Celine's RIAA Certifications

[Derek F.]

It was just announced in the news that Adele's most recent album, 25 was certified Diamond by the Recording Industry of America aka

the RIAA. Adele is only the 8th female act to have at least 2 albums become certified Diamond by the RIAA for sales of more than 10 million copies. Not surprisingly, Celine is one of the 8 female acts to achieve at least 2 RIAA Diamond awards/certifications. Celine's albums to do that are: Falling Into You, and Let's Talk About Love, with sales of 11 and 10 million in the U.S.

 

This got me thinking... Celine has too many albums that are not certified at the sales level they should be. An example of that is: All The Way... A Decade Of Song, which should be certified for 8X Platinum by the RIAA, and has been over the 8 million album sales level for a long time now, according to official Soundscan verified album sales. Why hasn't Celine's team/Sony Music updated the certification for this album from 7 to 8X Platinum yet??

 

Other Albums that could be certified are by the RIAA with updated sales figures are: My Love: The Essential Collection, and Loved Me Back To Life.

 

The biggest missing Celine RIAA certifications are with Celine's digital singles!!! The digital singles market really took off in 2004, and is still popular today, along with streaming. Where are any of the certification awards she deserves?? This would show how relevant Celine's songs still are, in today's music!!!

 

It has been reported by Billboard and Soundscan that Celine's biggest song of her career, "My Heart Will Go On", had digital single sales of more than 1 million copies, and that was in early 2012! By now, "My Heart Will Go On" probably has sales of more than 2 million! Why has this song not been certified for at least a digital single platinum award by the RIAA??

 

And other Celine songs, such as "Because You Loved Me" and "Taking Chances", as well as the Christmas favorite "O Holy Night" have all sold enough copies in the U.S. to achieve digital single gold or platinum awards. Where are those awards??

 

I just checked the RIAA website, and was very disappointed to not see a lot of Celine's albums and songs not certified yet.

 

Why?? What is Sony Music waiting for?? If all the albums and singles that should be certified were, then Celine's RIAA certification total would be a lot higher, and believe me, these certifications are used to form many lists of the most successful female music artists. I want Celine's RIAA stats to be correct. They need to be updated. The question is... When?

 

Should we e-mail Sony Music and request an update??

[pat200]

All the way is most probably eligible for a diamond certification in the US. over 8 million with soundscan, about 1.1 million with bmg music club, and then there are the other club sales we don't know about. with shipments she could very well be above 10 million.

[Ronny83]

Should we e-mail Sony Music and request an update??

 

It's definitely worth a try. Let's start via social media.

[Bóól'át'í]

Unfortunately, in today's music industry, record companies aren't interested in certifying their artists' sales beyond the gold and platinum awards. With music sales so low, record companies aren't willing to spending money on award certifications anymore as they're expensive to certify. Many artists like Celine are under-certified like Whitney, Mariah and Madonna. Unfortunately award certifications are just another thing of the past in modern music industry.

[Ronny83]

@ColumbiaRecords When will you get new certifications for @celinedion's albums? cc: @RIAA

— Celine Dion Italia (@cditalia) September 28, 2016

[Derek F.]

Thank you Ronny83 for starting to ask Sony/Columbia Music when they will update Celine’s

album sales through social media/Twitter!

 

However , Celine fans, Celine’s biggest missed opportunity here is for her digital singles.

The last one of Celine’s singles to be certified was “I’m Your Angel”, her duet with R. Kelly in 1999 for

physical single sales of more than one million copies sold.

 

Celine has never had any of her singles be certified by the RIAA for a digital single award!!!

 

Here’s why that is CRAZY!...

 

Between the digital downloads and streaming of Celine’s songs, she has SO MANY singles that should

be certified digital gold, platinum, or multi-platinum! Digital downloads were most popular from 2004, when the digital single award was introduced, to 2013. By 2013, streaming had become very popular and the RIAA announced that they were going to add on-demand streams to it’s digital single award program. From 5/2013 until 2/2016, the RIAA stated that every 100 on-demand audio and/or video streams will count as 1 unit for certification purposes, until 2/2016, which then changed to every 150 on-demand audio and/or video streams. The RIAA collects streaming info from sources like YouTube, VEVO, Spotify, and more.

 

Information has been given by various sources over the years from Soundscan, Billboard, and Spotify showing digital download and streaming sales figures, such as…

 

“My Heart Will Go On”- Billboard reported by 4/2012, this song had digital sales of more than 1,133,000! That was more than 4 years ago! By now, I’m sure hundreds of thousands of more copies have been downloaded! Then when you add in YouTube streams of just the most viewed “My Heart Will Go On” posts on the first page alone, they add up to streaming figure of over 267 million, which =

1,783,000+ units for certification!! Then when you add in Spotify steams to date of over 64 million, which add another 426,000+ units for certification! That adds to a total of over 3,342,000!!! From just 3 sources!!! This song should be awarded at least TRIPLE PLATINUM!!!

 

“The Power Of Love”- Billboard reported by 4/2012, digital downloaded copies sold= 354,000+,

and YouTube and VEVO report streams currently of more than 52,231,000, which = over 348,000 additional units for certification! Also, Spotify reports more than 9 million streams, which = 60,000 more units for certification! Total- 762,000+ units! This could be certified digital gold!

 

“Because You Loved Me”- Billboard reported by 4/2012, digital downloaded copies sold= 704,000, more than 4 years ago! I’m sure by now, with more copies sold, and millions of streams, this could be certified digital platinum!

 

“It’s All Coming Back To Me Now”- Billboard reported by 4/2012, digital downloaded copies sold= 387,000, and YouTube and VEVO report streams currently of more than 49,143,000, which = over 327,000 additional units for certification! Total- 714,000+ units! This could be certified digital gold!

 

“That’s The Way It Is”- reported by Soundscan to have sold 154,000 digital downloads by 9/2010. 6 years ago!, and YouTube and VEVO report streams currently of more than 79,687,000, which = over 531,000 more units for certification! Total- 685,000+ units! This could be certified digital gold!

 

“A New Day Has Come”- Billboard reported by 4/2012, digital downloaded copies sold= 357,000, and YouTube and VEVO report streams currently of more than 65,942,000, which = 439,000+ more units for certification! Total- 796,000+ units! This could be certified digital gold!

 

 

“I’m Alive”- reported by Soundscan to have sold 156,000 digital downloads by 8/2010. Over 6 years ago!, and YouTube and VEVO report streams currently of more than 69,841,000, which = 465,000+ more units for certification! Also, Spotify reports more than 18 million streams, which = 120,000+ more units for certification! Total- 741,000+ units! This could be certified digital gold!

 

“I Drove All Night”- reported by Soundscan to have sold 164,000 digital downloads by 9/2010. Over 6 years ago!, and YouTube and VEVO report streams currently of more than 32,598,000, which = 217,000+ more units for certification! I can’t see the Spotify totals on this song. Total- 381,000+ units! Most likely, this could be certified digital gold!

 

“Taking Chances”- Billboard reported by 4/2012, digital downloaded copies sold = 498,000, more than 4 years ago!, and YouTube and VEVO report streams currently of more than 16,252,000, which = 108,000 more units for certification! I can’t see the Spotify totals on this song. Total- 606,000+ units!

This could be certified digital gold!

 

These are undoubtedly some of Celine's biggest singles of her career! They add up to a total of: 8,731,000+ units, based on digital download and streaming information!

That's at least 9 new RIAA digital single certification awards! Many music artists, including Michael Jackson, Whitney Houston, and Journey have had their biggest singles receive these awards. Why hasn't Celine gotten any yet??

 

I plan to e-mail Sony/Columbia Music, and if many of us, like Ronny83, send an e-mail or social media message to Sony/Columbia Music requesting them to get Celine's singles that should be, certified with the RIAA, then I bet they would be more likely to do that, please help this to be accomplished!

 

Thank you all and God Bless!!!

Edited September 30, 2016 at 08:34 AM by Derek F.

[max24]

RIAA takes streams from the US only. You have taken total (worldwide) streams from Youtube....

[Derek F.]

Max24, I just re-read the RIAA official press release from their official webpage, and nowhere did it state that the RIAA only takes streaming information from the U.S. from sources such as YouTube or Spotify. That would be way too tough to track only U.S. streams. My sales information should still be correct. Edited September 30, 2016 at 08:53 AM by Derek F.

[max24]

Max24, I just re-read the RIAA official press release from their official webpage, and nowhere did it state that the RIAA only takes streaming information from the U.S. from sources such as YouTube or Spotify. That would be way too tough to track only U.S. streams. My sales information should still be correct.

You're wrong.

Everey week, when Billboard writes about new charts, they add info about numer of the US streams. It's no problem for them.

The fact that they take only US streams is obvious.

Do you want to say that Celine could be certified in the United States for her streams from Taiwan?

[Katie]

ATW, with 8 million marks in the US, is the best selling Greatest Hits albums by a female artist there since 1991

[Derek F.]

You're wrong.

Everey week, when Billboard writes about new charts, they add info about numer of the US streams. It's no problem for them.

The fact that they take only US streams is obvious.

Do you want to say that Celine could be certified in the United States for her streams from Taiwan?

 

max24, Before you continue to criticize me, and all of my research and information, which I spent a lot of time on, I apologize if I was wrong about the RIAA only counting U.S. streams for their digital single award. However, you mentioned Billboard, which is separate from the RIAA, even though they both report similar sales information. RIAA is the company that issues Gold, Platinum, Multi-Platinum and Diamond Awards based on physical, digital and streaming information. Not Billboard.

However, the information I provided from Billboard, was strictly digital download sales, not streaming. Celine could still be awarded several digital single award certifications by information provided by Billboard and Soundscan in 2010 and 2012 on just digital download sales. That was 4-6 years ago! Celine has surely sold a lot more digital copies since then, even outside of any streaming!

 

Also, if the RIAA only counts only U.S. streams from sources such as YouTube and Spotify, that would add several hundred thousand more units for certification to the 9 singles I provided information on.

 

So, even if the total unit number is lowered based on only U.S. streaming on the 9 songs, Celine would still have enough units for a digital certification on most of the songs! My Heart Will Go On has still sold well over a million digital copies in the U.S.! A New Day Has Come was over 350,000 digital copies in 2012 in the U.S.. Because You Loved Me had sold over 704,000 digital copies in the U.S. by 2012! Taking Chances had sold over 498,000 in the U.S. by 2012! I couldn't find any other information on the digital download sales of any of the 9 songs in the U.S. since 2012. By now, I'm sure all of them have sold much more!!! Then, when the RIAA streaming program is also factored in, most of these songs could be certified!

 

So, going back to my original frustrations, when will Sony/Columbia music request certifications to been given to Celine's best selling and most streamed singles??

 

If we contact Sony/Columbia Music by social media and e-mail, that could really help the process to begin to get her songs certified.

 

I know most of us Celine fan's care about Celine's charting positions, certifications, and awards in the U.S. and around the world. When Celine wins awards, all her fans win too!

[nuts2you]

Very interesting reading

[Leo]

Why aren't the videos of MHWGO and BYLM uploated onto her Vevo account? They don't own the rights? That doesn't benefit her since the videos uploaded by other users are not taken into account!

 

Total streaming is considered or only streaming starting on a specific date?

[comingback]

http://www.billboard.com/articles/news/billboard-lists/7526410/diamond-certified-album-riaa-ranked

 

All 88 Diamond-Certified Albums Ranked From Worst to Best: Critic's Take

 

 

83. LTAL

75. FIY

 

What a stupid list, Daydream and Musicbox higher than LTAL and FIY and Purple Rain at NO1?

[Bruno Portugal]

Since 2000 that I read that "Falling Into You" has sold 32 millions and that "Let's Talk About Love" have sold 31 or 31,5 millions worlwide.

Other artists have tremendously increased her albums sales. It's like Celine Dion stopped selling while others increased her selling status.

In some articules it's said that Celine already sold 230 million albums wordwide. But exactly how much each album have already sold?

I think it's time to update all her certifications. Her team should indeed demand it.

[melquilisboa]

Mariah's 2 Diamond albums FAILED to sell 8m in the usa, something Céline's greatest hits album did....I really want her certifications updated :/

[Derek F.]

It's been over 2 years since I started this topic, and still there has been no new RIAA certifications for any of Celine's recordings!!!

The last RIAA certification that was awarded to any Celine Dion recording was in June of 2010 for two different Video Longform recordings: Celine: Through the Eyes of the World, and Taking Chances World Tour: The Concert. The last album of Celine’s to be awarded an RIAA album certification was more than ten years ago, and the last time a single of Celine’s received an RIAA single certification was almost twenty years ago! Those facts are very surprising, however even more surprising is that Celine Dion has never received any RIAA Digital Single Awards!

I wrote to several top executives at Sony Music, and at Columbia Records and Legacy Recordings at the end of last month to bring this to their attention, and ask why has Celine not had any Recording Industry of America (RIAA) certifications of her music recordings in more than eight years?

 

If anyone else believes that it is unacceptable that Celine has not had any new RIAA certifications of her music recordings in more than eight years, because Sony music, and her current record labels Columbia Records, and Legacy Recordings failed to request the certifications, here are some options to request this to be done, especially for Celine to receive RIAA Digital Single Awards for her singles that have sold enough copies digitally and/or been streamed enough to qualify for digital single gold, platinum, or mulit-platinum awards:

 

Sony Music Entertainment's main website: www.sonymusic.com, click- send us feedback, then select subject- General comments, Columbia Records, or Legacy Recordings, and you can write to Sony Music CEO Rob Stringer, or Ron Perry, Columbia Records CEO, or Richard Story, President of Sony Music's Commercial Music Group, and of Legacy Recordings, or Dennis Kooker, President of Global Digital Business & U.S. Sales, at Sony Music.

 

I currently don't have an active twitter account, but I know the options are there for anyone that would rather send a twitter message, which anyone can do at:

@SonyMusicGlobal

or @ColumbiaRecords

or @theRonPerry, Columbia Records CEO

or @SonyLegacyRecs

 

Please let Sony, Columbia Records, and Legacy Recordings, that Celine's recordings that have never been RIAA certified or have sold/streamed enough copies to be newly RIAA certified should be! If Sony, Columbia Records, and Legacy Recordings receive many requests for new certifications then they will surely take notice, and will be more likely to initiate the new certification requests to the RIAA.

 

This year is the RIAA's 60th Anniversary of their Gold and Platinum awards, and it would be incredible to see Celine receive new RIAA awards this year!

[Javito]

Céline has disappeared from the recording industry since ages ago, for her own decision, and her last worldwide hit is 16 years old. I'm not surprised about this news, considering how events have been since 2008 and her step-by-step retirement from the recording activity in English.

 

It seems her lack of interest in the recording studio and creating new recordings in the last 10 years is mutually replicated from the Recording Industry in America (should be good to explain what the RIAA initials mean for those who are not familiar with that name in this forum).

 

Remember her own mantra "I have nothing to prove anymore"? There you have the answers. RIAA has nothing to prove (certificate) for her anymore either.

Edited October 8, 2018 at 07:59 AM by Javito

[Davey84]

Céline has disappeared from the recording industry since ages ago, for her own decision, and her last worldwide hit is 16 years old. I'm not surprised about this news, considering how events have been since 2008 and her step-by-step retirement from the recording activity in English.

 

Remember her own mantra "I have nothing to prove anymore"? There you have the answers. RIAA has nothing to prove (certificate) for her anymore either.

 

That are two completely different things... Her back catalogue has still been selling in the last 10 years. It's the record company's job to request these new certifications (which makes no sense to me, as IMO the RIAA should do that annually for all artists. Sony has always seen Céline as a cashcow and now those big cashing days are over (no matter what reason ), they aren't interested in her anymore. And that's just really bad on their part.

 

I can't believe for example LMBTL only "As of June 2014, it has sold 300,000 copies in the US" and nothing ever since. With streaming etc I am sure it should qualify for Gold (500.000 units).

[Javito]

But that's what I mean, the lack of interest in her. But it's something mutual. Céline has no interest in the recording industry anymore, so does the recording industry with her and her apathetic attitude of "I couldn't care less"

 

In the meantime, she can keep touring every year and singing BYLM and MHWGO to audiences until they bleed or she retires, that the RIAA won't care about live performances because their job is in the field of the recorded music. And since Céline doesn't record new music now... We only have had ONE English album in 10 years guys, from 2008-2018 she only released LMBTL and with a discreet life. How RIAA is going to be concerned to keep checking her certifications when she takes 10 years to release a new album?

Edited October 8, 2018 at 08:21 AM by Javito

[alexceline]

But that's what I mean, the lack of interest in her. But it's something mutual. Céline has no interest in the recording industry anymore, so does the recording industry with her and her apathetic attitude of "I couldn't care less"

 

In the meantime, she can keep touring every year and singing BYLM and MHWGO to audiences until they bleed or she retires, that the RIAA won't care about live performances because their job is in the field of the recorded music. And since Céline doesn't record new music now... We only have had ONE English album in 10 years guys, from 2008-2018 she only released LMBTL and with a discreet life. How RIAA is going to be concerned to keep checking her certifications when she takes 10 years to release a new album?

 

Um Beyoncé's certifications aren't updated since 2011 either. Would you say the same about Bey? Same with Mariah... this has nothing to do with Celine saying she "has nothing to prove". It's up to the record company's decision

Edited October 8, 2018 at 11:04 AM by alexceline

[CSCfan]

Um Beyoncé's certifications aren't updated since 2011 either. Would you say the same about Bey? Same with Mariah... this has nothing to do with Celine saying she "has nothing to prove". It's up to the record company's decision

 

Noooo you're so wrong, Céline is to blame for everything! :clap: :clap:

[gafsa]

Maybe the record company focus on updating (relatively) new artist ? Because somehow the RIAA is like a promotion for an artist, and I think they do it not for free, so if the artist already established, they didn't want to spend any many just for a certificate. CMIIW.

[Bruno Portugal]

They aren't updating Celine's RIAA certifications BUT according to many sources she have sold 250 million albums worldwide and counting.

[CSCfan]

They aren't updating Celine's RIAA certifications BUT according to many sources she have sold 250 million albums worldwide and counting.

 

Correction; "almost 250 million"..

[jpatdeleon09]

some also said that... "over 250 million album sold.." Edited October 8, 2018 at 02:18 PM by jpatdeleon09

[CSCfan]

some also said that... "over 250 million album sold.."

 

"Some" also said I would be a millionare when I'd turn 25.

 

Look at the press releases, that is official.

Edited October 8, 2018 at 03:38 PM by CSCfan

[Xpresso]

Oh Jesus, now Céline is to blame for the lack of certification because she "gave up" on recording.

Can we get even more dramatic!!!?? It's the record company that needs to ask to have them updated, not Céline. And even if she doesn't record another album in 20 years, they should get updated anyway.

 

Let's hope Sony will get things updated before the new album comes out (yes that album that has been planned for the last 20 years, damn you lazy Céline who has nothing to prove anymore! )

[Xpresso]

I keep wondering why do some people see everything negative and have to turn every little thing into a dramatic event? Calm down, otherwise your Heart WON'T Go On!

[Dion my heart Barbra]

Billboard music award counted Titanic soundtrack as Celine's album in 1998, presented the album of year and thesoundtrack of year awards to Celine by Carole King in LTAL tour