CLEVELAND, OHIO – OCTOBER 30: 2021 Inductee Carole King attends the 36th Annual Rock & Roll Hall Of … [+] Fame Induction Ceremony at Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse on October 30, 2021 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Arturo Holmes/Getty Images for The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame)
Getty Images for The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
Carole King is one of the most celebrated singer-songwriters in American history. Her album Tapestry and the songs featured on it are regarded as classics, and they’re still hugely popular today, decades after they were first released. The Grammy champion has finally earned some long-overdue recognition with an honor she should have received many years ago.
On March 6, King collected a number of single certifications from the RIAA, the Recording Industry Association of America. The organization certifies when songs and albums hit certain consumption thresholds in the U.S., awarding full-lengths and individual tunes gold, platinum, and beyond.
King has scored her first platinum single certification, a fact which may shock many of her longtime fans. Despite churning out some huge hits in the past, none of her tracks had collected a platinum plaque until now. Her song “It’s Too Late” is now a platinum win, and it ranks as her highest-certified tune yet.
“It’s Too Late” stood as King’s only certified single for decades. The song was named a gold hit back in 1971, after it sold 500,000 copies. Now, the RIAA has moved that up to platinum status, as it’s moved one million equivalent units–a mix between actual sales and streaming equivalents.
Three other singles by King have all earned their first RIAA certifications as well. “I Feel The Earth Move,” “So Far Away,” and “You’ve Got a Friend” have been certified gold for shifting half a million equivalent units in the U.S.
All four of those songs are featured on King’s album Tapestry, which is widely regarded as a masterpiece. It remains her most successful full-length, and it propelled her to new heights and superstardom in the early ‘70s.
That album has been certified 14-times platinum by the RIAA, which means it has moved 14 million equivalent units in America. It stands as one of the most commercially successful full-lengths by a solo female in history, and one of her several projects that have collected at least a gold certification.
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