Michael Jackson’s Off the Wall is now certified diamond by the RIAA, marking 10 million units in the U.S.. It’s his third album to hit the milestone. VARIOUS, VARIOUS – JUNE 25: Michael Jackson performs in concert circa 1988. (Photo by Kevin Mazur/WireImage)
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Michael Jackson’s catalog is packed with not only bestselling hit songs, but also massively successful albums. Of course, Thriller leads everything he ever released, and it stands out as the top-selling full-length — that’s not a compilation — in U.S. history. Another one of Jackson’s most popular sets earns a coveted honor this week, as the RIAA (Recording Industry Association of America) adds a new platinum plaque to its total.
Off the Wall Goes Diamond
Off the Wall is now a diamond-selling album, as the RIAA has upgraded the set to 10-times platinum. That means that the project has moved 10 million equivalent units in the U.S. between pure sales and streams.
Years After Off the Wall’s Last Certification
The upgrade comes years after the project was last recognized. Off the Wall was certified nine-times platinum in February 2021. The beloved effort originally went platinum in December 1979, not long after release.
Three Diamond Studio Albums For Jackson
Now that Off the Wall has been elevated to diamond status, Jackson claims three such winners. Thriller remains the runaway leader at 34-times platinum. Bad hit diamond in 2017 and advanced to 11-times platinum in 2021.
Two More Sets Are Closing In
Two additional titles from Jackson sit within striking distance of going diamond. Both HIStory: Past, Present and Future, Book I and Dangerous are steady at eight-times platinum. Neither has earned a new award in more than half a decade, but both continue to sell and stream steadily, so at some point, the two of them will likely cross the 10 million-unit mark.
Off the Wall: Charts And Singles
Off the Wall helped solidify Jackson’s status as one of the biggest stars in music, and also a certified and reliable hitmaker. The project produced four top 10s on the Hot 100 including a pair of No. 1s in “Don’t Stop ‘Til You Get Enough” and “Rock with You.” Both “Off the Wall” and “She’s Out of My Life” peaked at No. 10.
His fifth solo full-length, Off the Wall brought Jackson to a then-career high of No. 3 on the Billboard 200. He’d eclipse that not much later when Thriller arrived.