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.

Following a monumental year in 2017, Music Canada’s historic Gold/Platinum Canada program continued to experience spectacular growth in 2018 thanks to the inclusion of streaming for both Single and Album Award certifications, as well as a simplified application portal for certification approvals and plaque orders.

With the new guidelines firmly in place by the start of the year, Single Award certifications increased a total of 33% from 2017’s total, with a 38% increase in tracks receiving their first Canadian Gold certifications. Seven singles received Diamond certifications, matching the number from 2017. UK singer-songwriter Ed Sheeran received two Diamond certifications for “Perfect” and “Thinking Out Loud,” the latter featured on Sheeran’s 2014 album X, certified 8x Platinum in 2018.

Toronto-born rapper Drake received the highest certification in 2018 for a Canadian artist with the 8x Platinum certification of “God’s Plan,” followed by breakout DJ duo Loud Luxury with their 7x Platinum summer hit “Body.” “God’s Plan” is featured on Drake’s Double Platinum album Scorpion, which is also the highest certified Canadian album released in 2018. Shawn Mendes received the second highest certification for a 2018-released Canadian album for his Platinum-certified self-titled release.

In total, Music Canada experienced a 24% increase in album certifications, and a 10% increase in Canadian album certifications. UK singer-songwriter Adele received the highest album certification of 2018 at Double Diamond for her 2011 sophomore effort 21, which was the first Double Diamond certification since Shania Twain‘s Up! in 2004. American rapper Post Malone received the highest certification for an album released in 2018 with his 4x Platinum sophomore effort beerbongs & bentleys, which features 9x Platinum single “Rockstar (ft. 21 Savage).” Hard rock group Three Days Grace received the highest album certification for a Canadian artist with their 2006 album One-X. 

There was also an 80% increase in Single Award certifications from Canadian artists, with several Canadian artists receiving their first Single Award certifications including Baka Not Nice, bülow, Charlotte Cardin, Delaney Jane, Elijah Woods x Jamie Fine, Felix Cartal, Grandtheft, Half Moon Run, Keys N Krates, Killy, Loud Luxury, Majid Jordan, NEW CITY, Sultan + Shepard, The Glorious Sons, and The Reklaws.

All singles receiving their first #GoldinCanada certifications in 2018 have been compiled into a playlist below available to stream on Spotify and Apple Music, which added Gold/Platinum Canada to its roster of curators earlier in 2018. A collection of plaque presentation photos can be viewed on our Facebook page, or on our Playback 2018 microsite.