Top Dawg Entertainment’s owner Anthony Tiffith calls the new RIAA certification rules “BS.” The association announced today (February 1) that official audio and video streams will now be used as part of the tally to determine how many sales an album has totaled.
Because of this reconfiguration, Kendrick Lamar’s To Pimp a Butterfly and Big Sean’s Dark Sky Paradiseare now certified platinum. Lamar’s project was released by Top Dawg Entertainment in conjunction with Aftermath Entertainment and Interscope Records.
“we don’t stand behind this @RIAA bs,” Top Dawg writes on Twitter today (February 1). “ole skool rules apply, 1 million albums sold is platinum.until we reach that #, save all the congrats.”
Cary Sherman, Chairman and CEO of RIAA, says that the change in its system is the result of the way music is currently consumed.
AD LOADING...
“The Gold & Platinum Program has adapted to recognize the benchmarks of success in an evolving music marketplace,” Sherman says in a press release that was released today (February 1). “We know that music listening – for both for albums and songs – is skyrocketing, yet that trend has not been reflected in our album certifications. Modernizing our Album Award to include music streaming is the next logical step in the continued evolution of Gold & Platinum Awards, and doing so enables RIAA to fully reward the success of artists’ albums today.”
Nonetheless, Top Dawg says that he does not embrace the new standard.
“no cheat codes 2 platinum… #TDE,” he writes on Twitter.
The tweets from Top Dawg Entertainment’s owner Anthony Tiffith where he calls the new RIAA certification rules “BS” are as follows:
