Beyonce, Michael Jackson And Eagles Were The Most RIAA-Certified Of The ’00s

The Recording Industry Association Of America unveiled its list of the top Gold (500,000 copies sold) and Platinum (1 million) awarded albums and songs for the previous decade yesterday, and—no surprise here—Beyonce was the leading lady of the bunch with 64 certifications to her name. And, hey—remember when you bought *NSYNC’s No Strings Attached waaaaay back in 2000? You can come clean now, because it turns out you weren’t the only one.

For a singer who only put out one studio album during the first decade of the new millennium (Invincible, 2001), Michael Jackson was still able to nab the most RIAA awards for a male solo artist. Ditto for most-certified group, the Eagles, whose 2007 LP Long Road Out Of Eden was the band’s first studio album in 22 years.

And don’t think the irony of Kanye West and Taylor Swift garnering the most solo male and solo female certifications for digital songs, respectively, has escaped us. (Sorry, Kanye—Taylor sold six million more, though.)

Below is the full list of the Top Gold And Platinum Award Winners for the previous decade. Note: The RIAA notes that only music released, as well as certifications granted, from 2000 to 2009 are included. In other words, even though the Black Eyed Peas were at the top of iTunes’ Most-Downloaded Songs Of All Time list that was published last week, that one included digital sales from 2010, as well.

Most total certifications (album, digital, master ringtone, and music video certifications)
GROUP: Eagles – 48
MALE SOLO ARTIST: Michael Jackson – 44
FEMALE SOLO ARTIST: Beyonce – 64

Most album certifications
GROUP: Nickelback – 25
MALE SOLO ARTIST: George Strait – 29
FEMALE SOLO ARTIST: Britney Spears – 23

Most digital song certifications
GROUP: Linkin Park – 13
MALE SOLO ARTIST: Kanye West – 19
FEMALE SOLO ARTIST: Taylor Swift – 25

Most master ringtone certifications
MALE SOLO ARTIST: T.I. – 15
FEMALE SOLO ARTIST: Beyonce – 19

Highest certified album
GROUP: *NSYNC’s No Strings Attached and OutKast’s Speakerboxxx/The Love Below – 11x Platinum
MALE SOLO ARTIST: Usher’s Confessions – 10x Platinum
FEMALE SOLO ARTIST: Shania Twain’s Up! – 11x Platinum

Highest certified digital song
GROUP: Coldplay’s “Viva La Vida” and The Fray’s “How to Save a Life” – 3x multi-Platinum
MALE SOLO ARTIST: Flo Rida’s “Low” – 5x multi-Platinum
FEMALE SOLO ARTIST: Lady Gaga’s “Just Dance” and Taylor Swift’s “Love Story” – 4x multi-Platinum

Highest certified master ringtone
GROUP: D4L’s “Laffy Taffy,” Hinder’s “Lips of an Angel” and Shop Boyz’ “Party Like a Rockstar” –3x multi-Platinum
MALE SOLO ARTIST: Lil Wayne’s “Lollipop” – 5x multi-Platinum
FEMALE SOLO ARTIST: Beyonce’s “Irreplaceable” – 3x multi-Platinum