On July 8th in music history, one significant event took place in 1958 when the first Gold record album presented by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) was awarded to the soundtrack of the movie "Oklahoma!".

"Oklahoma!" was a film adaptation of the famous Broadway musical composed by Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II. The soundtrack, featuring the cast of the film, was released by Capitol Records in 1955 and became a massive success. It spent a remarkable 400 weeks on the Billboard album charts, including a consecutive 46 weeks at number one.

The RIAA, which had formed just a few years earlier in 1952, introduced the Gold record award as a way to recognize artists and albums that achieved significant sales milestones. The first Gold certification, indicating sales of 500,000 copies, was given to "Oklahoma!" on this day in 1958, marking a watershed moment in the music industry.

The album's success was a testament to the enduring popularity of the musical, which features classic songs like "Oh, What a Beautiful Mornin'," "The Surrey with the Fringe on Top," and "People Will Say We're in Love." The film starred Gordon MacRae and Shirley Jones, whose vocal performances on the soundtrack helped cement the album's place in history.

This event set the stage for the RIAA's Gold (and later Platinum and Diamond) certification program, which has since become a coveted marker of achievement in the music industry. Today, the RIAA's Gold and Platinum awards are synonymous with commercial success and have been awarded to countless artists across various genres, from Elvis Presley and The Beatles to Taylor Swift and Drake.