Travis Denning and Parker McCollum have been named to the R.I.A.A. (Recording Industry Association of America) Class of 2020. Every year, the RIAA recognizes artists who have achieved Gold and Platinum status for the very first time.
Travis earned a gold certification for his No. 1 hit, “After a Few,” while Parker’s recent chart-topper, “Pretty Heart,” was certified gold, as well.
Pretty surreal to be a part of @RIAA’s class of 2020 with my first gold record. #RIAAClassOf #LabelsAtWorkhttps://t.co/JsACJOv6pV pic.twitter.com/Dbl7qQoshj
— Travis Denning (@Travis_Denning) January 13, 2021
This distinctive honor also recognizes the hard work of their record labels and teams behind each artist.
“We are thrilled to induct 53 artists into RIAA’s Gold & Platinum Class of 2020,” said Chairman/CEO MITCH GLAZIER. “Earning your first Gold or Platinum Award is a sign of true success and limitless possibilities. Congratulations to this year’s artists, their labels and teams!”
Audio / Parker McCollum talks about his recent No. 1 song, "Pretty Heart."
DownloadParker McCollum (Pretty Heart) OC: …chase this dream. :43
“‘Pretty Heart’ was a song, er hook that I had had and a melody I’d had for a long time that I had forgotten about. I was scrolling back through my Instagram one night, looking for something one night and I had found a video of me singing it that I had posted forever ago. I was like, ‘Man, how did I forget about that?’ I think that was the day before I was flying up here (Nashville) to write with my buddy Randy Montana. I was like, ‘Maybe he’d like that idea.’ I took it to him, and he just fell in love with it and that was like two or three hours that we just cranked it out. We were like, ‘Man! That was it.’ All those songs come from very real-life experiences – good and bad choices and decisions that I’ve made on my own. But they’re all just about past relationships and giving those up to chase this dream.”
Audio / Travis Denning says everyone can relate to his No. 1 song, "After a Few."
DownloadTravis Denning (After A Few) OC: …it’s real. :17
“I think this song really is just about that story that a lot of people can relate to – being attracted to someone that probably logically in your head is not real, but something in your heart keeps taking you back. I mean I know that’s a subject we talk about all the time, but we do it because it’s real.”