2003-07-19
7:47 a.m.

PLATINUM CLAY!

PLATINUM CLAY!

Congratulations to Clay Aiken on the occasion of his single, "This is the Night," acheiving PLATINUM certification by the Record Industy Association of America.

LBFCA is pleased to celebrate this event with Clay fans around the internet and around the world. We're lecherous, but we're also incredibly proud and deliriously happy for the success of Our Idol!

The following, quoted from the Chart Beat Bonus column on Billboard.com, dated July 18, 2003, explains the phenomenon, as well as the significance of the speed in which Clay's single reached this status:

[It's been so long since a current chart single has been certified gold or platinum by the Record Industry Association of America (RIAA), some readers may not know the meaning of the solid triangle and circle that appear on Billboard's Hot 100 this week. The triangle indicating platinum certification -- for U.S. shipments of 1 million copies -- is especially rare, and appears next to Clay Aiken's "This Is the Night" (RCA). The circle indicating gold certification -- for U.S. shipments of 500,000 copies -- appears next to Ruben Studdard's "Flying Without Wings" (J).

From September 2001 to June 2003, only 12 singles have been certified gold or platinum by the RIAA. During that period, there were three platinum singles: Lee Ann Womack's "I Hope You Dance," released in October 2000 and certified in October 2002; Pink Floyd's "Another Brick in the Wall," released in July 1979 and certified in September 2001 and Charlie Rich's "Behind Closed Doors," released in July 1973 and certified in September 2001.

In contrast, Aiken's double-sided "This Is the Night" / "Bridge Over Troubled Water" was released June 10 and was certified five weeks later (a release must be in the marketplace for at least one month before it can be certified). It is the best-selling single since Elton John's "Candle in the Wind 1997."]

Click to view the billboard.com column.

Nelle