The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) is the trade organization that supports and promotes the creative and financial vitality of the major music companies. Its members are the music labels that comprise the most vibrant record industry in the world. RIAA members create, manufacture and/or distribute approximately 85% of all legitimate recorded music produced and sold in the United States.

In support of this mission, the RIAA works to protect the intellectual property and First Amendment rights of artists and music labels; conduct consumer, industry and technical research; and monitor and review state and federal laws, regulations and policies. The RIAA also certifies Gold, Platinum, Multi-Platinum and Diamond sales awards as well as Los Premios De Oro y Platino, an award celebrating Latin music sales.

The RIAA Gold and Platinum Awards program was launched in 1958 in an effort to create a standard by which to measure sales of a sound recording.

In the beginning, there was only a Gold album award for the sale of 500,000 copies. As the industry grew, other awards were developed. The Platinum award (1,000,000 sold) was created in 1976 and with the advent of the compact disc and the subsequent increase in sales, the Multi-Platinum award was created in 1984.

On March 16, 1999, the RIAA launched the Diamond Awards, honoring sales of 10 million copies or more of an album or single.

Soon I will put here some more nice U2 RIAA AWARDS