Section 3 · Who Counts
Somebody is counting all of this, and it matters who
How the music is measured — Billboard, Promusicae, AMPROFON, Spotify's Loud & Clear, and the Latin Grammys.
Physical racks still decide what a catalogue looks like in the country that pressed it.Photo: Zeynep M. / Pexels
Promusicae Certifies Spain, and the Numbers Are Not RIAA Numbers
Promusicae's gold and platinum thresholds for Spain are set at different stream and sales volumes than RIAA Latin or AMPROFON — a Spanish gold album is not a US gold album.
Who Counts
The Latin Grammys Moved to Seville, and That Was a Statement
The 24th Latin Grammy Awards were held in Seville in November 2023 — the first time the ceremony left the United States.
Who Counts
What Loud & Clear Actually Publishes
Spotify's annual Loud & Clear report discloses payout tiers — how many artists crossed $1,000, $10,000, $1M in a given year — without naming individuals.
Who Counts
Two Certification Bodies, One Catalogue
A record released in Mexico and the United States can carry both an AMPROFON certification and an RIAA Latin certification — the thresholds and counting methods differ.
Who Counts