RIAA RINGS UP NEW PLATINUM, GOLD AWARDS

Every time a cell phone rings, a musician gets his wings...along with a possible Platinum or Gold honor.

In New York today, the RIAA announced the formal launch of its Master Ringtone Sales Award, updating its 47-year old Gold and Platinum program to recognize the growing popularity of the original recordings played back by cell phone.

Some 128 titles are included in the inaugural group of certifications, encompassing tracks that represent a variety of musical genres. In all, the RIAA awarded 84 Gold, 40 Platinum and four Multi-Platinum Master Ringtone certifications.

T-Pain’s “I'm N Luv (Wit a Stripper)” (Jive), D4L’s “Laffy Taffy” (Atlantic), Black Eyed Peas’ “My Humps” (A&M) and Chamillionaire’s “Ridin’” (Universal) are the first four Multi-Platinum winners.

Tracks will be certified Gold (500,000 downloads), Platinum (1 million downloads) and Multi-Platinum (starting at 2 million and following in increments of 1 million thereafter).

Said RIAA Chairman/CEI Mitch Bainwol after admitting he deletes all e-mails from Bob Lefsetz without opening them: “Our Gold and Platinum Program is designed to honor artists who have achieved the highest success. As our industry evolves and offers fans new ways to enjoy music from today’s best artists, so too should the G&P Program. The music community, along with its technology partners like the wireless communications companies, is offering fans the music they love, when then want it and how they want it. Except on illegal file-sharing networks, that is.

“The marriage between music and wireless communications is a perfect one. It’s an instant, personalized connection to fans’ favorite music. And it’s an important new way for the industry to recognize a return on its investment in music.”

CITA-The Wireless Association President Steve Largent responded: “This impressive awards ceremony signifies the enormous effect that mobile music is having on individuals all around the globe. The power of music to influence societies and bring about new and positive ideas is well documented throughout history, and I believe the increasing use of personal wireless communications devices to access and deliver digital music will only make this experience more profound.

"Like when peanut butter first met chocolate and ice cream was first plopped on top of an edible wafer cone, wireless and music are a natural and historic fit. But more importantly, I truly believe this marriage of technology and art has the potential to bridge cultural divides and bring peoples of the world together like few inventions before it.”

Bow Wow, Bubba Sparxxx, Dem Franchize Boyz and Rick Ross picked up their awards during a ceremony today at the Time Warner Center. Columbia Records’ Bow Wow picked up Platinum awards for “Let Me Hold You” and “Like You” and a Gold award for “Fresh Azimiz.” Sparxxx’s “Ms. New Booty” earned the Virgin Records rapper a Gold award. Virgin Records’ Dem Franchize Boyz earned a Platinum award for the snap music anthem “Lean Wit It, Rock Wit It” and a Gold award for the smash “I Think They Like Me.” Rick Ross’ “Hustlin’” won a Gold award for the Def Jam/Slip-N-Slide rapper.

Catalog tracks also earned honors. Epic’s AC/DC picked up a Platinum certification for “Back In Black.” The Beastie Boys’ “Brass Monkey” won a Gold award, and girls everywhere are having fun with Cyndi Lauper’s Gold certification of her ‘80s smash “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun.” Marvin Gaye picked up a posthumous Gold award for the iconic “Let’s Get It On,” and newfound interest in “The Dukes of Hazard” earned Waylon Jennings a Gold award for the theme song.

As with the existing Gold and Platinum award program, all certifications for the Digital Sales award are audited by the firm of Gelfand, Rennert & Feldman.