Riaa
The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) is a trade organization representing the U.S. recording industry. Its members include major record labels and distributors, which the RIAA states “create, manufacture, and/or distribute approximately 85 percent of all legally sold recorded music in the United States”. The RIAA is headquartered in Washington, D.C.
The RIAA was formed in 1952. Its original mission was to administer recording copyright fees and problems, work with trade unions, and do research relating to the record industry and government regulations. Early RIAA standards included the RIAA equalization curve, the format of the stereophonic record groove and the dimensions of 33 1/3, 45, and 78 rpm records.
The RIAA says its current mission includes protecting intellectual property rights and the First Amendment rights of artists; performing research about the music industry; and monitoring and reviewing relevant laws, regulations, and policies for the purpose of advocacy.
Between 2001 and 2020, the RIAA spent between $2.4 million and $6.5 million annually on lobbying in the United States. The organization ramped up its lobbying efforts in 2025, partly in response to artificial intelligence.
The RIAA also participates in the collective rights management of sound recordings, and it is responsible for certifying gold and platinum albums and singles in the United States, a system that was the first of its kind in the global music industry and set the standard for music recording certification worldwide.
On your mind
- 2025-07-01T00:00:00.000000Z
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