Sean Paul, the renowned dancehall artist, has added a significant milestone to his already impressive list of achievements. His 2016 hit collaboration with Sia, “Cheap Thrills,” has been certified 11 times platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). This designation signifies more than 11 million units sold, making it his first song to achieve the prestigious diamond-plus status, a testament to its enduring popularity and massive commercial success.

Sean Paul’s journey to global recognition began in 2000 when he first exploded onto the Billboard charts. Over the past two decades, he has consistently achieved cross-genre success, becoming the voice behind iconic dancehall crossover hits such as “Temperature,” “Get Busy,” and “Gimme the Light.” His album “Dutty Rock” in 2002 earned him a Grammy Award for Best Reggae Album and was one of his two top 10 projects on the Billboard 200. On the highly competitive Billboard Hot 100, Paul has secured four No. 1 singles among his ten top 10 hits, including the four-week chart-topping run of “Cheap Thrills.”

The genesis of “Cheap Thrills” involved Sia initially releasing the song on her 2015 album, “This Is Acting.” Sean Paul, the Kingston-bred artist, then contributed to a remix at the beginning of 2016. This remix, which skillfully tapped into the then-dominant “tropical pop” sound, played a crucial role in propelling the song to conquer top 40 radio, spending eight weeks atop the all-genre Radio Songs chart. This marked his longest stay at the summit of that ranking since his featured appearance on Beyoncé’s 2003 hit, “Baby Boy,” which topped the chart for nine weeks. “Cheap Thrills” concluded the 2010s Decade-End Billboard Hot 100 at No. 66 and garnered both artists their first, and to date, only, Grammy nominations in the Best Pop/Duo Group Performance category. Notably, this track was Sean Paul’s first Hot 100 chart-topper in over a decade, and it also marked Sia’s second single to achieve diamond certification from the RIAA, following “Chandelier,” which reached diamond status in 2024, exactly a decade after its release, mirroring the timeline of “Cheap Thrills.”

Beyond the monumental success of “Cheap Thrills,” Sean Paul has maintained a busy and productive career over the past decade. He has released two consecutive Grammy-nominated albums: 2021’s “Live n Livin” and 2022’s “Scorcha,” both of which reached the top 10 on the Reggae Albums chart at Nos. 9 and 6, respectively. More recently, last month, he co-headlined the Jamaica Strong benefit concert, held at New York’s UBS Arena on December 12, aimed at raising funds for Hurricane Melissa relief. On the very day of the fundraiser, he unveiled a new uplifting anthem titled “Faith We A Keep.” With a noticeable resurgence in 2016 nostalgia across social media platforms, it is particularly fitting that one of that year’s biggest musical successes is now being celebrated for its enduring impact and extraordinary achievements.