BTS Becomes 1st Korean Group To Score RIAA Platinum Certification For Single + 1st Korean Artist With A Gold Album

Nov 21, 2018

BTS now has a platinum single in the United States, as well as their first gold album!

The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) has now announced that BTS’s “MIC Drop” has gone platinum. According to the RIAA’s website, the track has reached 1 million “units,” with a certification date of November 9. One permanent digital download counts as one unit, and 150 on-demand audio and/or video streams count as one unit.

BTS previously became the first Korean group to receive gold certification when “MIC Drop” achieved the feat in February, and they’re now the first Korean group to receive a platinum certification. In 2013, PSY’s “Gangnam Style” was the first single by a Korean artist to reach the RIAA’s platinum certification standards, and it went on to go five times multi-platinum. “MIC Drop” is now the second track ever by a Korean artist to score platinum certification from the RIAA.

In addition, BTS’s 2018 album “Love Yourself: Answer” and its title track “IDOL” have both been certified gold by the RIAA. A gold certification is earned by a release that reaches 500,000 units.

“Love Yourself: Answer” is the first album by a Korean artist to be certified gold, while “IDOL” is BTS’s fourth single to receive gold certification, following “MIC Drop,” “DNA,” and “Fake Love.”