Luke Combs Shatters Record as Most RIAA-Certified Country Artist With 168 Million Units Sold

Luke Combs is nominated for three award categories at the 2025 CMA Awards while releasing an EP called The Prequel, which is a three-song project building off his latest single. 

Combs said he felt surprised and humbled by what he called a record-breaking achievement, and he credits his fans for that successful. “When my team first told me about this, my initial reaction was, ‘Are you sure? There's no way.' It was only 8 years ago that I got my first plaque for ‘Hurricane' going Gold. I knew then, without a doubt, I had the best fans in the world. The song had gone Platinum before they could even give me the Gold plaque.”

“I'm super humbled by the fans' belief in me and support of my music today and over the years. I know this does not happen without them. This achievement is more so theirs than it is mine. All I ever hoped and dreamed of from the beginning of this crazy ride was to make music that made people feel something, and I can't wait to continue making country music for the rest of my life.”

The milestone underscores his rapid rise in country music: his breakout single “Hurricane” earned Gold status eight years ago. The new single “Back in the Saddle,” which he co-wrote with Dan Isbell and Jonathan Singleton, has reached No. 1 on the MusicRow CountryBreakout Radio Chart and is currently ranked No. 5 on the Billboard Country Airplay chart and No. 3 on the Mediabase chart.

In addition to the single, Combs released the EP The Prequel, offering three new songs as a gift to his fans and further proof of his evolving artistry. In a historic shift, Combs has now surpassed Garth Brooks in RIAA certified units, reaching 168 million units compared to Brooks' 162.5 million, making him the top-selling country artist of all time.