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Music City and Capitol Hill came together Wednesday night as the RIAA Honors saluted leaders in Christian and gospel music, as well as two senators who have led the fight to protect creators’ rights.
Though it may be a fractious time in Washington, D.C., as the government shutdown and partisan discord continues, there was nothing but good vibes and glorious music at the Recording Industry Association of America’s headquarters.
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“RIAA Honors recognizes artists, industry leaders and policy makers who have made important contributions to American culture,” said RIAA chairman/CEO Mitch Glazier, at the packed event. “Over the past few years, we’ve honored pioneers of country music, hip-hop and Latin music, and tonight, we come together to celebrate pioneers in one of music’s most important and meaningful genres: Christian and gospel music.”
At the event, sponsored by Billboard, the RIAA recognized platinum contemporary Christian artist Lauren Daigle as artist of the year, while Nashville-based executives Jackie Patillo, president of the Gospel Music Association and GMA Foundation, and Ed Leonard, president of Daywind Music Group and an executive committee member of the GMA, were honored as industry executives of the year. Senators Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) and Chris Coons (D-DE) were celebrated as policymakers of the year.
Morna Willens, RIAA’s chief policy officer, cited the many pieces of legislation that Blackburn has been behind, as much of her constituency in Tennessee includes the creative community in Nashville. “You want her in your corner when things are rough, and her record from the Music Modernization Act to the NO FAKES Act to her defense of Tennessee’s rights to protect the citizens from AI abuses speak for itself,” Willens said.
Blackburn took the stage and joked that “In Nashville, I can’t go to church, I can’t go to one of the kids’ games, I can’t go to the mailbox, I can’t go out for a walk without seeing somebody that’s a singer, a songwriter, a record producer.” She added that when she first came to D.C. as a U.S. representative, she was surprised to realize “not everyone had an appreciation for the role that intellectual property and the protection of that intellectual property [plays and] why it is so important,” adding, “It is the basis on which so many people make their living.”
Pictured (L-R): RIAA Honors Executives of the Year Ed Leonard & Jackie Patillo,
Artist of the Year Lauren Daigle and Policymakers of the Year Senators Marsha Blackburn & Chris Coons
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She mentioned a number of other pieces of legislation she has championed, including 2006’s Songwriters Capital Gains Tax Equity Act and the newly introduced CREATE Act, as well as gave a shout-out to Coons and Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Tom Tillis (D-N.C.) for their co-sponsorship of the NO FACTS Act, which protects artists and minors against unauthorized AI deepfake impersonations, before concluding, “In other words, we’ve got your back and we’ve got you covered, and it is truly an honor to do that for you.”
Next, Willens lauded Blackburn’s NO FACTS Act co-sponsor Coons as someone who “has earned his colleagues’ respect, on both sides of the aisle, as a principled, substantive and pragmatic leader,” as well as praised his championing of such momentous legislation as the CLASSICS Act and the Music Modernization Act.
Coons noted that protecting music creators is close to his heart: His step-brother has recorded seven albums and his half-sister is an opera singer. He thanked Blackburn for her partnership, stressing the importance of bipartisanship. “At a time when — you might have heard this — there’s division in Congress, it is so wonderful to be able to reflect back what music does for all of us, which is to bring us together and to find common solutions to the challenges that face singers, songwriters, publishers and producers, the whole creative community,” he said. Turning to the NO FAKES Act, he added, “I’m confident, optimistic that we will get it through Congress and to President Trump’s desk this year to protect your voice, your face, your likeness and your music.”
Moving to the industry executives of the year, a video featuring top gospel and Christian artists For King + Country’s Joel Smallbone, Natalie Grant and Jekalyn Carr saluted Patillo, who many of the artists have known for decades — including Grant, who thanked Patillo for signing her when she was a label executive and for introducing her to her husband. Carr thanked her for her “contribution to gospel music” and for “God trusting you with the assignment” to protect and spread gospel music.
Michele Ballentyne, RIAA’s president and chief operating officer, shared seeing firsthand the unifying impact Patillo has had on the gospel community, calling her “a force of nature,” and noting that she has proven to be such a leader that the GMA even named its leadership award after her.
A humble Patillo spoke briefly, praising God’s plan for her, despite her doubts. “I am so grateful that God chose me,” she said. “Every time I’ve wrestled with Him and said, ‘But I’m not qualified,’ He said, ‘Trust me.’ And I’ve never done anything other than facilitate the creation and the furtherance of Christian and gospel music. So I’m honored to be at the table with Mitch and to be able to represent the gospel music trade association at the table for advocacy of all of our intellectual properties.”
Similarly to the video saluting Patillo, an artist package for Leonard featured gospel icon CeCe Winans, Joseph Habedank and Karen Peck of Karen Peck and New River, who noted, “Ed’s vision, integrity and dedication have not only strengthened Daywind, but also enriched the entire Christian and gospel music industry. His leadership has guided artists, writers and labels through seasons of change with wisdom and grace, while his advocacy has ensured that creators are valued and protected.”
Ballentyne recited a litany of music industry organizations that Leonard either leads or is a member of, adding, “I doubt there is a more experienced or accomplished executive out there in the genre.”
Leonard used most of his speech to praise others, including Patillo, whom he said took the GMA “from the ashes to the pinnacle,” and thanked both the RIAA staff and Senators Blackburn and Coons for “saving culture by saving music.” But his most touching moment came when he teared up as he thanked Daigle for her music. He recalled that one of his children, upon finding out he was being honored along with the singer, said, “’You know, Dad, her music got me through some of the toughest times in my life over the last five to 10 years,’ and to be able to say thank you to you publicly is something that is very special to me.”
That sentiment led beautifully into the artist of the year presentation honoring Daigle, which kicked off with a performance by Jon Batiste, who called Daigle “a light in the world. And in these times, we need beacons of light to lead us home,” he said. “You exist in the truth the way that God made us to be, and your music is a reflection [of that.].”
Appropriately, Batiste, seated at a grand piano, then launched into an effervescent, jazzy version of the children’s song and later Civil Rights Movement anthem “This Little Light of Mine.”
Glazier then addressed Daigle, who has more than 20 million units certified by the RIAA and is a two-time Grammy winner, eight-time Billboard Music Awards winner and 12-time GMA Dove Awards winner. “She’s been an unparalleled ambassador for Christian music, growing the genre and reaching new generations, embraced by fans in countries around the world, and proving over and over again that powerful, unapologetic Christian music reflects just as much talent, commitment and musical craft as the biggest hits of any genre ever recorded,” he said, before thanking her for her support of the NO FAKES Act, as well as her work with the International Justice Mission to support the STOP CSAM Act, which addresses online child exploitation and human trafficking.
Daigle, with her father in the audience, spoke of the power of music. “I’m so grateful that music is this bonding agent in a time of division, right?,” she said. “We get to all sit and listen to songs together, and in the process of doing that, we see the world become one. We see the world become whole again, even if it’s for but a moment, and that, to me, is so beautiful.” Admitting she suffered from imposter syndrome and felt that she didn’t deserve the honor, she turned her praise to Jesus. “He is for me. He is not against me. He is for you. He is not against you. And to receive a gift that you don’t deserve, but that you feel so deep to represent that around the world, is the highest of honors,” she said.
Then she let her music do the talking, launching into a heartfelt, beautiful rendition of “You Say,” her 2018 breakthrough hit that spent a record 132 weeks at No. 1 on Billboard’s Hot Christian Songs chart, the first time a song had 100 or more weeks atop any of Billboard’s “Hot” charts. She and Batiste then came together to perform an emotional version of “Be Okay,” a song she wrote with Ellie Holcomb inspired by a terminally ill fan who asked Holcomb how to die. Their voices, separately and together, soared through the room, ending the evening on a high note and proving definitively the power of music that so many in the room are fighting to protect.
Trending on Billboard Carrie Underwood has hit a new career milestone: She’s been named the highest Recording Industry Association of America-certified female country artist of all time, with over 95 million units (22.5 million in albums and 72.5 million in singles) in the United States alone, inclusive of solo titles and collaborations. Among Underwood’s RIAA […]
The RIAA is throwing its support behind a blockbuster copyright lawsuit filed by Disney and Universal against artificial intelligence firm Midjourney, calling the case “a critical stand for human creativity.”
The lawsuit, filed earlier on Wednesday (June 11), claims Midjourney has stolen “countless” copyrighted works to train its AI image generator — and it marks the first foray of major Hollywood studios into a growing legal battle between AI firms and human artists.
Disney and Universal’s new case, which comes as major music companies litigate their own infringement suits against AI firms, “represents a critical stand for human creativity and responsible innovation,” RIAA chairman/CEO Mitch Glazier wrote in a statement.
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“There is a clear path forward through partnerships that both further AI innovation and foster human artistry,” Glazier says. “Unfortunately, some bad actors — like Midjourney — see only a zero-sum, winner-take-all game. These short-sighted AI companies are stealing human-created works to generate machine-created, virtually identical products for their own commercial gain. That is not only a violation of black letter copyright law but also manifestly unfair.”
AI models like Midjourney are “trained” by ingesting millions of earlier works, teaching the machine to spit out new ones. Amid the meteoric rise of the new technology, dozens of lawsuits have been filed in federal court over that process, arguing that AI companies are violating copyrights on a massive scale.
AI firms argue such training is legal “fair use,” transforming all those old “inputs” into entirely new “outputs.” Whether that argument succeeds in court is a potentially trillion-dollar question — and one that has yet to be definitively answered by federal judges.
Disney and Universal’s new lawsuit against Midjourney is the latest such case — and immediately one of the most high-profile. The 110-page lawsuit claims the startup “helped itself” to vast amounts of copyrighted content, allowing its users to create images that “blatantly incorporate and copy Disney’s and Universal’s famous characters.”
“Midjourney is the quintessential copyright free-rider and a bottomless pit of plagiarism,” the companies wrote in their complaint, lodged in Los Angeles federal court on Wednesday morning.
The case echoes arguments made by Universal Music, Warner Music and Sony Music, which filed their own massive lawsuit against the AI music firms Udio and Suno last summer. In that case, the music giants say the tech startups have stolen music on an “unimaginable scale” to build models that are “trampling the rights of copyright owners.”
Music publishers have filed their own case, accusing Anthropic of infringing copyrighted song lyrics with its Claude model. Numerous other artists and creative industries — from newspapers to photographers to visual artists to software coders — have launched similar cases.
Disney and Universal’s complaint makes the same basic argument — that using copyrighted works to train AI is illegal — but does so by citing some of the most iconic movie and TV characters in history. Disney cites Darth Vader from Star Wars, Buzz Lightyear from Toy Story and Homer Simpson from The Simpsons; Universal mentions Shrek, the Minions, Kung Fu Panda and others.
“Piracy is piracy, and whether an infringing image or video is made with AI or another technology does not make it any less infringing,” lawyers for the studios write. “Midjourney’s conduct misappropriates Disney’s and Universal’s intellectual property and threatens to upend the bedrock incentives of U.S. copyright law that drive American leadership in movies, television, and other creative arts.”
Latin music continued its extraordinary rise in the U.S. in 2024, hitting a record-breaking $1.4 billion in revenue, according to the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). Adjusted for inflation, this milestone represents an 18% increase over the genre’s previous peak in 2005 and marks the third consecutive year surpassing $1 billion.
Streaming remained the lifeblood of Latin music’s success, accounting for a staggering 98% of total revenue in 2024. Paid subscription services contributed more than two-thirds of those earnings, growing 6% year-over-year to $967 million. Meanwhile, ad-supported on-demand streaming platforms like YouTube, Vevo and the free tier of Spotify amassed $354 million, nearly 25% of the genre’s total value — an outsized share compared to the overall market’s 10% in this area, according to the annual report.
“I’m heartened by the continued explosive popularity of Latin music across the U.S. as artists and labels forge new ways to connect with fans,” says Rafael Fernandez Jr., RIAA’s svp of state public policy & Latin music, in a press release. “With streaming delivering 98% of Latin revenues, we can see how the Latin music community’s embrace of innovation lets traditional stars and new generations reach fans like never before — breaking language and access barriers to more boldly shape America’s music future every year.”
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Powering this dominance is a lineup of global superstars driving engagement across platforms. According to Billboard’s year-end Top Latin Artists chart of 2024, Bad Bunny claimed the No. 1 spot for a sixth consecutive year. Meanwhile, Fuerza Regida surged to second place following a string of album and EP releases that resonated with fans across the U.S. Karol G held her own as the only female in the top 10, at No. 4, while Peso Pluma came in at No. 3 — artists who are blazing new trails and cementing Latin music’s cultural and commercial growth.
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While streaming dominates, physical formats also experienced a surprising resurgence, with revenues up 35% from 2022. Despite still accounting for only 1% of overall U.S. Latin music income, this trend indicates opportunities to cater to collectors and superfans through vinyl and other tangible releases.
“There are still more opportunities to push the bounds of innovation, engaging superfans, expanding paid streaming and introducing vinyl nostalgia to this specific market,” adds Matthew Bass, RIAA’s vp of research and gold & platinum operations, in a press release. “After nearly a decade rising and rising again, Latin music keeps surging across the US and is only getting started!”
According to IFPI’s recent Global Music Report, Latin America has experienced a 15-year growth streak, becoming one of the fastest-growing regions in the world. For the first time, Mexico has entered the top 10 global music markets, overtaking Australia for the No. 10 spot. Meanwhile, Brazil holds steady at No. 9, making 2024 the first year that two Latin American countries have appeared in IFPI’s top 10 rankings, which are based on recorded music revenue.
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Miley Cyrus has upped her platinum records to 23. According to the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), her two hits, “Flowers” and “Used to Be Young,” have been certified 7x platinum and platinum, respectively. Explore Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news A platinum certification recognizes one million equivalent […]
A “datapocalypse” hit the music industry this week as both the RIAA and IFPI reported 2024 numbers, following MIDiA Research’s annual tally a week earlier — and all three agreed that growth slowed in 2024. The IFPI’s figures and rankings of top markets revealed the rise of emerging markets, while the U.S.-focused RIAA figures revealed that growth in the United States was particularly weak (although not the worst in the world).
The trends seen in these reports have consequences for the global music industry. Companies follow opportunities, and emerging markets are attractive places to put resources. In November, Billboard published a story about major labels’ pivot in investment strategy from tech startups to old-school music companies in small and developing markets. As majors face slowing growth in mature markets, they’re looking for growth elsewhere — especially China, India and Africa. Independent companies such as Believe have long pursued markets around the world, too, betting on the rise of streaming and the increasing popularity of local music.
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The trio of reports underscore that slow streaming growth in many markets will need to be addressed. To that end, labels are already working to improve payouts through super-premium tiers that carry higher prices and working with streaming platforms to ensure “professional” artists get better remuneration than hobbyists, background noise and nature sounds. Ridding streaming platforms of AI-generated tracks will also improve labels’ payouts.
The reports differ because they represent different types of income. The IFPI reports trade revenue — the money collected by distributors and record labels — while much of the RIAA’s report shows the retail value, or the money collected by streaming platforms and retailers. In addition, the RIAA numbers cover only the U.S. while the IFPI and MIDiA reports track the global business. MIDiA Research includes additional revenue streams not found in RIAA or IFPI reports: expanded rights, which includes merchandise, sponsorships and other revenue that does not originate from master rights; and production music, which is growing in importance in music licensing but is typically outside the purview of record labels.
Following are the four main takeaways from the three reports.
Emerging Markets Were the Story of 2024
The most established markets mostly kept their place in the pecking order, but there was one momentous change in 2024. In a sign of the times, Australia, which ranked No. 10 on the IFPI rankings in both 2022 and 2023, was replaced by Mexico. While Australia improved 6.1%, Mexico expanded 15.6% thanks to a huge improvement in subscription revenue. In fact, the Latin America region grew an astounding 22.5%. Brazil, the No. 9 market, grew 21.7% — the fastest rate in the top 10.
Despite having a relatively small population of approximately 27 million, Australia has historically punched above its weight in music spending. The country ranked No. 6 in both 2014 and 2015 before falling off the top 10 in 2024 for the first time in nearly three decades. Meanwhile, Mexico — which had never cracked the top 10 before now — has roughly 130 million people, a booming streaming market and a flourishing music scene.
To be fair, Mexico is more of a mid-tier market than an emerging market. In terms of IFPI rankings, the country is emerging only in the sense that it “emerged” into the top 10. But it has a lot in common with emerging markets, including high growth rates and ample room for more subscriptions. In mature markets, subscribers are becoming harder to find.
China held firm at No. 5, its same ranking as the previous two years. With the world’s largest population and a fast-growing subscription streaming market, the country has risen from No. 7 in 2019 and No. 10 in 2017. Its largest music streaming company, Tencent Music Entertainment, finished the year with 121 million subscribers — more than all the streaming subscribers in the U.S.
In terms of pure growth rate, the top regions were the smaller Middle East-North Africa (MENA) and Sub-Saharan Africa, which grew at 22.8% and 22.6%, respectively.
Prior to 2024, the same markets had appeared in the top 10 for the last decade, sometimes in a different order. In 2017, China and Brazil entered the top 10, knocking out Italy and the Netherlands. Brazil had been in the top 10 in previous years but was absent in 2016. Now, with Mexico and emerging markets surging, we may be seeing a bigger shakeup in the top 10 in the future.
U.S. Growth Underperformed Nearly Every Other Market
In a business where year-over-year growth has become commonplace, the large, mature music markets don’t have the appeal of the smaller, fast-growing ones. So, while the U.S. remained the world’s largest market — by a wide margin — its revenue growth didn’t even keep up with 2024’s 2.9% inflation rate (depending on which numbers you’re looking at).
U.S. revenue growth slowed to 2.2% according to the IFPI report, or 3.2% according to the RIAA report. Together, the U.S. and Canada, which grew 1.5% in 2024, accounted for 40.3% of global revenue but grew just 2.1%, according to the IFPI report. Japan, the world’s second-largest market, dropped 0.2% as a 5.5% increase in streaming — led by a 7.2% gain in subscription revenue — was offset by a 2.7% decline in physical revenue. South Korea, the No. 7 market, fell 5.7%. The total Asia region grew 1.3%, however, in part due to China increasing 9.6%.
Some other major markets fared better than the U.S. As Billboard previously reported, U.K. revenues increased 4.8% and Germany rose 7.8%.
Subscriptions Are Stronger Than Ever
Subscriptions are the lifeblood of the record industry, accounting for more than 74% of global streaming revenue and 51.2% of total revenue in 2024, up from 49.1% in 2023, according to the IFPI. Of the global industry’s $1.4 billion added in 2024, $1.3 billion came from subscription streaming.
That said, the U.S. subscription market slowed considerably in 2024. Global subscription revenue rose 9.5% to $10.46 billion — almost double the 5.3% growth rate in the U.S., according to the RIAA. That 5.3% gain was half of 2023’s 10.6% improvement and well under 2022’s 7.2% growth (the 22.2% subscription growth seen in 2021 was a fortunate aberration of the pandemic). While a reversion to the mean was expected in successive years, 5.3% isn’t much, especially in a year when Spotify raised prices.
Ad-Supported Music, On the Other Hand…
Global ad-supported streaming grew just 3% to $3.62 billion, according to the IFPI. That’s a paltry number given the growth of streaming in large emerging markets such as India and Indonesia. But 3% global growth outperformed the U.S., where the RIAA report showed that ad-supported streaming dropped 1.8% and hasn’t had a double-digit gain since 2021.
For all the popularity of subscription music services, consumers will continue to use ad-supported platforms — video platforms like YouTube, social media apps like TikTok and radio services such as Pandora. And for freemium services such as Spotify, the ad-supported tier is a critical gateway to the premium tiers.
But the state of the economy suggests advertising dollars could be difficult in 2025, too, as advertisers tend to pull back their spending at the first signs of an economic slowdown. SiriusXM CFO Tom Barry, speaking at a banking conference on March 11, said advertising started “to see a drop-off” in previous weeks following the Trump administration’s tariff threats. “I would say we’re cautious about where the ad industry is going right now,” he warned.
Recorded music revenue in the United States notched record-high revenues of $17.7 billion in 2024, marking a modest 3% increase from 2023 but capping a ninth straight year of upward mobility for the U.S. business, according to the RIAA. Like a broken record, this growth was once again primarily driven by streaming and the enduring popularity of vinyl.
The music industry’s total revenue gain of 3% in 2024 is a decrease from the 7.7% increase seen in 2023.
Streaming continued to dominate the music industry, accounting for 84% of total revenues for the third consecutive year. Streaming revenue grew by 4% to $14.9 billion, with paid subscriptions the leading contributor, rising 5% to $11.7 billion, which alone made up 79% of all streaming revenues and nearly two-thirds of all recorded music revenue.
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For the first time, the number of paid subscriptions surpassed 100 million, increasing by 3% from the previous year’s tally of 97 million.
However, revenue from limited-tier subscriptions — which include services like Amazon Prime, Pandora Plus, fitness streaming services and other paid subs that don’t offer full, on-demand catalogs — declined by 2% to $1 billion. It’s an improvement over 2023, though, when that drop was 4%.
Reversing last year’s gains, ad-supported streaming experienced a slight decline. Revenue from ad-supported on-demand music services like YouTube and Spotify’s free tier dropped by 2% to $1.8 billion. (Last year it was 2% but in the black.) Digital and customized radio services, including SiriusXM, grew modestly by 3% to reach $1.4 billion. SoundExchange distributions, which handle payments for artists and copyright holders, rose by 5% to $1.1 billion, while other ad-supported streaming revenue fell by 4% to $306 million.
Most physical music formats saw a continued resurgence, with total revenues increasing by 5% to $2 billion. Vinyl was the standout performer yet again, growing by 7% to $1.4 billion, marking its 18th consecutive year of growth. Vinyl albums outsold CDs, with 44 million units sold compared to 33 million CDs. A year prior, those numbers were 43.2 million and 37 million, meaning the gap between the physical cousins is growing. Despite these trends, CD revenue still grew by 1% to $541 million compared to $537.1 million.
Digital downloads continued their downward spiral, decreasing by 18% to $336 million, compared to $434.1 million in 2023. This category now represents only 2% of the total music industry revenue, a significant drop from its 2012 peak when it accounted for 43% of the market. Both individual track and album downloads saw double-digit percentage declines.
The overall percentage breakdown between digital and physical revenue—88% to 12%—has remained consistent since 2018, with only minor fluctuations of 1% in either direction over the years. At the wholesale level, total revenue increased by 2.7%, rising to $11.3 billion from last year’s $11 billion, marking the third consecutive year this metric has surpassed the $10 billion mark.
The organization noted that this marks the first year of direct reporting from independent labels, including sync revenue estimates from indie sources.
RIAA chairman & CEO Mitch Glazier highlighted the “historic milestone” of over 100 million paid subs driving two-thirds of revenues, calling it an “extraordinary achievement by an industry that has successfully focused on its creative and commercial core by championing innovative new services, options, and experiences that add real value for fans.”
Glazier added: “Music has never been more dynamic, compelling, and relevant – reaching out beyond our earbuds with conversation-driving cultural touchstones like unforgettable halftime performances, historic television moments or must-see films and biopics. And American fans and superfans’ dedication to the artists they support promises an even brighter future as record labels work to create new opportunities that boost incomes for artists and diverse revenue streams to grow the pie for everyone with a stake in the music economy.”
RIAA’s Year-End Report By the Numbers:
The U.S. recorded music industry reached an all-time high of $17.7 billion in estimated retail value.
Streaming generated $14.9 billion — making up 84% of total industry revenue.
Paid music subscriptions surpassed 100 million for the first time, contributing $11.7 billion, nearly two-thirds of total revenue.
Vinyl sales increased for the 18th straight year, reaching $1.4 billion, the highest level since 1984.
For the third year in a row, vinyl records (44 million units) outsold CDs (33 million units).
Jack Harlow‘s 2020 breakout hit “Whats Poppin” becomes his first Diamond-certified record by the Recording Industry Association of America, the RIAA announced on Thursday (March 13). The Diamond plaque also doubled as a birthday present, considering the news arrived on Harlow’s 27th birthday. Diamond certification is given to artists whose songs have moved 10 million units. According […]
Beyoncé now has more Recording Industry Association of America certified titles than any other female artist, the organization announced Tuesday (Dec. 17). With the superstar earning dozens of new badges Tuesday — including a 2x-Platinum certification for Billboard Hot 100-topper “Texas Hold ‘Em” and Platinum honors for Billboard 200 No. 1 album Cowboy Carter — […]
The RIAA revealed its yearly certification announcements on Monday (Dec. 16), identifying 65 artists receiving honors for the first time, including Latin artists such as Rauw Alejandro, FloyyMenor, Quevedo, The Marías and Carla Morrison.
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Puerto Rican sensation Rauw Alejandro is recognized for his album Cosa Nuestra, which achieved Gold status. Additionally, his collaboration with Bad Bunny on the single “Qué Pasará” was notably popular. However, it was his 2023 single “Aloha” — with Maluma and Beele, featuring Darell, Mambo Kingz and DJ Luian — that achieved six-times Platinum status, and a few more others such a early 2024 singles “Déjame Entrar” and “Touching the Sky” were also certified Platinum. Spanish rapper Quevedo received a nine-times Platinum accolade for his single “Pero Tú” with Karol G, along with Platinum recognitions for other tracks including “OA” in collaboration with Anuel AA and Maluma (with contributions from Mambo Kingz, DJ Luian).
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Breakout Chilean star FloyyMenor proudly acknowledged his inclusion in the RIAA Class of 2024, celebrating the double Platinum success of his song “Gata Only” with Cris MJ. “I am so proud to be a part of the RIAA Class of 2024 and for my double platinum song making me the only Chilean artist to achieve platinum or higher certification for a Latin title in the RIAA’s Gold and Platinum program’s 66 years,” said FloyyMenor in a statement shared with Billboard Español. “This is not just mine, it is Chile’s and everyone who has supported me since day one. I am very grateful for UnitedMasters, RIAA and my fans for helping me bring my music to the whole world. This last year has been a dream come true.”
Meanwhile, The Marías landed three singles — “No One Noticed,” “Un Millón” and “Lejos de Ti” — in the prestigious program; and Carla Morrison enters this year’s class for her participation in Karol G’s hit song “Mañana Será Bonito,” which went nine times Platinum.
“There’s nothing like the first time! The RIAA Gold and Platinum Class of 2024 is our largest to date — with 65 artists whose talents broke through in amazing ways — proving how new music discovery and creative partnerships are driving the next generation of icons,” added RIAA chairman/CEO Mitch Glazier in a press release. “We are so proud of this group of artists and their label teams for their inspiring work that fans love. We look forward to celebrating their next milestones soon.”
Moreover, the Class of 2024 also features Shaboozey, Chappell Roan, Sexxy Red, Cassö and others.
As for standout Latin releases this year, Peso Pluma’s album Éxodo reached 11 times Platinum, and Fuerza Regida’s single with Marshmello “Harley Quinn” went 27 times Platinum.
Initiated 66 years ago, the Gold and Platinum Awards by the RIAA were designed to acknowledge artists and track sales of sound recordings. These awards have since become a benchmark of success for artists at all stages, from debut tracks to career-spanning compilations.
See the complete list of recipients of the Class of 2024 below on the second slide:
