TuneCore Recording Artist Ron Pope Earns RIAA Platinum Award for “A Drop in the Ocean”

NASHVILLE, October 6, 2021 – Independent pop and rock singer songwriter Ron Pope has earned a platinum record for his song, “A Drop in the Ocean.” The announcement was made today by Andreea Gleeson, Chief Executive Officer, TuneCore. A platinum certification from the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) denotes 1 million units based on sales and track-equivalent on-demand streams.

The track, “A Drop in the Ocean” was co-written by Pope and Zach Berkman and was the first single of Pope’s Daylight album. The song was also featured in television shows The Vampire Diaries and 90210. Pope’s career spans over a decade and his live performances are hugely popular, with sold out shows in 20 countries. His lifetime streams on Spotify are nearly 500 million, with lifetime streams on Pandora total 864 million.

Born in Marietta, Georgia, Pope attended Rutgers University on a baseball scholarship before an injury curtailed his sports career. He transferred to New York University where he began focusing on his music. He released two albums before being signed to a major label in 2009, after which Pope returned to his indie roots and has released music through TuneCore ever since. His label, Brooklyn Basement Records, was formed in 2015 and supports both established and up-and-coming artists while navigating the ever-changing music industry landscape. 

Stated Gleeson, “Ron Pope is a prolific singer songwriter who embodies the independent spirit that TuneCore is all about. While he continues to blaze his own trail, his music has been compared to the most important musicians of our time. This RIAA platinum award is an indicator of things to come in the indie world, with Ron leading the way.”

Pope commented, “It seems unreal, but I am so excited. And to know that we did it completely independently is even better. It's so amazing that so many people all around the world connected so deeply with this song and continue to share and listen to it. I just honestly have no words." 

Pope’s most recent project was a series of songs released every two weeks from July 23, 2020, until July 22, 2021. Collectively known as songs from The Builder, it showcased Pope’s journey through the pandemic.

Ron Pope on Spotify

About TuneCore  

TuneCore is the global platform for independent musicians to build audiences and careers – with technology and services across distribution, publishing administration and a range of promotional services. TuneCore Music Distribution services help artists, labels and managers sell their music through Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, Deezer, TikTok, Tencent and more than 150 download and streaming stores worldwide, while retaining 100 percent of their sales revenue and rights for a low annual flat fee. TuneCore Music Publishing Administration assists songwriters by administering their compositions through licensing, registration, worldwide royalty collections, and placement opportunities in film, TV, commercials, video games and more. The TuneCore Artist Services portal offers a suite of tools and services that enable artists to promote their craft, connect with fans, and get their music heard. TuneCore, part of Believe, is headquartered in Brooklyn, NY, with offices in Los Angeles, Nashville, Atlanta, and Austin, and operates globally through local teams based in the UK, Germany, France, Belgium, Italy, Russia, Brazil, Mexico, Nigeria, South Africa, India, Japan and Singapore across 4 continents. www.tunecore.com