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.