The offered RIAA Gold Record Award was presented for Michael Jackson's single "Billie Jean," from his legendary 1982 LP Thriller. It was released on January 2, 1983, and spent SEVEN WEEKS at number one. It's almost unfathomable how big, all-consuming and ever-present Thriller was during 1982-1984. Thriller became Jackson's first number one album on the Billboard Top LPs & Tapes chart, and at certain points that first year it was selling 1 million copies per week. It eventually sold 32 million copies and produced the singles: "The Girl Is Mine", "Billie Jean", "Beat It", "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin' ", "Human Nature", "P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing)", and "Thriller", all top 10 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, setting the record for the most top 10 singles from an album, with "Beat It" and "Billie Jean" reaching number one. The album and this song's popularity continues to this day: "Billie Jean" eventually reached 5x Platinum status as a digital download in 2018.
The RIAA certified "Billy Jean" Gold on April 4, 1983, and the offered award was created at that time, based on the "floater" style with the gold frame and black background matting. The plaque reads "Presented to MICHAEL JACKSON to Commemorate the Sale of More Than One Million Copies of the EPIC RECORDS Single Record 'BILLIE JEAN.'"
Jackson always said the song's tale of a man's vehement denial of paternity was based on fan's making the claims about his brothers during their touring days in The Jackson 5. Damn, Tito. The award measures 13 x 17 inches and presents with very little wear, with just a few very light scratches to the gold finish on the frame. Near Mint to Mint condition.