Interesting Article AIP Certification

[A Million Pieces]

I still want an RIAA gold award for AIP!

http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,313478,00.html

Music News
Going for the Gold
The real meaning of gold and platinum records -- We investigate the murky definition of the music industry's measure of financial success
More
By Ron Givens
A Grammy award confers respectability. An MTV music-video statuette conveys hipness. An American Music Award indicates widespread fan appeal. But people in the music business — with the emphasis on business — covet gold and platinum records. Why? Because a gold, or platinum — or, better still, multiplatinum — record means financial success. These awards, given by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), represent huge sales — 500,000 albums for gold, 1 million for platinum, 2 million or more for multiplatinum. (Singles have lower benchmarks; you've gone platinum if you sell just 500,000.)

But some people in the music industry believe these awards can have a tinny ring. Michael Ellis, chart director for Billboard, argues that the RIAA bases its awards on the number of copies a record company sends to stores, without subtracting the sometimes large numbers of unsold units stores later return. Ellis says a recent gold award to Debbie Gibson's album Anything Is Possible, which never charted higher than No. 41, is questionable. ''It can't sell a half-million copies in a month and not reach the top 20,'' Ellis contends. (Gibson's previous albums went multiplatinum.) But Angela Corio, gold-platinum awards program coordinator for the RIAA, insists, ''The awards are based on retail sales to consumers.'' Gibson's label, Atlantic Records, has no comment.

Music executives hope that gold and platinum certifications will create a bandwagon effect, making sales grow ever larger. The plaques function as a pat on the back for those who make the recording and sell it, or as a thank-you to family, friends, and others who have been helpful. Lita Ford (posing with her prize, above) gave a plaque to a loyal voice coach; rappers Run-D.M.C. gave one to a travel agency that provided long hours of service. In his Manhattan office, Dr. Scott Kessler, an ear, nose, and throat specialist, displays plaques from such appreciative patients as Bon Jovi, Anita Baker, and Sting. ''It's a gift of thanks,'' Kessler says.

The gold and platinum plaques, which cost about $100, are neither gold nor platinum, but colored plastic. And they're almost never made from actual copies of the best-selling products they honor. Usually the records, cassettes, and CDs on the plaques don't even contain music. Anyone who tries to play them will hear only a hiss.

[Woops]

...and yet many look at it as a flop


Like, c'mon the title track was a moderate hit and better than some that were really popular in 1990 ("Ice Ice Baby" or "Pump Up The Jam" anybody?)

[Out of the Blue]

I remember reading some time ago about "Anything is Possible" being a gold album.  I think it was still being produced by Atlantic in the late 90s.

[artsiistra]

I bought AIP a few years back from a record shop.  It was a cut-out.  To me, it was mint disc-wise.  But, I can see where AIP can get skewed sales wise for quite a while.  Mine was still shrink-wrapped! (with a premium price tag on it...@$10 or so)

[Out of the Blue]

I think that album came out at a bad time for her.  The Gulf War was looming and it was having a very negative effect on album sales.  We were in recession and the music business was suffering.  Also I'm not sure that Atlantic promoted it the right way.  They didn't seem to know how to promote it.  Was it a pop album or an Adult Contemporary album?  They didn't seem to know what audience to promote it to.  I also don't think they promoted it as hard as they did her other albums either.

[Woops]

Also would say the Milli Vanilli scandal that caused a backlash on pop music and hip hop & alternative becoming more popular in the mainstream.

Taylor Dayne & Paula Abdul had a few hit songs, especially ballads "Love Will Lead You Back" & "Rush Rush", in the early 1990's, which Deb's ballads ("One Hand, One Heart", "This So-Called Miracle") could've easily been on the charts at the time.

I've always considered Deb more "adult contemporary" for some reason since her music gotten(obiviously) more mature and ballads, which usually dominate the AC charts, are her forte, even during her 'electric youth'.

[Out of the Blue]

That Milli Vanilli scandal was devistating to pop music.  I remember rumors swirling around them from the time that their debut album was released in 1989.  Everything hit a head in 1991 when the rumors turned out to be true and they were forced to give their Grammy back.  It was all downhill from there for pop music and it's never really come back.  It had a brief comeback in 1999 and over the past few years but not like it used to be.