OutKast score first multi-platinum music download award

NEW YORK (Outkast Fans Website) - It might not be the same as having a big gold record on the wall, but the Recording Industry Association of America has issued its first gold, platinum, and multiplatinum certifications for digital downloads.

The first obvious winner? Outkast's "Hey Ya!" is the only multiplatinum single so far, with more than 400,000 downloads. Six songs qualified for platinum, or sales of 200,000 singles, and 45 titles got gold status, for selling 100,000 songs.
The Way You Move and Roses also went platinum for shifting 200,000 downloads each, in the awards organised by the US record industry.

D12 and Maroon 5 also got platinum awards, and Beyonce, Usher and Black Eyed Peas got gold awards for selling over 100,000 downloads each.

The Recording Industry Association of America, which represents the big record companies, gave out 45 gold awards in all.
Music downloads still count for only a small amount of total sales for the recording industry, but downloads are getting more popular.

The RIAA recently said that nearly 59 million digital singles were sold in the United States in the first half of 2004. Outkast accounted for three of the six platinum awards, while Hoobastank, D12 and Maroon 5 each picked up one. Bands including Coldplay, The Darkness, Sheryl Crow and Britney Spears all won gold certifications.
The RIAA based its certifications on sales made through digital download services operated by companies including Apple Computer, Musicmatch, Napster, RealNetworks and others.