Hank Williams Jr. recently celebrated the achievement of two new Gold record certifications for his iconic tracks “Dixie on My Mind” and “The Conversation,” which features country legend Waylon Jennings. These honors come nearly 40 years after the songs’ initial releases.
The process for attaining Gold certification from the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) has evolved over the years. While it once required 500,000 units in physical sales, today’s standards account for both sales and streaming numbers. Paid streaming subscriptions, such as Spotify Premium, count 1,250 streams as one unit, whereas it takes 3,750 ad-supported or free streams to equal one unit. These streams are combined with sales figures to determine certification.
As of now, “Dixie on My Mind” has garnered over 20 million streams on Spotify, and “The Conversation,” featured on Williams’ Whiskey Bent and Hell Bound (1979), has accumulated more than 25 million streams.
“Dixie on My Mind” was written by Williams and released in 1981 as the second single from his album Rowdy. The song became his fourth No. 1 hit on the Billboard Hot Country Singles chart. Meanwhile, “The Conversation,” co-written by Williams, Jennings, and Richie Albright, first appeared on Whiskey Bent and Hell Bound. Jennings included his version on his 1983 album Waylon and Company, where it peaked at No. 15 on the country chart.
Though both artists recorded the song, the RIAA Gold certification was awarded to Williams’ version, crediting him as the lead artist under Curb Records, while Jennings’ album was released under Sony Music.
Related Topics
Iron Maiden Offers Chance to Win Piece of Ed Force One Plane
