The Broadway hit Hamilton continues to break records. The show’s 2016 Grammy-winning original cast album surpassed two million in sales this month, according to the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), which has bestowed a Double Platinum Record honor.
The album, which peaked at No. 3 on the Billboard 200 Chart for week of July 2, 2016, is one of only three Broadway cast recordings to reach the Top 10 in the last half century. The last OBC album to do so was The Book of Mormon in 2011, which also landed at No. 3. It also hit No. 1 on the Rap Album chart, an unprecedented feat for a Broadway album.
The @HamiltonMusical Original Broadway Cast Recording has been certified Double Platinum. #Hamiltunes pic.twitter.com/LCVS7aFj9L
— Hamilton (@HamiltonMusical) October 27, 2016
Hamilton didn't have far to go to reach those milestones. It debuted last fall at No. 12 on the Billboard 200, the highest debut for an OBC since 1961.
The Billboard 200 chart ranks the most popular albums of the week in the United States, “based on multi-metric consumption, which includes traditional album sales, track equivalent albums (TEA) and streaming equivalent albums (SEA).”
The album earned a Platinum Record honor May 25, 2016, meaning that it had sold in excess of one million copies—a very rare achievement for a Broadway cast album in modern times. It earned a Gold Record, for albums that sell 500,000 copies, April 6.
Among other recent cast albums to be certified Double Platinum was the OBC of Rent; Jersey Boys has been certified Platinum.
Hamilton also reportedly has recouped its initial investment and is a true hit. The website Broadway Journal reported that the show has paid back its investors' entire $12.5 million capitalization this past spring. The report has not been confirmed by producers.
(Updated October 26, 2016)
