Avicii’s ‘Wake Me Up’ Becomes First Dance Song to Earn RIAA Diamond Certification
For a song many people either disliked or misunderstood upon its release, Avicii‘s “Wake Me Up” continues chugging along in historic fashion.
On Friday (June 16), the track — released 10 years ago on June 17 — has earned RIAA Diamond Certification, signifying 10 million certified units sold. This distinction makes it the tune — which has now reached platinum status 11 times — the highest certified dance/electronic song in RIAA history.
The bluegrass/EDM hybrid of course has a nearly mythological status in dance music history, getting booed when Avicii debuted it at Ultra Music Festival in Miami in 2013, before it went on to become an era-defining global sensation and the biggest hit of the producer’s career. (New footage from this Ultra 2013 set was released in March.)
“Wake Me Up” spent 54 weeks on the Billboard Hot 100, where it peaked at No. 4 in October of 2013, marking Avicii’s biggest success on that chart. The song spent 26 weeks at No. 1 on Hot Dance/Electronic Songs. The tune became Spotify’s most streamed track of all time at the time of its release.
The dance/electronic songs just behind “Wake Me Up” on the RIAA certification chart are, predictably, all-time dance/electronic hits, with the No. 2 spot occupied by Major Lazer and DJ Snake’s “Lean On”; which is followed by “Fireflies” by Owl City; Daft Punk’s “Get Lucky”; then Marshmello’s “Happier”; Mike Posner’s “I Took a Pill In Ibiza”; Zedd, Maren Morris and Gray’s “The Middle”; David Guetta’s “Titanium”; Jack Ü’s “Where Are U Now” and Swedish House Mafia’s “Don’t You Worry Child.”
Katie Bain
Billboard