In this issue: The awards are comming!!!!!
Here's some information about gold and platinum awards, so you'll be an informed collector/purchaser. After considerable historic research, this documents various formats that have been officially produced in the United States since their inception. Some style changes occurred in the middle of a calendar year, rather than at the beginning...this is the most accurate time frame available.
Style 1 - 1961-1974: The initial type of award first issued by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA, the body that sanctions all official awards-as opposed to individual record companies' in house awards) were in brown wooden frames with white backgrounds. The LP cover is in the lower lefthand corner, separate from the gold plate with the information and RIAA logo. All awards in this style are gold records; there were not platinum awards during this time. These awards are commonly called 'White Matt' awards.
Style 2 - 1975-1981: The next type of award that the RIAA came up with were awards in gold or silver frames issued to commemorate sales of 500,000 and 1,000,000 respectively. These were initially issued with the LP cover also separate from the gold inscription plaque with the RIAA logo. These are called 'floaters' because the LP cover appears to be floating to the left of the plaque.
Style 3 - 1982-1984: The second type of award was then issued with 'strip plates' with the LP cover, inscription, and RIAA logo all on one gold or silver strip depending on if it was a gold or platinum award. These third type of awards are commonly called 'Strip Plate' awards. This actually should be the scarcest type of award, since they were around the shortest amount of time.
Style 4 - 1985-July 1989: Next came the black framed awards, issued when the RIAA logo was changed (from an emblem that was engraved or printed in black on the previous awards) to a hologram logo to prevent reproduction. Sometimes they come with a gold or silver cassette right above the strip plate. They were usually double matted awards with black backgrounds.
Style 5 - August 1989-Early 1990's: The fifth type of award came about when the RIAA changed the image of the hologram eight years ago. (It presently looks like a big "R".) These record awards have a gold or Platinum album above a cassette and inscription plaque. A compact disc is usually to the left of the strip plate with the inscription on it.
Style 6 - Early-1990's-1997: Once compact disc sales impacted the record industry, that format was commemorated in all RIAA Certified awards beginning this decade. The standard award changed to include a gold or platinum CD in every framed piece, and repositioned the inscription plaque, RIAA hologram, and cassette. The RIAA hologram on these awards is positioned on the lefthand side of the inscription placque, which slightly overlaps the gold or silver record. Beneath the placque are the compact disc on the lower left, the mini-LP cover in the middle on the bottom, and the cassette is on the lower righthand side. This was the final style for record awards manufactured in the United States.
Style 7 - Early-1990's-Fall 1997: With music that's only released on CD and cassette, the industry has an award that commemorates those albums. Measuring 13" x 17", these black framed awards are standard today in the promotion business. At the top is the full size cover of the compact disc being honored, with a gold or silver disc emerging from it's righthand side. Beneath them are a gold or silver cassette, pretty much in the middle of the award. Then at the bottom is the inscription plaque with the RIAA "R" hologram on it's lefthand side.
Style 8 - Fall 1997-Present: Exact same format and design as Style 7, except for a new numbered RIAA hologram logo in the same place as on Style 7 awards.
This information is pertinent for any RIAA sanctioned award going back to the 1960's. Some 45 awards may be different, as obviously are many in-house awards made by record labels without RIAA recognition. Some in-house awards came with a disc mounted on a piece of wood without protection over it. As for RIAA awards, the white background awards came with real glass in them; since then plexi-glass has been used. The value of an award is more if it is issued to a record company rather than a radio station or an individual, as it is seen to be more generic. The exception to this of course would be awards that are presented to artists themselves or possibly someone affiliated with the band; there are many forgeries of this type however, so beware!
WHEN DOES A RECORD BECOME PLATINUM OR GOLD !
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In the United States (RIAA):
Gold status Platinum status Multi platinum
Single 500,000 units 1 milion 2 milion and more
Album/EP 500,000 units " "
Full-Length Album 500,000 units " "
Multi-Disc Set 500,000 units " "
Music Video Single 25,000 units (Maximum of two songs per video)
50,000 units (Max is 2 songs, no longer 15 minutes)
100,000 units
Music Video Longform 50,000 units (No prior theater release)
Multi-Box Music Video 50,000 units (Minimum set of 3 videos)
In the United Kingdom (BPI):
Singles Albums Silver 60,000 Silver 200,000 Gold 100,000 Gold 400,000 Platinum 300,000 Platinum 600,000
In the early 80's these BPI figures were lower!
WHEN DID THE ALBUMS WENT GOLD AND PLATINUM IN THE USA!
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Sorry at this moment I can't supply any info on the BPI sales and data.
Albums:
POLICE, THE OUTLANDOS D'AMOUR 3/31/81 Gold POLICE, THE OUTLANDOS D'AMOUR 8/15/84 Platinum POLICE, THE REGATTA DE BLANC 6/10/81 Gold POLICE, THE ZENYATTA MONDATTA 12/12/80 Gold POLICE, THE ZENYATTA MONDATTA 2/27/81 Platinum POLICE, THE GHOST IN THE MACHINE 12/15/81 Gold POLICE, THE GHOST IN THE MACHINE 12/15/81 Platinum POLICE, THE GHOST IN THE MACHINE 11/14/84 Multi Platinum 2.00 POLICE, THE SYNCHRONICITY 8/30/83 Gold POLICE, THE SYNCHRONICITY 8/30/83 Platinum POLICE, THE SYNCHRONICITY 11/14/84 Multi Platinum 4.00 POLICE, THE EVERY BREATH YOU TAKE THE SINGLES 1/13/87 Gold POLICE, THE EVERY BREATH YOU TAKE THE SINGLES 1/13/87 Platinum POLICE, THE EVERY BREATH YOU TAKE THE SINGLES 11/19/92 Multi Platinum 3.00 POLICE, THE MESSAGE IN A BOX 1/19/94 Gold POLICE, THE THE POLICE LIVE 1/30/96 Gold POLICE, THE THE POLICE LIVE 2/7/96 Platinum STING THE DREAM OF THE BLUE TURTLES 8/28/85 Gold STING THE DREAM OF THE BLUE TURTLES 8/28/85 Platinum STING THE DREAM OF THE BLUE TURTLES 2/3/86 Multi Platinum 2.00 STING THE DREAM OF THE BLUE TURTLES 5/24/94 Multi Platinum 3.00 STING NOTHING LIKE THE SUN 12/15/87 Gold STING NOTHING LIKE THE SUN 12/15/87 Platinum STING NOTHING LIKE THE SUN 10/24/91 Multi Platinum 2.00 STING THE SOUL CAGES 4/8/91 Gold STING THE SOUL CAGES 4/8/91 Platinum STING TEN SUMMONER'S TALES 5/20/93 Gold STING TEN SUMMONER'S TALES 5/20/93 Platinum STING TEN SUMMONER'S TALES 9/29/93 Multi Platinum 2.00 STING TEN SUMMONER'S TALES 4/29/94 Multi Platinum 3.00 STING FIELDS OF GOLD 5/31/95 Gold STING FIELDS OF GOLD 5/31/95 Platinum STING FIELDS OF GOLD 4/2/96 Multi Platinum 2.00 STING MERCURY FALLING 5/17/96 Gold STING MERCURY FALLING 8/14/96 Platinum
Single:
POLICE, THE EVERY BREATH YOU TAKE 8/15/83 Gold single
Strange that this song never went platinum in the States, even worse for Sting is that he never had a "seller" on a single as well.
Videos:
POLICE, THE EVERY BREATH YOU TAKE VIDEOS 12/22/86 Gold STING TEN SUMMONER'S TALES 6/21/93 Gold video award
WHICH AWARDS ARE AMONG OUR FREAKIE BROTHERS AND SISTERS!
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It is very likely that you will find those platinum or double platinum RIAA disc somewhere. I've listed here the items which I have seen over the years or which are among collectors today.
IF YOU OWN AN AWARD WHICH IS NOT YET LISTED THAN PLEASE DO LET ME KNOW. THIS IS A WAY THAT WE CAN HELP EACH OTHER TO TRACE FAKE ONES.
For privacy reasons I stated my name and the name of Craig Davalos only!
Some other framed and collectible items are:
Well, thats a lot of information, I hope you liked it. Next month there will be a normal FREAKS again.
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