The 11 best and 11 worst songs that have been certified diamond

Callie AhlgrimAug 30, 2024, 05:16 IST

Florida Georgia Line and Rihanna.Florida Georgia Line/Rihanna/YouTube

There are over 150 songs that have been certified diamond by the RIAA.
The list includes a vast range of quality, from "Bohemian Rhapsody" to "Baby Shark."

Diamond is the highest award bestowed by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), reserved for songs that go 10x platinum in the US. By definition, in order to be eligible, a song must have tremendous commercial appeal — but not all hits are created equal.

The current list, which includes over 150 songs, features a vast range of quality. Business Insider's senior music reporter selected the 11 best and 11 worst, with each batch listed below in chronological order of certification.

"Bad Romance" by Lady Gaga is a perfect pop song.

"Bad Romance" was certified diamond on May 29, 2015.Lady Gaga/YouTube

"Uptown Funk" by Mark Ronson and Bruno Mars is an irresistible banger that doesn't take itself too seriously.

"Uptown Funk" was certified diamond on October 18, 2016.Mark Ronson/YouTube

Lorde's "Royals" has inspired hordes of alt-pop copycats.

"Royals" was certified diamond on December 8, 2017.Lorde/YouTube

"Bohemian Rhapsody" by Queen is the best diamond-certified song, hands down.

"Bohemian Rhapsody" was certified diamond on March 25, 2021.Queen/YouTube

"Sorry" changed the trajectory of Justin Bieber's career.

"Sorry" was certified diamond on March 29, 2021.Justin Bieber/YouTube

Nicki Minaj's "Super Bass" paved the way for rappers with pop appeal.

"Super Bass" was certified diamond on November 9, 2021.Nicki Minaj/YouTube

"I Will Always Love You" by Whitney Houston is arguably the best love song of all time.

"I Will Always Love You" was certified diamond on January 12, 2022.Whitney Houston/YouTube

Michael Jackson's "Thriller" is one of the most celebrated songs in history.

"Thriller" was certified diamond on August 29, 2022.Michael Jackson/YouTube

Kid Cudi's "Pursuit of Happiness (Nightmare)" never gets old.

"Pursuit of Happiness (Nightmare)" was certified diamond on December 15, 2022.Kid Cudi/YouTube

Billie Eilish's "Bad Guy" is an anthem for a new generation.

"Bad Guy" was certified diamond on July 31, 2023.Billie Eilish/YouTube

"Needed Me" is a key piece of Rihanna's legendary discography.

"Needed Me" was certified diamond on May 31, 2024.Rihanna/YouTube

"Thrift Shop" by Macklemore & Ryan Lewis is a novelty rap hit that didn't age well.

"Thrift Shop" was certified diamond on November 19, 2015.Macklemore/YouTube

"All About That Bass" by Meghan Trainor gives body positivity a bad name.

"All About That Bass" was certified diamond on January 23, 2018.Meghan Trainor/YouTube

Robin Thicke's "Blurred Lines" is an unfortunate symptom of rape culture.

"Blurred Lines" was certified diamond on June 6, 2018.Robin Thicke/YouTube

"I Gotta Feeling" by The Black Eyed Peas has been overplayed to death.

"I Gotta Feeling" was certified diamond on June 6, 2018.Black Eyed Peas/YouTube

"Cruise" by Florida Georgia Line is a predictable earworm that doesn't measure up to other country hits.

"Cruise" was certified diamond on October 10, 2018.Florida Georgia Line/YouTube

"Baby Shark" has no business being diamond-certified.

"Baby Shark" was certified diamond on November 5, 2020.Pinkfong/YouTube

"When I Was Your Man" by Bruno Mars is a standard ballad that lacks charisma.

"When I Was Your Man" was certified diamond on May 21, 2021.Bruno Mars/YouTube

"Moves Like Jagger" is one of Maroon 5's worst songs.

"Moves Like Jagger" was certified diamond on July 1, 2021.Maroon 5/YouTube

XXXTentacion's "Sad!" doesn't deserve its popularity.

"Sad!" was certified diamond on August 13, 2021.XXXTENTACION/YouTube

"Girls Like You" by Maroon 5 feels both corny and insincere.

"Girls Like You" was certified diamond on November 29, 2021.Maroon 5/YouTube

"Something Just Like This" by The Chainsmokers and Coldplay is an unimaginative bore.

"Something Just Like This" was certified diamond on November 2, 2022.The Chainsmokers/YouTube

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