#1 [url]

Apr 16 11 5:59 PM

I believe the RIAA does NOT combine sales of physical and digital singles because on their website, under Gold & Platinum, they have a separate section for Digital Sales Awards:

In 2004, the RIAA amended its 45-year-old Gold and Platinum award program, the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) launched the Digital Sales award. Developed to recognize the significant sales of the burgeoning digital music market, 45 titles were included in the initial group of certifications, encompassing tracks from each major recording company and representing nearly every genre in music.

In 2006, the RIAA added a Digital Ringtone Award, recognizing the success of Mobile Mastertones. The new award was announced in partnership with CTIA—The Wireless Association, and Billboard.

Consistently each month since its inception, a number of artists are awarded Gold and Platinum Awards recognizing the success of their digital music.

As with the existing Gold and Platinum award program, all certifications for the Digital Sales award are audited by the firm of Gelfand, Rennert & Feldman.


If you search for songs in their database you'll see that they have different "types" of awards. A song can be certified as ST (physical/standard), DI (digital), MT (Mastertone). For example TMB is certified Platinum both as DI and MT.