Billie Eilish becomes first female artist of 21st century to earn Diamond certification
Billie Eilish is honoured with a Diamond certification by RIAA for her song 'Bad Guy'. Photo: Getty Images
Billie Eilish, the 21-year-old American singer-songwriter, has achieved a remarkable milestone, becoming the first female singer born in the 21st century to earn a Diamond certification from the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for her hit song 'Bad Guy.' This track stands as Eilish's sole No. 1 hit on the Billboard Hot 100.
Billie Eilish, along with her brother Finneas, who produced 'Bad Guy,' has been awarded the Diamond Certification, the highest honor from RIAA, and both artists are truly grateful for this recognition.
Billie Eilish becomes the first female artist born this century to earn a Diamond-certified single in the US. pic.twitter.com/cpr01BA0G3
— Pop Crave (@PopCrave) July 31, 2023
But what exactly does it mean to receive a Diamond certification from RIAA?
The 'Diamond' Certification is bestowed upon singles or albums that have sold a minimum of 10 million units throughout their lifetime. To achieve this honor, a song must have moved at least 10 million equivalent units through a combination of sales and streaming numbers, and if the artist or label requests certification. This prestigious Diamond award was introduced in 1999.
Billie Eilish and her brother Finneas took to Instagram on July 31 to share their excitement about receiving the Diamond certification for their beloved hit 'Bad Guy.'
She shared a post on Instagram and captioned it, "Bad Guy went diamond………………………. HUUUUUHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH?????????? forever and ever grateful for this silly little song, man. Love you guys so much, it's stupid @finneas."
The song 'Bad Guy' was released in 2019 as the fifth single from her debut album 'When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?' and secured the No. 1 spot on the Billboard Hot 100 in August 2019. The music video for this song has now reached an astounding 1.2 billion views on YouTube.
At the 2020 Grammy Awards, Eilish was honored with five Grammy Awards, including both Record of the Year and Song of the Year for her chart-topping hit 'Bad Guy.' She also received awards for Album of the Year for 'When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?' and was recognized as the Best New Artist.
Here's a link to Billie Eilish's song Bad Guy:
Numerous other artists and their singles have also earned Diamond certifications from RIAA over time.
Elton John's single 'Candle in the Wind,' part of his album 'Something About the Way You Look Tonight,' received the first diamond certification in 1997. The list of Diamond-certified songs also includes Justin Bieber's 'Baby,' Eminem's 'Not Afraid,' Lady Gaga's 'Bad Romance,' Imagine Dragons' 'Radioactive,' Lorde's 'Royals,' Katy Perry's 'Roar,' and the list continues to grow.