25 songs that have been certified diamond

Elton John’s 1997 album The Big Picture brought the world one of his biggest singles to date. The double-sided single “Something About the Way You Look Tonight” tells the story of feeling lost but finding happiness once love came into his life. It was “Candle in the Wind 1997” that helped push John’s sales to the stratosphere, becoming the best-selling single in Billboard history. 

In 2013, Pharrell Williams released one of the most successful singles of the year with “Happy.” The hit single from the Despicable Me: 2 soundtrack focuses on people finding their joy in their day-to-day. On the track, Pharrell emphasizes to not let any bad news bring him down and to continue thinking positively. The music video featured several A-list celebrities including Magic Johnson, Issa Rae, Jimmy Kimmel, Tyler the Creator, and more. 

In 2008, the world was introduced to Lady Gaga with her debut single “Just Dance.” Co-written by Akon and producer RedOne, “Just Dance” beams with electropop magic as Gaga sings about getting a little too inebriated and trying to dance it away at a nightclub. 

Although Mark Ronson's name typically comes up as a producer for other artists, sometimes he releases his own music as well. That was the case in 2015 when he released his fourth album, Uptown Special, led by the hit Bruno Mars-assisted single “Uptown Funk.” The track beams with elements inspired by the ‘70s soul, funk, and disco-pop eras, and it became a massive worldwide hit. 

When people are preparing their Halloween playlists, there is no doubt that Michael Jackson’s single “Thriller” is added to it. While the song adds spooky sound effects, the music video is a short film of a horror plot in which Jackson turns into a zombie. Between the video plot and iconic dance sequence, the song is one of the most iconic videos of all time. 

Mariah Carey was early in her career when she released her holiday album properly titled Merry Christmas. Since its release in 1994, the lead single “All I Want for Christmas Is You” has earned Carey the title of the queen of Christmas. Across social media, it’s a running thing for Carey to let her fans know it’s time for the holidays to start right after Halloween, and the song always re-enters the Billboard charts as the holidays approach. 

The world was introduced to singer Khalid in 2016 with his debut single “Location.” The smooth track finds Khalid describing his desire to find love, although it’s not always easy. Sometimes location and long distance can be difficult, but Khalid wants to show his newfound love that he’s serious about committing. 

Justin Bieber took the world by storm when he teamed up with Ludacris on his debut single “Baby.” Written and produced by Christopher “Tricky” Stewart and The-Dream, the song shows Bieber trying to deal with the aftermath of a teenage heartbreak. “Baby” peaked at No. 5 on the Billboard Hot 100.

When Lil Nas X uploaded his song “Old Town Road” to SoundCloud, he probably had no idea that the song would take a life on its own and become massively successful. The song first gained popularity on TikTok and then climbed the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart. Nas X then was joined by country legend Billy Ray Cyrus on the remix, a hit that earned the two a Grammy Award for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance. “Old Town Road” reached diamond status almost a year after its release, making it the fastest song to achieve diamond status.

In 2017, Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee’s single “Despacito” was already climbing the charts. However, when pop singer Justin Bieber got on the remix, it took the song to another stratosphere. The song won several Latin Grammy Awards, including Record of the Year and Song of the Year. 

In 1975, rock band Queen released their fourth album A Night at the Opera, led by the hit single “Bohemian Rhapsody.” It became one of their top singles in their discography and peaked at No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100. 

In 2018, Drake released his fifth album Scorpion, led by the hit single “God’s Plan.” One of the endearing things about the song’s music video is how Drake used the video budget to engage in charitable acts like donating money to people on the street and presenting a check to a student at the University of Miami. 

On Ed Sheeran’s 2017 single “Shape of You,” he describes how much he admires a lover’s physical assets. However, he also describes how the club may not be the best place to find a lover, but someone has caught his eye, and he finds himself falling. As he sings on the hook, “I'm in love with the shape of you / We push and pull like a magnet do / Although my heart is fallin' too / I'm in love with your body.”

Watching a film like Furious 7 can be tough for Fast & Furious fans because it was the last film they see Paul Walker in before his tragic passing. To help commemorate his final film, Wiz Khalifa and Charlie Puth teamed up on the soundtrack’s lead single, “See You Again.” It’s the type of song that can help people who are dealing with loss and grief. 

In 2010, rapper Waka Flocka Flame released his debut album Flockavelli. Amassing four singles, one of the standout tracks came when he teamed up with Wale and Roscoe Dash on “No Hands.” Produced by Drumma Boy, the song’s infectious beat made it perfect for a party anthem that still gets heavy replay to this day. 

A mantra that some people live by is not to sweat the small stuff. That’s the type of sentiment that Taylor Swift has on her 2014 single “Shake It Off.” On the track, Swift knows that people talk about her every move, but she’s the type of person who’s going to continue authentically being herself and not care about the opinions of others. 

In 1974, country legend Dolly Parton released her single “I Will Always Love You.” Nearly 20 years later, Whitney Houston released her cover of the song as a single to The Bodyguard soundtrack. Houston’s version stayed at the top of the Billboard Hot 100 chart for 14 weeks and helped earn the singer her first diamond record. She also earned a Grammy for Record of the Year and the song could be dubbed one of Houston’s best tracks vocally. 

Cardi B was already making a name for herself as a cast member of Love & Hip Hop: New York. While it showed her rise in the music industry, it helped set the stage for her, after she left the show, she released her debut single “Bodak Yellow.” On the track, Cardi wanted to make it known that she’s all about making money moves. The song helped make Cardi the first female rapper to earn a solo diamond-certified single. 

While the 2002 film 8 Mile is a semiautobiographic movie about Eminem, who also stars in the film, it was only right that he created the soundtrack’s lead single “Lose Yourself.” On the track, Eminem gives insight into his character and how the film plays out. The production of the single stands out because it gives more rock elements than fans are used to typically hearing from Eminem. 

With the erotic and seductive plot surrounding the 2015 film Fifty Shades of Grey, The Weeknd made the perfect soundtrack single with “Earned It.” It’s a pop ballad that builds up in music, that quickly draws listeners in. The song reached No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 and won a Grammy Award for Best R&B Performance.

Back in 2010, Nicki Minaj was a new face to the Young Money roster and she was ready to take on the hip-hop scene with her debut album Pink Friday. On the fifth single “Super Bass,” Minaj brings more of an electropop feel, showing how much hip-hop can delve into the pop realm. Co-written by Ester Dean, the song peaked at No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100.  

Kid Cudi has often stressed the struggles he’s had with addiction, it’s one of the elements that makes him relatable to some of his fans. His 2010 track “Pursuit of Happiness” details how drugs can give people a temporary high, but people soon come back to reality. 

The theatrical production of Imagine Dragons’ 2012 single “Radioactive” sounds like the type of song that would be heard in action films, it’s no wonder it was featured in different commercials. The song’s popularity helped make it one of the best-selling songs in 2013 and earned a Grammy Award for Record of the Year. Imagine Dragons also teamed up with rapper Kendrick Lamar on the remix.

The Black Eyed Peas ran the 2000s with party songs, so it was only right that they teamed up with producer David Guetta on their 2009 single “I Gotta Feeling.” It’s the type of song for people who believe in taking advantage of the moment and living life to the fullest. As they sing on the hook, “I gotta feeling / That tonight’s gonna be a good night / That tonight’s gonna be a good good night.” 

In 2009, Miley Cyrus released her hit single “Party in the U.S.A.” On the track, she describes someone who leaves home to move and pursue their dreams in Hollywood. While taking a risk with a move can at times seem frightening, Cyrus eventually feels much better when a DJ plays a song that takes her butterflies away.