Carrie Underwood Makes RIAA History With 28 Million Mark

Pictured (L-R): Sony Music Nashville Chairman & CEO Randy Goodman, Underwood, and RIAA Chairman & CEO Cary Sherman. Photo: Alan Poizner

Carrie Underwood’s latest Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) gold and platinum certifications for her new single, “Little Toy Guns” (gold digital certification) and “Before He Cheats” (quintuple platinum) have put her in some impressive company. The new certifications make her the current top country artist on the RIAA’s Digital Single Ranking, with certifications of 28 million across 20 songs, and place her among the top 5 females in the history of the digital single program, alongside superstars Rihanna and Katy Perry.

With her smash “Before He Cheats” selling 5 million downloads, Underwood becomes one of only five country artists in RIAA history to achieve that sales level with a digital single.

Two singles from Underwood’s latest CD Greatest Hits: Decade #1, have achieved heavy metal status already, with “Little Toy Guns” going gold and “Something In The Water” reaching platinum status earlier this year.

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Lorie Hollabaugh

Hollabaugh, a staff writer at MusicRow magazine, has over 20 years of music business experience and has written for publications including American Profile, CMA Close Up, Nashville Arts And Entertainment, The Boot and Country Weekly. She has a Broadcast Journalism and Speech Communication degree from Texas Christian University, (go Horned Frogs), and welcomes your feedback or story ideas at lhollabaugh@musicrow.com.

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