WASHINGTON, DC (Top40 Charts/ RIAA) - Canadian hip hop act Drake's second album, Thank Me Later, quickly certified Platinum this summer, according to the Recording
Industry Association of
America (RIAA)'s July G&P count.
Drake fans promptly purchased more than one million copies of his June release to earn the Universal Motown artist his very first Platinum album award. Drake's first album, So Far Gone (2009), is currently certified Gold.
Following closely was smooth singer Jack Johnson whose fifth solo album To the Sea (Universal Motown) certified Gold in only one month. All five of Johnson's albums are Gold or higher with his bestselling album to date, In Between Dreams (2006), at double-Platinum. Catch Jack's 2010 worldwide tour with Hawaiian vocalist Paula Fuga as it hits various cities throughout the United States from August through mid-October.
On the heels of their recent Golden Globe Award for Best Television Series - Comedy, Fox's famed Glee cast took a Gold RIAA nod for Glee: The Music, Volume 3 Showstoppers, selling more than 500,000 copies in two months. All three Glee soundtracks on Columbia are currently certified Gold.
Summer was also a solid-selling season for Connecticut-bred musician John Mayer who saw his album Battle Studies (2009) hit Platinum in July. The Columbia album's lead single 'Heartbreak Warfare' is also currently certified Gold.
Kudos to Nickelback who earned July's highest Gold & Platinum album certification. The Canadian rock group received the top spot when Dark Horse (2008) went 3x multi-Platinum. The stellar certification affirms fans' loyalty to Nickelback, whose career album sales have reached 21 million since releasing their debut Curb in 1996.
The top digital single certifications in July - both 4x multi-Platinum - went to California rock trio Train for 'Hey, Soul Sister' (Columbia) and Beyonce' for her 2009 GRAMMY Song Of The Year 'Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)' (Music World/Columbia) while Oklahoman Carrie Underwood's beware ballad 'Before He Cheats' (Arista Nashville, 2005) followed closely at 3x multi-Platinum. Underwood also earned a Gold award for her new single 'Undo It' off Play On, selling more than 500,000 downloads.
Newly minted So-Cal pop band Selena Gomez & the Scene earned their very first Gold and Platinum single awards for 'Naturally,' selling more than million copies. The track hails from the teen group's debut album, Kiss & Tell, released on Hollywood Records in 2010.
Country crooners Joe Nichols and Miranda Lambert earned Gold awards for their respective 2009 hit tracks 'Gimme That Girl' (Show Dog Universal) and 'The House That Built Me' (Columbia Nashville) in July. The Gold single awards mark Joe's second and Miranda's fourth.
July was also a golden month for Universal Records rap super group Young Money. The act - comprised of artists Lil Wayne, Drake, Jae Millz, Gudda Gudda, and others - took a Gold award for 'Every Girl' off their first album collaboration We Are Young Money (2009).
In July, the RIAA awarded a total of ten digital singles and nine albums. All certifications are calculated by Gelfand, Rennert & Feldman.
Complete lists of all album, single, mastertone and video awards can also be accessed at www.riaa.com.
