System of a Down scored their first diamond-certified single in the United States when “Chop Suey!” hit 10x platinum status on Friday, Aug. 28. According to the Nu-Metal Agenda, the Recording Industry Association of America awarded the band multiple certifications connected to their second album “Toxicity,” which also climbed to 7x platinum.
The track accounts for 10 million units sold. Sales and streams combine to create this total. One unit equals a sale or 1,500 streams on approved streaming platforms.
The Toxicity album had received 6x platinum certification in July of 2022. That record’s title track also got a new certification, hitting 6x platinum status.
Other songs from the album earned fresh certifications. “Aerials” hit 4x platinum. “Prison Song” reached platinum status. Five more tracks from the album went gold.
The certifications arrived just before the album’s 25th anniversary on Sept. 4. The record came out one week before major events in America in 2001.
The Armenian-American band’s use of “Chop Suey!” on the setlist for Rock Band 2 has helped the track reach this milestone, as has its appearance in trailers over the years. A platinum album or single in the United States accounts for 1,000,000 units, while gold means 500,000 units.
The certifications factor in streams and downloads alongside traditional sales. Ten permanent track downloads count as one unit. So do 1,500 on-demand audio or video streams from an album. A total of 150 streams of a song equal a track-equivalent unit.