The Recording Industry of America announced its annual tally of the most successful albums and songs of the year, and it should serve as no surprise that Taylor Swift obliterated all competitors by moving over five million units of The Life of a Showgirl. Alex Warren’s “Ordinary,” meanwhile, went Triple Platinum and was the top single of the year.
The fictional group HUNTR/X from Netflix’s KPop Demon Hunters — featuring real-life vocalists EJAE, Audrey Nuna, and REI AMI — also had an enormous year. Their song “Golden” went Double Platinum, and “How It’s Done” and “What It Sounds Like” both went Platinum.
“Each year we spotlight artists earning their first Gold & Platinum certification, a testament to the drive and dedication it takes to truly break through,” RIAA President & COO Michele Ballantyne said in a statement. “The Class of 2025 is reaching fans in exciting new ways, and this is only the beginning! Congratulations to these rising talents and the label teams supporting them – RIAA is proud to be part of the journey.”
Drake racked up eight certified titles throughout 2025, more than any other artist, due to the success of his single “Nokia,” and seven songs from $ome $exy $ongs 4 U, his collaborative LP with PartyNextDoor.
Chappell Roan didn’t release a new album this year, but she still pulled off a Gold country single with “The Giver” and a Gold pop single with “The Subway.”
Cardi B’s Am I The Drama? went Triple Platinum, making it the second-most-successful LP of 2025. And six albums went platinum: Alex Warren’s You’ll Be Alright, Kid, Drake and PartyNextDoor’s $ome $exy $ongs 4 U, the KPop Demon Hunters soundtrack, Lady Gaga’s Mayhem, Sabrina Carpenter’s Man’s Best Friend, and Tate McRae’s So Close To What.
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Earlier this year, Swift became the first and only female artist in music history to sell over 100 million records. And now that she regained control of her complete catalog following a reported $405 million deal with Shamrock Holdings earlier this year, all of the money it generates will go to her.
Swift is capping off the giant year by releasing the six-part The End of an Era, which documents her 2023/24 Eras tour. The first two episodes arrive on Friday.
