Future ends 2022 with massive RIAA certifications
While Russell Wilson’s 2022 season might be one to forget, it turns out rap superstar Future is living his best life at this point in his career with some major RIAA certifications on deck.
While Russell Wilson’s 2022 season might be one to forget, it turns out rap superstar Future is living his best life at this point in his career with some major RIAA certifications on deck.
Future ends 2022 with massive RIAA certifications
Whether it’s ‘I Never Liked You’ hitting platinum status or ‘Wait For U’ going triple platinum, Future Hendrix has ample bragging rights to end the year.
Best described as “One of None,” Future closes out 2022 without rival, earning a slew of RIAA certifications to conclude the biggest year of his career thus far. His chart-dominating magnum opus, I NEVER LIKED YOU, ascends to platinum status, making it one of only four albums to reach platinum in 2022. The Billboard Hot 100 smash “WAIT FOR U” [ft Drake & Tems] reached triple-platinum and earned the RIAA’s Top Certified Single of 2022. The single “PUFFIN ON ZOOTIEZ” also goes platinum.
These honors represent a much-deserved victory lap in the last few weeks of 2022.
Speaking to his dominance, Billboard christened him its “Hip-Hop Power Player of the Year,” enshrining him as “one of the most successful, and prolific, rappers in history.” Variety hailed him as “Collaborator of the Year” and attested, “The list of artists who benefited from Future’s Midas touch reads like a veritable who’s who of hip-hop.” Rolling Stone plugged I NEVER LIKED YOU on its “The 100 Best Albums of 2022,” going on to proclaim, “it’s safe to say Future showcased his range.” Complex named it one of “The Best Albums of 2022,” and declared, “Future is at his best on I NEVER LIKED YOU.”
“WAIT FOR U” captured #1 on Apple Music’s “Top US Songs of 2022” joined on the list by “PUFFIN ON ZOOTIEZ,” “LOVE YOU BETTER,” and “STICK TALK.”Evincing his worldwide impact, “WAIT FOR U” also landed in the Top 3 of Apple Music’s “Top Global Songs of 2022.” On Spotify, “WAIT FOR U” graced the “Top US Tracks of 2022,” while Future landed on “Top US Artists of 2022” and “Top Global Artists of 2022.” “WAIT FOR U” appeared on Amazon Music’s “Best Songs of 2022”and emerged as Pandora’s “Most Thumbed Up Song of 2022.”
At radio, “WAIT FOR U” reached #1 on the Urban Mediabase Chart in 8 weeks and landed at #1 five different times, making history in doing so more than any other artist on the format. After being on the chart for 31 weeks to date, “WAIT FOR U” is still Top 5 while “LOVE YOU BETTER” is #3 and still growing.
As always, Future constantly searches for new inspiration, honing his craft, upping his game, and ultimately beckoning the culture to follow suit. As such, I NEVER LIKED YOU represents a creative and commercial high watermark, eclipsing 3billion global streams and views and dominating radio since its impact. Moreover, he pushed the envelope with the music video for “712PM” directed by fellow game-changer Travis Scott. Watch “712PM” HERE. This marked the second monumental collaboration between these two superstars this year. Travis served as creative director for Future’s groundbreaking live performance of “LOVE YOU BETTER” from the Brooklyn Academy of Music on ABC’s Jimmy Kimmel LIVE!
Future also capped off this banner 2022 by picking up six nominations at the 2023 GRAMMY® Awards. The Atlanta juggernaut has notched multiple nods in coveted categories. He landed two nominations for “Best Rap Song” with both “WAIT FOR U “[ft. Drake & Tems] and “Pushin P” [ft. Young Thug] with Gunna as well as two nominations for “Best Melodic Rap Performance” for both “WAIT FOR U” and DJ Khaled’s “Beautiful” [ft. SZA & Future]. Elsewhere, he competes for “Best Rap Album” with I NEVER LIKED YOU and received a nod in “Best Rap Performance” for the mega-hit “Pushin P.” I NEVER LIKED YOU crashed the charts as the biggest debut of the rapper’s career, and continues to put up numbers, further securing his place in history with this magnum opus. Upon arrival, he emerged as the 5th artist in history to simultaneously debut at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and Billboard 200 with I NEVER LIKED YOU atop the Billboard 200 and “WAIT FOR U” at #1 on the Hot 100. On Spotify, he captured #1-10 on Top Songs Debut USA Chart in addition to landing a #1 US and Global Album Debut. Not to mention, he became the most-streamed artist on Spotify worldwide on April 29. I NEVER LIKED YOU landed at #1 on the Billboard 200 and moved a staggering 221,512 units first-week in the US alone. This notably marks Future his 8th #1 album on the Billboard 200 with the most seven-day sales of his illustrious career so far.
Future might be a living G.O.A.T. after making gold + platinum history
Atlanta rapper Future has been doing this for a long time and his hard work continues to pay off. The hip-hop superstar has officially become one of the top-achieving gold and platinum rap artists - ever.
Atlanta rapper Future has been doing this for a long time and his hard work continues to pay off. The hip-hop superstar has officially become one of the top-achieving gold and platinum rap artists - ever.
Future makes gold and platinum rap game history
Move over Eminem and Drake, Future Hendrix is getting big respect placed on his name courtesy of the RIAA. He now has nearly 100 million certified units to his name.
Reaching rarified air once again, Future just received recognition from the RIAA in observance of over 95 million units certified throughout his career thus far. During an exclusive event at Soho House Miami Beach, RIAA COO, Michele Ballantyne and Epic Records Chairwoman & CEO, Sylvia Rhone honored the GRAMMY® Award-winning Atlanta hip-hop titan with the presentation of plaques to commemorate this unprecedented milestone.
This honor notably encompasses 9 albums and 68 separate songs as he inches towards 100 million units awarded (counting US sales and streams) and earns one of the highest totals in the history of the 65-year-old program according to the RIAA. Future was also presented with a plaque for his record-breaking album I NEVER LIKED YOU reaching Gold status, while WAIT FOR U featuring Drake hit double-Platinum and PUFFIN ON ZOOTIEZ certified Gold.
Put respect on this man's name! Future officially becomes one of the top-achieving gold and platinum rappers of all-time and celebrated in style at Soho House Miami Beach. Video credit goes to the game-changing filmmaker David Zamora.
The RIAA even geeks out over Future’s establishment
RIAA’s Michele Ballantyne has stepped up to speak on Future’s achievement. MB pointed out he’s pulled off the unthinkable with just 9 albums.
“We’re thrilled to celebrate that Future now has 95 million RIAA certified units spanning 9 albums and 68 separate singles! He’s in an elite group - very few artists have achieved this level of success in the history of our nearly 65 year old program. Congratulations to Future and his incredible Epic Records and Freebandz teams!” - Michele Ballantyne, COO, RIAA.
The success keeps coming in, too
There’s no slowing down the Georgia native. He’s still soaking in the success of his latest studio album.
His latest chart-dominating blockbuster #1 album, I NEVER LIKED YOU, continues to put up numbers, further securing his place in history with this magnum opus. Upon arrival, he emerged as the 5th artist in history to simultaneously debut at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and Billboard 200 with I NEVER LIKED YOU atop the 200 and “WAIT FOR U” at #1 on the Hot 100. On Spotify, he captured #1-10 on Top Songs Debut USA Chart in addition to landing a #1 US and Global Album Debut. Not to mention, he became the most-streamed artist on Spotify worldwide on April 29.
The album notably demolished the record for highest first-day streams for an album released in 2022 on Apple Music worldwide and the record for highest first-day streams ever for a Hip-Hop/Rap album released in Spatial Audio on Apple Music Worldwide. I NEVER LIKED YOU crashed the charts as the biggest debut of the rapper’s career, landing at #1 on the Billboard200 and moving a staggering 221,512 units first-week in the US alone. This notably marks Future his 8th #1 album on the Billboard 200 with the most seven-day sales of his illustrious career so far.