At Mariahpedia, we aim to provide accurate and transparent sales figures for Mariah Carey’s singles by aligning our methods with established industry standards, particularly those outlined by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) and their certification audit partner, Gelfand, Rennert & Feldman, LLP (GR&F).
Understanding RIAA Certification Tiers
First, the RIAA certification system uses specific unit thresholds for Gold, Platinum and Diamond awards.
General Program:
- Gold = 500,000 units
- Platinum = 1,000,000 units
- Diamond = 10,000,000 units
Latin Program:
- Oro (Gold) = 30,000 units
- Platino (Platinum) = 60,000 units
- Diamante (Diamond) = 600,000 units
Unit Calculation:
- 1 Permanent Digital Download = 1 Unit
- 150 On-Demand Audio/Video Streams = 1 Unit
How Mariahpedia Calculates Digital Sales
Next, Mariahpedia applies the following methodology to keep its estimates consistent with RIAA standards.
- Digital Downloads:
- Every verified permanent download of a track contributes one full unit towards its total sales.
- On-Demand Streams:
- Streams are calculated in multiples of 150. For instance, if a song has 1,500,000 on-demand streams, we count this as 10,000 units (1,500,000 ÷ 150).
- Combining Versions:
- Versions that are classified as ‘radio mix’, ‘album version’, or ‘explicit/clean edits’ are combined.
- Remixes are included only if they are less than 90 seconds longer than the original track.
- Exclusions:
- Live performances, unless they are certified separately, are excluded.
- User-generated videos are not counted; only official label videos qualify for certification metrics.
Certification Verification Process
To verify each calculation, Mariahpedia cross-references the available public data from several sources.
- RIAA Certifications
- Official Chart Data (Billboard, SoundScan, etc.)
- Legitimate Digital Service Providers (DSPs)
- Statements from official record labels and sales reports
Where appropriate, we also adjust totals to reflect U.S.-based figures. Foreign distribution is excluded unless the certification data specifically includes it.
Example Calculation
For example, suppose Mariah Carey’s single “We Belong Together” reaches the following totals.
- 800,000 digital downloads
- 75 million on-demand streams
Calculation:
- Digital Downloads: 800,000 units
- On-Demand Streams: 75,000,000 ÷ 150 = 500,000 units
Total Sales Units: 800,000 + 500,000 = 1,300,000 units (Certified Platinum)
Why This Matters
Finally, these standards keep Mariahpedia’s sales estimates close to established industry benchmarks. Consequently, fans and researchers receive clearer figures and a more accurate account of Mariah Carey’s commercial legacy.
