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Drake Makes History as First Artist to Reach 500 Million RIAA Certification Units
Canadian superstar Drake has etched his name in music history by becoming the first artist ever to surpass 500 million units certified by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).
This monumental achievement underscores his unmatched commercial success, especially in the United States, where he holds numerous chart records.
.@Drake becomes the first artist in history to surpass 500 million RIAA certified units across albums, singles and features. pic.twitter.com/kk3b4M8wlh
— chart data (@chartdata) April 8, 2025
In addition to this, Drake recently set a new milestone by breaking the record for the cumulative weeks on the Billboard 200, a record previously held by the iconic The Beatles.
Drake also celebrated his 14th No. 1 album on the Billboard 200, thanks to his collaborative album with PartyNextDoor, $ome $exy 4 U.
This album tied Drake with hip-hop legend Jay Z and pop superstar Taylor Swift for second place in terms of the most No. 1 albums, with The Beatles still holding the record with 19 No. 1 albums.
The accolades don’t stop there. Drake also matched Michael Jackson’s record for the most No. 1 songs on the Billboard Hot 100 among male solo artists, with 13 No. 1 hits.
On Spotify, Drake continues to dominate, holding the record for the artist with the most songs, surpassing 1 billion streams, with a total of 16 tracks achieving this milestone.
Looking ahead to 2025, Drake’s success shows no signs of slowing down. He was recently recognized as the highest-selling rapper of 2024 by IFPI, and he’s the second-best-selling artist of 2024, right behind Taylor Swift, who topped the list for the third consecutive year and fifth overall.
With numerous records to his name, Drake’s continued dominance in the music industry ensures that he will remain at the top for years to come.