Canadian artists Brett Kissel (Warner Music Canada), Shania Twain (Universal Music Canada), and Ria Mae (Sony Music Canada) receiving their 2017 Gold/Platinum awards.

2017 was a tremendous year of growth for Music Canada’s historic Gold/Platinum program, which experienced a surge in Album and Single Award certifications from the addition of on-demand audio streams and a modernized application process.

In July 2017, Music Canada updated the album certification guidelines to accept TEAs (Track Equivalent Album) and SEAs (Stream Equivalent Album), which helped album certifications increase by more than 90% over 2016. The updated guidelines also led to a 110% increase in Canadian artist album certifications, with an over 80% increase in Canadian albums receiving their first Gold certifications. The highest certified Canadian album released in 2017 was Drake‘s Double Platinum album More Life, followed by Arcade Fire’s fifth studio album Everything Now and Shania Twain’s highly anticipated comeback album Now, which both earned Platinum status*.

Music Canada began accepting on-demand subscription service streams with the introduction of the Single Award in September 2016, which replaced the sales-based Digital Download Award first introduced in March 2006. In 2017, track certifications increased nearly 45% from 2016’s total. Several Canadian artists received their first Gold Single certifications in 2017 including Aaron Goodvin, Aaron Pritchett, Bahamas, Dan Davidson, Dani and Lizzy, Daniel Caesar, DVBBS, James Barker Band, Jazz Cartier, Jessie Reyez, Jonathan Roy, NAV, and Tebey.

Click here for a full list of 2017 Canadian artist certifications.

Seven Singles earned Canadian Diamond status, which is the highest annual total in the program’s forty-two year history. The highest certified Singles released in 2017 were Ed Sheeran’s “Shape Of You” and Luis Fonsi & Daddy Yankee’s “Despacito,” both of which earned Diamond certifications. Ed Sheeran had the most new Single certifications in 2017 with 16 songs earning their first Canadian certifications. His total is followed by rapper Post Malone, who had 8 songs earn their first Canadian certifications.

Drake is the only Canadian artist to receive a Diamond track certification this year for his 2016 smash hit “One Dance,” while legendary Canadian rock band The Tragically Hip are the sole act to receive a Diamond album certification for their 1991 album Road Apples. Drake’s Double Platinum single “Signs” was the highest certified Single by a Canadian artist released in 2017, followed by the Platinum-certified tracks “Reminding Me” by Shawn Hook featuring Vanessa Hudgens, and “Figures” by Jessie Reyez.

Adele received two Diamond certifications for “Hello” and “Rolling In The Deep,” as well as a Nine Times Platinum Single for “Someone Like You.” Macklemore, who also earned certifications for 2017 hits “Glorious” (Platinum) and “Good Old Days” (Gold), received a Diamond certification for his 2012 Ryan Lewis collaboration “Thrift Shop.” The Chainsmokers received their first Canadian Diamond award for “Closer,” along with 5 Singles earning their first Canadian certifications.

In addition to a growing following on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram, Music Canada expanded the Gold/Platinum program’s reach through the launch of the Gold In Canada playlist on Spotify and Google Play. The playlist updates every Thursday with the latest tracks across all genres to earn the coveted Gold certification. In 2018, Music Canada will unveil a series of new playlists highlighting Canadian music’s past and current history.

Our 2017 Year-End Recap playlist, which contains nearly 300 songs newly certified in 2017 in Canada, is now available on Spotify (below) and Google Play. Visit our Facebook page for a full collection of 2017 award plaque presentation photos.

*01/04/17: An earlier version of this blog omitted Drake’s More Life.