RIAA To Unveil New Award At Star-Studded Event

Back - Index - Submissions - - What is RSS? Date: Mar 04, 2099 Source: Billboard Submitted By: Elizabeth Clarkson Kunz for sending this in. Dozens of the music industry's biggest stars will be honored March 16 in New York as the RIAA unveils its Diamond Award, a new certification level for recording artists who have achieved U.S. sales of 10 million units of a single title. Although the RIAA would not reveal how many acts will attend the event, Billboard Bulletin has confirmed that Billy Joel, Elton John, Boyz II Men, AC/DC, and Boston will be among those on hand at Roseland Ballroom to receive their Diamond Awards. As of this month, 62 albums spanning four decades qualify for the honor, according to the RIAA. In February alone, Van Halen's "1984," Green Day's "Dookie," Journey's "Greatest Hits," No Doubt's "Tragic Kingdom," and the self-titled debut album by the Backstreet Boys were certified at the 10-million level. Until now, the RIAA had bestowed awards for gold (500,000 units), platinum (1 million), and multi-platinum sales. -- Bill Holland, Washington, D.C Comment on this item. Next Item: Local Voices Chime In On Singer's Latest Song (Lexington Herald-Leader) Prev Item: Backstreet Boys Use Choir for Album