With the introduction of on-demand music services that include Spotify, Rhapsody, and YouTube, music streams have gradually become an integral part of the way in which music is listened to and shared. Thanks to the popularity of streaming music, the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) has just announced the integration of music streams to its Gold & Platinum Program.

Thanks to the newly-announced change, a total of 56 songs received inaugural certifications this week. Among the nearly 60 songs were Justin Timberlake’s “Suit & Tie,” Eminem’s “Love The Way You Lie,” and Ca$h Out “Cashin’ Out.”

“Including music streaming in Gold & Platinum awards marks the continued evolution of the industry’s premier program for recognizing artistic achievement, and it reflects the wide spectrum of ways consumers enjoy music from their favorite bands,” said Cary Sherman, Chairman & CEO, RIAA in a statement. “The music business, along with its incredible array of digital service partners, is offering fans more access to music than ever before. We’re thrilled that our awards will now more fully recognize artists’ commercial success today.”

Launched in the late ‘50s, the RIAA’s Gold & Platinum program was created “to honor artists and create a standard by which to measure the commercial success of a sound recording.”

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