OutKast and 50 Cent tied for top honors in year-end certifications from the Recording Industry Assn. of America, with the highest certified albums of 2003.
OutKast’s “Speakerboxxx/The Love Below” (Arista) and 50 Cent’s “Get Rich or Die Tryin”’ (Shady / Aftermath / Interscope) both shipped six-times platinum last year-6 million copies for the latter set and 3 million for the former, a double-album.
Evanescence had the best-selling rock debut of 2003, with the triple-platinum “Fallen” (Wind-Up). Beyonce Knowles earned double-platinum honors for “Dangerously in Love” (Columbia), tying “American Idol” star Kelly Clarkson’s “Thankful” (RCA) for the best-selling debut by a female solo artist during the year. Clay Aiken also shipped 2 million with “Measure of a Man” (RCA), the best-selling debut by a male solo artist.
Other women who shipped 2 million units last year were Hilary Duff, Britney Spears and Celine Dion, with “Metamorphosis” (Buena Vista/Hollywood), “In the Zone” (Jive) and “One Heart” (Epic), respectively. Meanwhile, Toby Keith’s double-platinum “Shock ’N’ Y’All” (DreamWorks Nashville) was the highest-certified country album of the year.