Stray Kids and TWICE shattered records with RIAA platinum certifications announced November 26, marking career-defining milestones for both groups. Stray Kids’ 2020 hit ‘God’s Menu’ surpassed 1 million units sold in the United States, earning the group’s first-ever platinum certification, while TWICE’s ‘Strategy’ achieved the same feat, making them the first K-pop girl group to receive platinum status from the Recording Industry Association of America, according to Yonhap News. The RIAA awards gold for 500,000 units, platinum at 1 million, multi-platinum at 2 million, and diamond at 10 million sales.
Five gold certifications in one sweep
Stray Kids didn’t stop at platinum, simultaneously collecting five additional gold certifications to push their total RIAA haul to a record-breaking 14 awards-more than any K-pop act in history. Their fourth studio album ‘KARMA,’ released in August 2025, earned gold status, while singles ‘CASE 143,’ ‘S-Class,’ ‘LALALALA,’ and ‘Chk Chk Boom’ all crossed the 500,000-unit threshold. The group now holds an unprecedented six RIAA-certified albums among K-pop artists, including ‘5-STAR,’ ‘ROCK-STAR,’ ‘ATE,’ ‘MAXIDENT,’ and ‘HOP’. Industry observers note this dominance reflects the eight-member group’s explosive U.S. market penetration since their 2018 debut, with songs like ‘Thunderous’ and ‘Maniac’ already holding prior gold certifications.
Streaming boost propels TWICE’s platinum moment
TWICE’s ‘Strategy’ charted for 17 consecutive weeks on Billboard’s Hot 100, demonstrating sustained commercial appeal beyond typical K-pop single lifecycles. This platinum certification elevates TWICE above their previous gold certifications for ‘The Feels’ and ‘I CAN’T STOP ME,’ establishing them as the K-pop girl group with the highest RIAA recognition total. Notably, excluding collaborations, only one other K-pop girl group single-‘POP/STARS’-had previously achieved platinum status in the United States.
Jennie’s solo empire expands quietly
While Stray Kids and TWICE dominated headlines, BLACKPINK’s Jennie discreetly added another achievement by earning RIAA gold certification for her solo track ‘ExtraL’ featuring Doechii. This marks Jennie’s fourth RIAA-certified song as a soloist, the highest among K-pop solo artists, following her platinum certification for ‘One of the Girls’ and gold awards for ‘Mantra’ and ‘Like Jennie’. The certification, representing over 500,000 units sold including streaming equivalents, underscores Jennie’s ability to sustain commercial momentum independently from BLACKPINK’s group activities.