Bruno Mars has done it again — and this time, he’s made history that even he couldn’t have written better. His debut solo single, “Just the Way You Are,” has officially become the highest-certified song in RIAA history, now sitting at a staggering 21x Platinum. That means 21 million equivalent sales in the U.S. alone.
Yeah, you read that right. Twenty-one million.
The milestone pushes Mars past Post Malone and Swae Lee’s “Sunflower”, crowning his 2010 breakout hit as the most commercially successful single in RIAA’s record books. Fifteen years after its release, “Just the Way You Are” still refuses to age — it’s one of those songs that never left wedding playlists, TikTok edits, or car karaoke sessions.
The Song That Started It All
Released as the lead single from his debut album Doo-Wops & Hooligans, “Just the Way You Are” was Bruno Mars’ formal introduction to the world — and what an entrance.
The song topped the Billboard Hot 100, won Mars his first Grammy Award for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance, and became an instant global anthem. It went No. 1 in over ten countries and was named the best-selling digital single of 2011, with over 12 million copies sold worldwide before streaming even entered the chat.
Fast forward to today: the song has racked up nearly 3 billion Spotify streams, proving that its emotional simplicity still cuts through the noise of short-form virality and genre fusions.
A Legacy Written in Diamond
The RIAA’s new certification isn’t just another plaque for Mars’ trophy wall — it’s the capstone to a legacy built on consistency, nostalgia, and pure pop craftsmanship. Alongside the 21x Platinum milestone, his feel-good anthem “The Lazy Song” also hit Diamond status (10x Platinum), further cementing his reign in pop’s digital era.
With this update, Bruno Mars joins The Weeknd and Rihanna as the artists with the third-most Diamond-certified singles in RIAA history. That’s elite company — and a reminder of how deeply his songs have embedded themselves into the cultural DNA of the 2010s and beyond.
While pop trends have come and gone — EDM explosions, trap fusions, TikTok-core — Bruno Mars has managed to remain timeless, largely because he builds his hits around pure emotion and melody. “Just the Way You Are” isn’t a trend. It’s a feeling.
Still on Top — and Still Performing
Even as he breaks records, Mars is still bringing his charm to the stage. He’s wrapping up his latest Las Vegas residency at Dolby Live (MGM Park), with final shows scheduled for December 30 and 31. Fans who grab tickets will get to hear the record-breaking song performed live — the same way millions first fell in love with it.
It’s fitting that Mars is closing out 2025 the same way he started his career: standing under the spotlight, smiling, and making people feel good about who they are.
Just the Way You Are might have launched Bruno Mars into superstardom, but its staying power proves something even deeper — the world still craves sincerity in pop music. And no one does it quite like Bruno.
FAQ
1. What record did Bruno Mars just break?
Bruno Mars’ “Just the Way You Are” is now the highest-certified song in RIAA history, reaching 21x Platinum in the United States.
2. When was “Just the Way You Are” released?
The song was released in 2010 as the debut single from Bruno Mars’ first album, Doo-Wops & Hooligans.
3. How many Diamond-certified songs does Bruno Mars have?
Bruno Mars now ties The Weeknd and Rihanna with the third-most Diamond-certified singles in RIAA history.