Key Takeaways:
- Drake now holds the record for most RIAA diamond certifications with 10 total.
- His vinyl release of ‘Some Sexy Songs 4 U’ caused a huge sales spike.
- While impactful, Drake’s 2024 feud with Kendrick Lamar hasn’t slowed his forward movement.
Drake just made history — again — by becoming the artist with the most RIAA diamond-certified records. On Wednesday (May 28), the Recording Industry Association of America confirmed that two more of the Toronto rapper’s hits, “Hold On, We’re Going Home” and “Best I Ever Had,” have officially reached diamond status. That brings his total in that category to 10.
“Drake has the most RIAA Diamond Certifications of any artist, ever,” the RIAA declared in a celebratory post featuring a graphic of all ten plaques. In addition to those latest entries, his diamond collection includes chart-shaking hits like “God’s Plan,” “One Dance,” “Hotline Bling,” “SICKO MODE” with Travis Scott, “Life Is Good” with Future, “Love Me” with Lil Wayne, and Chris Brown’s “No Guidance.” Another potential addition, “Nice for What,” is currently sitting at nine-times platinum and could soon push him to 11.
This milestone broke the tie between Drake, Garth Brooks (who has nine diamond albums), and Post Malone (who boasts nine diamond singles). It also made Drizzy the first artist to hit double digits across both singles and albums. While accolades continue to stack up, Drake kept his momentum on high with the recent release of his joint project with PARTYNEXTDOOR, S ome Sexy Songs 4 U, which dropped in February.
‘SSS4U’ vinyl release triggers sales spike for Drake and PARTYNEXTDOOR
As reported by Forbes, the vinyl release of S ome Sexy Songs 4 U sparked a staggering 8,557 percent sales jump — from just 100 copies sold (which excludes streams) in the previous week to nearly 9,300. The surge propelled the album to No. 7 on the Billboard Top Album Sales chart and No. 4 on the Vinyl Albums chart, marking Drake and PARTYNEXTDOOR’s first Top 10 appearance in the vinyl category. It also helped push the album back up to No. 5 on the Billboard 200 with over 47,000 equivalent units moved.
Drake’s newfound vinyl success is a major shift from his usual style of dominance. As Forbes noted, “He has largely relied on streaming platforms to power his massively popular albums and singles… But now, he appears to be embracing the vinyl craze.”
Drake vs. Kendrick Lamar: The feud that rocked 2024
All of this comes amid an intense period in Drake’s public life. His feud with Kendrick Lamar, which escalated throughout 2024, turned heads across the music industry. It was ignited by Lamar’s pointed bars on Future and Metro Boomin’s We Don’t Trust You, followed by high-profile diss tracks from both camps — including Kendrick’s “Euphoria” and Drake’s “The Heart Part 6.” The conflict reached its peak when Lamar performed “Not Like Us” during the Super Bowl. In the aftermath, Drake filed a lawsuit against Universal Music Group, accusing the label of favoring Lamar and amplifying defamatory narratives.
Despite the controversy, Drake is pushing forward. He’s set to headline all three nights of Wireless Festival in London this July and recently teased the return of OVO Fest to his hometown of Toronto. Clearly, the 6 God’s reign is far from over.