- Official videos only. On-demand video streams count, but user-generated videos don't.
- Versions can be combined, within limits. For a single, radio mix, album version, clean and explicit versions can be combined, and remixes too if they are not more than 90 seconds longer than the original. Live versions are certified separately.
- Counting starts at release. For singles, the count begins at the track's release date.
Gold isn't automatic
This is the part a lot of people miss. Hitting 75 million streams doesn't make a plaque show up at your door. Certification has to be requested from the RIAA by email, with the record company's details, and an audit firm (Gelfand, Rennert and Feldman) checks the sales and streaming numbers for a fee. The RIAA says its program is open to member and non-member music companies. For an audit, you need things like the track's release date, label copy, ISRC codes and a sales summary per streaming service that only shows US activity.
So if you release independently, keep your paperwork clean from day one: correct ISRC codes, clear release dates and access to the reports from your distributor.
What do 75 million streams pay?
That depends on where the streams come from, your distributor's cut and your deal. Spotify, for example, doesn't pay a fixed rate per stream. Want a quick estimate? Put your stream count into our free streams calculator and see a rough payout per platform. For the full story on how Spotify pays out, read how much Spotify pays per stream.
Using a leased beat? Check your license first
If your song is built on a leased (non-exclusive) beat, your license can come with a stream limit. A record that is on its way to gold will likely pass that limit long before it gets there. Read your license terms before you push a song, and upgrade or go exclusive when the numbers start climbing. Looking for a beat for your next single? Check the license options on each beat in our beat catalog.
FAQ
How many streams is gold on Spotify?
There is no separate Spotify number. The RIAA adds up US on-demand streams from all reporting services. For a single, 150 streams count as one unit, so 75 million US streams equals gold if you have no downloads.
Do YouTube views count toward gold?
On-demand video streams of official videos count. User-generated videos don't.
Do streams from outside the US count?
Not for an RIAA award. Only US distribution counts. Other countries have their own certification bodies with their own thresholds.
How many streams is platinum?
For a single, 1,000,000 units times 150 = 150 million US streams. For an album, 1,000,000 units times 1,500 = 1.5 billion US streams.
Can an independent artist go gold?
The RIAA program is open to member and non-member music companies. The request is filed with the record company's details, and you need to show US sales and streaming reports per service. Plan your releases with that in mind.
Keep going
Sources: RIAA Digital Single Award and Album Award certification audit requirements, and the RIAA announcement on stream counting (February 2016).