In 2013, Marc Anthony released 3.0, his first salsa album in a decade. At the time, this a risky release for Anthony--or anyone--since tropical music had already begun to shrink with the resurgence of reggaeton.
Luckily for Anthony, 7 years later, that risk is still being rewarded.
This week, 3.0 became the first salsa album ever to be certified “Diamante,” the RIAA’s highest certification for a Latin album, for shipments of over 600,000 copies in the U.S. alone.
The singer announced the major accomplishment on his Instagram page, posting a slideshow of photos that feature him cozying up to the Diamond plaque and smiling from ear to ear.
“Wow 3.0 First Salsa album ever to reach Diamond Status,” Anthony wrote in his caption. “Thanks to my team and everyone that worked on the album y Gracias a mis fans por siempre apoyar mi música y hacer este uno de sus favoritos. God bless!”
While this is a major milestone for the project, it’s only the latest accomplishment for the album.
In 2013, the year it was released, 3.0 became the top-selling release of the year, according to Nielsen SoundScan. The hit single from the album, “Vivir Mi Vida,” also spent 18 weeks at No. 1 on the Hot Latin Songs chart, becoming the first tropical single in a decade to top the chart and the longest-running No. 1 tropical song in the history of the chart.
“It’s a huge honor for us at Sony Music Latin to work with Marc,” Sony Music Latin Iberia Chairman and CEO Afo Verde said as he presented Marc Anthony his RIAA Diamante plaque in a virtual ceremony. “He continues to break records time and time again and creates new ones all on his own. His music is forever. He’s proven that his recordings, from birth and even five, 10, 20 years later, are everlasting and will be sung by everyone for a lifetime.”
Anthony also talked about the milestone, revealing the confidence boost the success of the project gave him all those years ago.
“The arrival of this new achievement in this particular time is truly gratifying and inspiring for me,” Marc said. “3.0 was an album that I considered risky at the time of its release. The Latin music industry was beginning to shift and the main attention was going to other genres. The album was embraced by everyone in such a powerful way. That response gave a boost of reassurance in my career and my instincts as a music creator.”
With this accomplishment under his belt, Marc Anthony is working on new music to give to fans sometime soon.
