Rihanna named the most successful singles artist in history

WASHINGTON, July 2 (UPI) -- The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) announced this week that Rihanna is the first to surpass 100 million gold & platinum song certifications, making her the most successful singles artist in U.S. history.

The popular musician and performer earned 48 million new single certifications this week, elevating her total to the highest ever. The RIAA counts one single certification as either one permanent digital download or 100 on-demand audio and/or video streams.

"Gold and platinum is the industry's premier way to celebrate achievement in the marketplace," RIAA CEO Cary Sherman said in a press release. "We've given awards to artists for nearly 60 years, but it's rare that we have the opportunity to recognize a milestone like the one Rihanna has reached. Congratulations to Rihanna! She has not only surpassed RIAA's one-hundred million mark, but also is the first artist to do so. It's an historic feat and a testament to an extraordinary career."

The association's announcement comes at the same time as the release of Rihanna's newest music video for "[Expletive] Better Have My Money." In the NSFW short film, the award-winning artist kidnaps and tortures a woman in order to demand money from her wealthy partner.