Gold Record Awards Come From the Record Manufacturing Process
**Secret Revealed**
When a recording artist sells 500,000 units of an album or a single, their “record” is eligible for “gold certification” by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). There are also platinum, diamond and other levels of these awards that indicate even greater sales.
If you couldn’t tell from the name, the RIAA is a US organization and it only tracks sales in the US. Similar awards are administered in 70 other countries by The International Federation of the Phonographic Industry, although the number of sales to achieve each award varies by country.
In 1958, the cast album from the production of Oklahoma! was the first album to receive the official gold record award. Back then, records were records. There were no CDs, MP3s, etc… albums were really only available on vinyl records. Magnetic tapes were not popular for consumer use and 8 Track cartridges were about six years away from creation.
To make vinyl records, an original “master” record is created and depending on the exact process used, the vinyl records are stamped from a master, mother or stamper record. In those days, these masters/mothers/stampers were generally made from metal. Stampers are used to literally stamp the groves into the records that are distributed. Stampers are generally good for about a thousand uses, so many stampers are produced for popular records. Originally, the used stampers were treated with gold to create the gold record awards.
Today, vinyl records are far from the most popular media for music, but some albums are available on vinyl. Although many albums are not available on vinyl, gold records may still be awarded if they reach their sales goals. The gold records are no longer made from actual records, masters or stampers. They’re now made by specific trophy and plaque makers who are certified by the RIAA.
Today, the award symbolically represents a high number of sales. But originally, it literally represented that many records were sold because the actual production stamper was worn out, gold plated and awarded to the artist.
In the last couple decades, the term “gold master” has transcended the recording industry. The phrase is also used in the computer industry to identify a software product version that is ready for distribution.
Chad Upton is the editor-in-chief of Broken Secrets and an official Yahoo Answers contributor.
Sources: RIAA, EIL , RecordPressing.com, Wikipedia (Gold Master), emusician
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Interesting. I guess you do learn something everyday!
I don’t hear much about gold mp3s.
Here is a question for you….Do you know what the highest level of a record sales award was? It was a rhodium record given to Paul McCartney in 1979 when the Guinness Book of World Records awarded Paul McCartney a rhodium-plated disc to celebrate his status as history’s all-time best-selling songwriter and recording artist.
Apparently Rodium is a very expensive metal.
@ Ryan: That’s an interersting tidbit of knowledge! First time I’ve ever heard of Rhodium as well.
Thanks for the article, Chad Upton; very informative as always =)
This was the most interesting blog so far, Mike!
Rock-n-Roll.
Y’know, they don’t look you up and give you an award; you have to apply for it. Then their accountant goes through your sales figures and verifies it, and THEN the gold/platinum record is awarded. It costs several hundred dollars to apply for an award. If you’re low on cash, you do without.
And the record in a gold record award plaque isn’t a copy of the actual record being honored. Those copies are worth money, after all. The just take a returned cut-out and shellac it with gold and glue a label for the hit album on it.
I saw that process on How It’s Made on the Science Channel. Very interesting.