RIAA Gold single award for Earth, Wind & Fire's single "September." Released on Nov. 18, 1978, the track was certified Gold by the RIAA on Jan. 23, 1979 for one million copies sold.
This classic track hit #1 on the Billboard Hot R&B Songs chart, #8 on the Hot 100, and #3 on the UK Singles Chart. It has been sampled, covered, remixed, and re-recorded many times. In 2018 the U.S. Library of Congress' National Recording Registry added it to its' list of sound recordings that "are culturally, historically, or aesthetically important." When recently re-released as a digital single, it was certified 6x Multi-Platinum by 2020, further proving the song's enduring legacy. See image above for the RIAA sales certifications of this track through the years*.
Mouse Over to Zoom/Click to Enlarge Photos
Item Highlights:
- RIAA "floater" Gold single award
- VG condition with original manufacturer sticker
- First presentation award from 1979
- Presentation to artist manager
- Letter of provenance included
- Award measures approx. 13" x 17"
- Known as a "floater" award because the components appear to "float" above the matte, they were made from 1975-1981
- RIAA "floater" awards numbered only 25-50 plaques worldwide for any given single/album
- FREE insured shipping to continental U.S.
- International shipping available
Detailed Item Description: This is a first presentation RIAA Gold single award from 1979. That makes this award approx. 42 years old. It is presented to Zach Glickman (d. 2015), who managed Earth Wind & Fire guitarist Al McKay (who co-wrote and played on this track), along with Frank Zappa, Dion, and others through a 50+ year career in the music industry. The award is accompanied by a letter of provenance from Glickman's son Benny who took possession of his late father's awards after he passed away and who also worked extensively in the music industry (see image of letter).
It is VG condition with only typical frame wear. Its' backing paper is original and complete with Creative Glassics manufacturer sticker.
Interested in knowing more about RIAA awards and what makes them great to add to your collection? Subscribe to our free bi-weekly newsletter and get our 55-page MusicGoldmine RIAA and Record Award Guide free plus a 15% discount code here.
Notes on the condition of all vintage RIAA awards: Please do not buy this item if you want a brand new piece of memorabilia. These are historical artifacts from the year they were produced. As a result they may show signs of wear. Frankly, if you see a 20 to 50-year-old award purported to be in 100% perfect condition, it might be too good to be true. After all, an antique should have "good' wear. If not, you might want to question the piece.
As to where they came from, they could have been displayed in record label offices, recording studios, artist manager's offices, radio stations, private collector's homes and yes, of course, possibly the artist's or songwriter's home. Typically, we don't know all the places they may have been over the years other than what we've stated in the description.
Finally, a word on photos: Our photos are zoomable so you can get a very good look. Do let us know if you want photos of any other details on our pieces and we'll be happy to provide.
*RIAA sales data source: RIAA.com