Rapper, singer, songwriter and record producer Post Malone was just named the youngest artist in the U.S to earn five diamond singles. At 27, the ‘I Fall Apart’ singer has had much success in his music, which started blossoming around 2015.
Early Music Career Of Post Malone
Born Austin Richard Post on July 4th, 1995, Posty began his music career in 2011. He began gaining recognition in 2015 with his debut single, ‘White Iverson’. This song propelled him from SoundCloud rapper to a bona fide artist. It was also the lead single from his debut studio album, Stoney (2016). The album produced six platinum singles.
Malone was born in Syracuse, New York and grew up in Grapevine, TX. His father worked for the Dallas Cowboys for years. Post spent his teenage years working for a Chicken Express, while also working on his music and creating his first mixtape at age 16. He’s always loved music, and has told people that the game Guitar Hero changed his life.
Undoubtedly, he has many hits in his music catalogue. Here are the diamond certified songs that gave him the name as the youngest artist to earn as much.
1. “Congratulations” (2019)
“Congratulations” was released through Republic Records on January 31st, 2017 as the fifth single from Stoney. Featuring rapper Quavo from Migos, the song was an anthem for many high school graduations (including mine).
The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) gave confirmation on October 8, 2019 that the single was certified diamond. Malone was 24 at the time, and the single had moved more than 10 million units since it’s release two years prior. The track features production from Metro Boomin, Frank Dukes, and Louis Bell. As a matter of fact, the track peaked at No. 8 on the Billboard Hot 100.
In the song, Post recognizes his success. The hook sings, “Now they always say ‘Congratulations’/ Worked so hard, forgot how to vacation/ They ain’t never had the dedication/ People hatin’, say we changed and look we made it/ Yeah, we made it.” Post Malone focused on his music from young, and always took a chance on himself. Also, the reactions from the people around him definitely seemed to motivate him as well.
2. “Rockstar” (2021)
Then, “Rockstar,” a single from Post’s album Beerbongs & Bentleys, was certified diamond in 2021. At the time, Post Malone would take the crown for being the youngest artist to ever notch three Diamond-certified songs. These songs include “Rockstar,” “Congratulations,” and “Sunflower.” In detail, the songs sold more than 1o million units each.
“Rockstar” features rapper 21 Savage and was released on September 15th, 2017 as the lead single of the upcoming album Beerbongs & Bentleys. The single was and still is the singer’s most successful hit single. It reached number one on the US Billboard Hot 100, as well as reached the top spot in many other countries; Australia, Canada, Greece, Portugal, Romania, Ireland, and many more. It became both Post and 21 Savage’s first number one singles in all of the countries listed.
Not only did it hit the top spot in that many countries, but it also would receive a nomination for Record of the Year and Best Rap/Sung Performance at the 61st Annual Grammy Awards. The song is about drugs, sex, and the rock ‘n’ roll lifestyle; a lifestyle that both of the artists are pros on.
3. “Sunflower” (2020)
Post Malone and Swae Lee’s “Sunflower” went diamond in November of 2020. This marked the musician’s third diamond certification from the RIAA. Firstly, the song was released as a single from the soundtrack for Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, which came out in 2018. Secondly, Post Malone announced his involvement in the soundtrack on October 2nd, 2018 on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. Also, he announced that he wrote the song, and also played a snipper of the song on the show.
As of today, the Swae Lee-assisted track is now certified 17x-Platinum, which makes it the biggest single of his era. On November 14, 2022 the single would receive appraisal for being the highest charting single in RIAA history. Besides, the track is also featured on Post Malone’s third studio album, Hollywood’s Bleeding.
Even more, “Sunflower” is the first song to play in Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse. “Every time I’m leavin’ on ya / You don’t make it easy, no, no / Wish I could be there for ya / Give me a reason to go,” Malone raps in his verse. Listeners connected this to Peter Parker’s tough relationship between his girlfriend and his identity crisis as Spider-Man. Moreover, the dreamy tone of “Sunflower” is one that pulls the listener in.
4. “Psycho” (2022)
Next, “Psycho” was released on February 23rd, 2018 as the third single from Beerbongs & Bentleys. Malone co-wrote the song with Louis Bell, a record producer, vocal producer, songwriter, and mixing engineer.
In the song, Post details his lifestyle, which includes excessive fame that comes at a price. This price being trust issues; “Can’t really trust nobody with all this jewelry on you,” he sings. Actually, the song peaked the charts of five different countries besides the US, including Slovakia, Sweden, Canada, Belgium, and Australia.
Ty Dolla $ign accompanies the “Circles” singer in the song. Furthermore, it became Ty’s first No. 1 on the Hot 100 in addition to his second top 10 entry.
5. “White Iverson”: Post Malone Debut (2022)
Finally, after seven years, “White Iverson” has become diamond certified on November 14th, 2022. The artist has expressed that this song means so much to him. Back in 2017 in an interview with Nardwaur, “Posty explained how he used to perform ‘White Iverson’ twice at concerts because he thought he lacked any other song on his resume” according to Billboard.
In the song, Malone asserts himself as one of the best in the game. He compares himself to various basketball legends, one mostly being Allen Iverson. Iverson was a shooting guard and point guard for the Philadelphia 76ers. Additionally, Malone expresses his passion for basketball in the song, singing “My options right when I walk in/ jump all them Jordans/ I’m ballin’, money jumpin’/ Like I’m Davis from New Orleans/ Or b**ch I’m Harden, I don’t miss nothin’,”
For many OG Post Malone fans, this is his best song. Numerous fans have conveyed how much this song means to them and their passion for Posty’s career. Notably, the artist uploaded the song on his SoundCloud page on the night of February 4, 2015. According to The New Yorker, “When he went to sleep, he was anonymous and broke. Within a day, the song has changed his life.”
