One of the best-selling artists in Latin music, Maluma currently has six studio albums to his name. Traversing the soundscapes of reggaeton, trap, and pop, the singer-songwriter has been active since the early 2010s. From the vibrant streets of Medellín, Colombia, Maluma has since risen to the glitzy stages of superstardom. At the latest Grammys ceremony, he was nominated in the Best Latin Pop category. Although he didn’t take home the gold, the quality of his work might ensure his win sometime soon.
Since Maluma debuted, all the albums he has released have been well received by listeners. As a result, each of them have performed well commercially. However, one album sits above the rest in terms of overall sales. The artist’s best-selling project, unsurprisingly, has remained a fan-favorite.
The Impressive Sales Of F.A.M.E.
Fe, Alma, Música, Esencia (F.A.M.E.) was released on May 18, 2018. It is Maluma’s third studio album, and to date, is his most commercially successful project. Following his notably successful sophomore album, F.A.M.E. marked a significant milestone in Maluma’s career. Emphatically, it solidified his status as a global superstar. Furthermore, he earned a nomination at the 2019 Billboard Music Awards in the Top Latin Album category for the project.
Since its release, F.A.M.E. has earned certifications in seven countries, the most of any other of Maluma’s albums. With over 600,000 units sold in the US, the album is Diamond-certified (10x Platinum) by the RIAA’s Latin division. So far, it is the only Diamond-certified album in Maluma’s discography. It is Gold in Italy (25,000 units), Poland (10,000 units), and Switzerland (10,000 units). Additionally, it has gone 3x Platinum in Colombia, and 4x Platinum in Mexico where it’s sold 240,000 units. Finally, in Brazil, the Pro-Música Brazil has awarded it a Platinum certification for 40,000 album units sold.
In the US, Latin albums have been eligible to be RIAA-certified since 2000, so Maluma’s certifications fall into the category. As long as the body of work contains at least 51% Spanish content, then it’s worthy of this special Latin certification. Although F.A.M.E. is a trilingual album, it contains enough Spanish to meet the RIAA qualifications. Interestingly, the metrics for earning RIAA certifications differ between Latin and American albums. For example, a typical American album needs to sell 500,000 units to earn a gold certification. However, a Latin album only needs 30,000 certified album sales to go gold in the US. Likewise, the number of units required to earn a platinum or diamond certification respectively are 60,000 and 600,000 units.
The Staying Power Of F.A.M.E.
Maluma has released three additional albums since F.A.M.E., all with varying degrees of success. However, none of them have reached the commercial heights the singer’s third album has scaled. Featuring smash hits like “Corazón” and “Felices Los 4,” the album is a testament to Maluma’s commercial appeal. Equally, it showcases the singer’s versatility, blending several genres and musical elements to create a dynamic musical journey. The authenticity and excellence of F.A.M.E. helped Maluma secure a Latin Grammy win in 2018. Those same attributes have made the album and its songs stay in heavy rotation over the years. Although it’s been almost six years since it was released, F.A.M.E. continues to leave an indelible mark on the world of Latin music.