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Gold & Platinum

 Music Canada

Gold/Platinum (163)

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2019 Gold/Platinum Year-End Recap

Left to Right: Felix Cartal, Lights, Tyler Shaw, Grandson

2019 has proven to be another spectacular year for Music Canada’s historic Gold/Platinum program. For the fourth consecutive year, the program has experienced a steady surge in Single Award certifications thanks to Canada’s continued shift towards on-demand audio streaming, which in 2018 accounted for 60% of recorded music revenues in Canada.

In 2019, Single Award certifications increased 33% from 2018’s total, with a 38% increase in tracks receiving their first Canadian Gold certifications (40,000 units). Music Canada began accepting on-demand subscription service streams with the introduction of the Single Award in September 2016, and has since experienced a 177% increase in new tracks receiving their first Canadian certifications.

11 singles received Diamond certifications (800,000 units) this year, surpassing 2018’s total. “Old Town Road,” the breakthrough hit by American crossover star Lil Nas X, was the only single released in 2019 to receive the top certification. Post Malone, who received the most certifications of any artist in 2019, followed this with the 2019 single “Wow.” at 7x Platinum, while Billie Eilish‘s hit “bad guy” received the third highest for a 2019 release at 6x Platinum.

Toronto-born rapper Drake‘s hit “God’s Plan,” which received the highest certification in 2018 for a Canadian artist at 8x Platinum, joins The Weeknd‘s “Starboy” and Loud Luxury‘s “Body (ft. Brando)” as the highest certifications for Canadian artists in 2019, each receiving a Diamond certification for their respective tracks. The Weeknd also received the highest album certification for a Canadian artist with the 5x Platinum certifications of 2015’s Beauty Behind The Madness and 2016’s Starboy. Khalid‘s Free Spirit, Post Malone’s Hollywood’s Bleeding, and Billie Eilish’s WHEN WE ALL FALL ASLEEP, WHERE DO WE GO? were the top certified albums released in 2019, each earning a Double Platinum (160,000 units) certification.

Several Canadian artists received their first Single Award certifications including Loud, Arcade Fire, Jade Eagleson, Craig Cardiff, The Dead South, Ali Gatie, Lucky Rose, Death From Above 1979, Frank Walker, Hunter Brothers, Patrick Watson, and The Barr Brothers. 

All singles receiving their first #GoldinCanada certifications in 2019 have been compiled into a playlist on Spotify and Apple Music available to stream below.

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Jonas Brothers receive Platinum plaques in Toronto

Photo Credit: Jonas Brothers / Universal Music Canada

2019 was an epic year for American pop sensations Jonas Brothers, who returned to the spotlight following the release of their fifth studio album Happiness Begins and their first major arena tour in a decade. The band played three shows at Toronto’s Scotiabank Arena over the course of the tour, along with a stop at Montreal’s Bell Centre on Wednesday night. Prior to Tuesday’s show in Toronto, Nick, Kevin, and Joe were surprised with their own Platinum award plaques for Happiness Begins by Universal Music Canada, sharing the news across their social media accounts with their Canadian fans.

Happiness Begins was the brothers’ first Canadian album certification since August 2009, when A Little Bit Longer (2008) received its Double Platinum certification and Lines, Vines and Trying Times (2009) was certified Platinum. Happiness Begins also features the certified hits “Sucker” (4x Platinum), “Only Human” (Platinum), and “Cool” (Platinum), which are included on the custom award plaque.

Watch the music video for “Sucker” below.

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Jason Mraz presented with Gold Single plaque in Toronto

Photo Credit: Warner Music Canada

Multi-Platinum singer-songwriter Jason Mraz returned to Toronto Tuesday night for the first of two intimate shows at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre alongside indie-folk quintet Raining Jane. Ahead of the performance, Warner Music Canada surprised Mraz with a Gold plaque for single “Have It All” from his 2018 album Know., which is his first Canadian certification since 2014’s Gold album YES!. 

During this Fall 2019 run of “Evening with” shows, Mraz also visited Edmonton, Calgary, and Vancouver.

Watch the music video for “Have It All” below.

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The Dead South receive first Gold plaque in Toronto

The Dead South (L-R: Danny Kenyon, Scott Pringle, Nate Hilts, Colton Crawford ) with Six Shooter Records staff (L-R: Morgan Coates, Helen Britton, Chris Wynters, Shauna de Cartier, Matthew Maw, Emily Smart) 

Amidst a North American tour in support of their latest album Sugar & Joy, Saskatchewan’s The Dead South stopped in Toronto a few days before their highly anticipated Halloween show at The Phoenix Concert Theatre. During a private event last Wednesday, Six Shooter Records presented the Regina-based band with their first Canadian Gold Single Award plaques for 2014 hit “In Hell I’ll Be In Good Company” which was officially certified earlier this year.

Watch the music video for “In Hell I’ll Be In Good Company” below.

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SHAED receive first Canadian Gold plaque in Toronto

Photo Credit: Universal Music Canada

Prior to their highly anticipated show at Toronto’s Velvet Underground, American electro-pop trio SHAED were presented with a Canadian Gold Single Award plaque by Universal Music Canada for their breakthrough hit “Trampoline.” Initially released in 2018, the song has since been re-released in 2019 with vocals from Multi-Platinum artist ZAYN.

Watch the music video for “Trampoline” below.

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Lizzo surprised with Multi-Platinum plaques in Toronto

Photo Credit: Warner Music Canada

On Thursday night, Lizzo returned to Toronto for a sold out show at Budweiser Stage. This was the second Toronto concert of 2019 for the American ‘Bop Star,’ who played the 1,500 capacity Danforth Music Hall in May following the release of her major label debut album, Cuz I Love You. Originally scheduled to perform at night club Rebel, Thursday’s show was later moved due to overwhelming demand to the 15,000 capacity Budweiser Stage, ten times the size of crowd she played to just months earlier.

Ahead of the massive show, Lizzo was surprised by Warner Music Canada with a Gold award plaque for Cuz I Love You, along with a Triple Platinum award plaque for one of the summer’s biggest hits “Truth Hurts.” Cuz I Love You also features the Gold-certified hit “Juice,” which Lizzo closed out Thursday’s show with.

Watch the brand new lyric video for “Truth Hurts” below.

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Mabel receives first Canadian plaque ahead of Toronto show

Prior to her sold out show at Toronto’s Velvet Underground last Saturday, UK pop sensation Mabel was surprised with a Double Platinum plaque for the summer hit “Don’t Call Me Up” by Universal Music Canada. Mabel shared the exciting new with her fans in through her Twitter account, and promised “more to come” following the track’s North American success.

Watch the music video for “Don’t Call Me Up” from Mabel’s debut album High Expectations below.

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The Sheepdogs receive Platinum plaques at Blue Jays’ Summer Sound Festival

On Friday, August 9, Saskatchewan-bred rockers The Sheepdogs were in Toronto to throw out the first pitch at Rogers Centre ahead of the Blue Jays game against the New York Yankees. The band also performed a free outdoor show ahead of the game as part of the Jays’ Summer Sound Festival, which also featured James Barker Band the following day.

During the game, Warner Music Canada surprised the band with their second Canadian Platinum certification plaque for their 2012 self-titled album, joining JUNO Rock Album of the Year winner Learn & Burn. The album’s lead single “Feeling Good” also received a Platinum Single Award certification in 2019.

Watch the music video for “Feeling Good” below (oh, and the Jays did win that game 8-2).

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Felix Cartal surprised with first Platinum plaque

Canadian electronic artist was surprised last week by Cadence Music Group with his first ever Platinum plaque for the hit single “Get What You Give.” It is his second award plaque presentation of 2019, following a Gold award surprise at Bud Light Dreams Festival for his Lights collaboration “Love Me.”

“Get What You Give” was nominated for the 2018 JUNO Dance Recording of the Year, and samples the 1998 New Radicals hit “You Get What You Give.” Watch the music video below.

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Felix Cartal & Lights surprised with Canadian Gold plaques at Dreams Festival in Toronto

Back in February of 2019, Canadian artists Lights and Felix Cartal teamed up to release their single “Love Me.” The summer-ready collaboration is now officially certified Gold in Canada, and the pair were surprised with custom plaques by Cadence Music Group in Toronto ahead of Felix Cartal’s highly anticipated set at Bud Light Dreams Festival.

 

During the set, Lights joined Felix Cartal for their first performance of “Love Me,” which Lights shared to her fans on social media.

https://twitter.com/lights/status/1145111049898745857

Watch the music video for “Love Me” below.

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