After living in Minnesota for most of my life, I decided to move to Oregon on a whim.
During my first year in Oregon, I struggled to feel at home and find a meaningful community.
After finding my confidence, I put myself out there and gained a new appreciation for Oregon.
I have lived most of my life in Minnesota, and, like any good Midwesterner, I planned to grow old in the state. I wanted to live close to my family and friends. I was ready to settle in and call Minneapolis home for the rest of my life.
I built a community I loved, and had my little routines down pat. I biked to sunrise yoga at Lake Harriet in the summer, grabbed countless loaves of sourdough from my favorite bakery across the street, and joined an adult swim team at my local community pool each week.
So when my boyfriend suggested that we move across the country, I surprised even myself by agreeing immediately. I love to travel, hike, and spend time outside, and we had friends on the West Coast, so we thought it would be a fun adventure. We both had fully remote jobs at the time, so we didn’t even need to think about finding work, which made the decision that much easier.
But after some painful months of struggling to feel at home and find community, I can laugh about how naive we were then because moving across the country is no joke.
I struggled to find community in Oregon
After six months as an Oregon resident, I began to question my decision to move across the country. Why would I move away from my family, friends, beloved bakery, and sunrise yoga?
Although we had friends in Oregon, it still proved harder than we thought to establish a genuine sense of community.
The author moved to Oregon with her boyfriend and dog.
Courtesy of Stephanie Mork
We lived in an apartment in the suburbs of Portland that I hated, and I desperately missed my friends and my neighborhood in Minneapolis. We attended the events that we were invited to, but something just wasn’t clicking. I started to think something was wrong with me.
I knew it was time to take matters into my own hands, rather than relying on the people we already knew to fulfill that sense of community.
I pushed myself to an event and met a close friend
As a fully remote worker, it’s easy to feel isolated and even harder to meet people. So one rainy fall night, I decided to attend a networking event in Portland. On the drive into the city, the rain was coming down in sheets, and I kept thinking, “What the hell am I doing? Maybe this is a sign I shouldn’t go to this thing.”
I soldiered on and showed up a few minutes late, trying to calm my nerves with a drink while folks made introductions. When it came time to introduce myself, I said my piece, and another woman across the room said, “Looks like we have a few things in common, let’s chat later!”
It turns out that this woman would be one of my first friends in Oregon. This event made me believe all the wonderful things I had heard about Portlanders before I moved there. I felt the warmth and welcoming community that I had yet to experience in other spaces. It turns out that I just needed to find the right group of people.
With newfound confidence, I found my community
The first year I lived in Oregon shook my confidence. I didn’t feel accepted or worthy of friendship. I was ready to give up and just move back home.
However, that one networking event planted a seed of confidence that, just maybe, it was possible to grow and have a thriving community in Oregon.
After that event, I joined a hiking group, started taking French language classes at the local community college, and joined Bumble BFF. That event gave me the confidence to keep trying and putting myself out there, and while I don’t have a million friends, I have a few friendships that count.
My boyfriend and I (and our dog) left the suburbs and now we live in Portland. Living in the city has been the shift I needed to really love it here.
I’ve come to love Portland for its quirky charm, amazing food, endless coffee shops, and access to nature. I’m glad I stuck it out in the end.
As party’s rise fuels fears over future visa rules, people share how the lives they have built are in jeopardy
As Reform UK soars in the polls, Britain’s migrant communities are facing an uncertain future.
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Clockwise from left: Cardi B, Elton John, Bruno Mars, and Justin Bieber.
Kevin Mazur/Joe Scarnici/Getty Images; Jeff Kravitz/Rocky Widner/FilmMagic; Arif Qazi/Business Insider
The RIAA gives diamond certifications to songs that have gone at least 10x platinum.
Artists like Drake, Post Malone, Rihanna, and The Weeknd have multiple diamond songs.
“Drops of Jupiter” by Train is the most recent song to receive the award.
The official diamond award was unveiled by the Recording Industry Association of America in 1999. In the years since, it has been bestowed sparingly: only if a song has sold at least 10 million equivalent units, combining sales and streaming numbers.
Crucially, an artist or label must also request certification through an application process, which can lead to a delay in updated sales figures.
1. “Something About The Way You Look Tonight / Candle in the Wind” by Elton John
Elton John/YouTube
“Something About the Way You Look Tonight / Candle in the Wind” became the first-ever song to be certified diamond on October 9, 1997.
In fact, the RIAA recognized the song’s multi-platinum success two years before the diamond award was officially established. It remains the only physical single in history to be certified diamond and the highest-certified song released in the ’90s.
2. “Baby” by Justin Bieber featuring Ludacris
Justin Bieber/YouTube
“Baby” was certified diamond on May 9, 2013.
3. “Not Afraid” by Eminem
Eminem/YouTube
“Not Afraid” was certified diamond on June 10, 2014.
4. “Bad Romance” by Lady Gaga
Lady Gaga/YouTube
“Bad Romance” was certified diamond on May 29, 2015.
5. “Radioactive” by Imagine Dragons
Imagine Dragons/YouTube
“Radioactive” was certified diamond on July 6, 2015.
6. “Thrift Shop” by Macklemore and Ryan Lewis featuring Wanz
Macklemore/YouTube
“Thrift Shop” was certified diamond on November 19, 2015.
7. “Poker Face” by Lady Gaga
Lady Gaga/YouTube
“Poker Face” was certified diamond on November 30, 2015.
8. “Call Me Maybe” by Carly Rae Jepsen
Carly Rae Jepsen/YouTube
“Call Me Maybe” was certified diamond on September 28, 2016.
9. “Uptown Funk” by Mark Ronson featuring Bruno Mars
Mark Ronson/YouTube
“Uptown Funk” was certified diamond on October 18, 2016.
“Trap Queen” was certified diamond on November 8, 2019.
35. “Perfect” by Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran/YouTube
“Perfect” was certified diamond on December 20, 2019.
36. “Shake It Off” by Taylor Swift
Taylor Swift/YouTube
“Shake It Off” was certified diamond on March 13, 2020, making Swift the first female artist in US history to have both a diamond-certified single and album (2008’s “Fearless”). She has since added a second diamond album to her resume (2014’s “1989”).
37. “Happy” by Pharrell
Pharrell/YouTube
“Happy” was certified diamond on May 6, 2020.
38. “Meant to Be” by Bebe Rexha featuring Florida Georgia Line
“Meant to Be” was released on October 24, 2017.
Bebe Rexha/YouTube
“Meant to Be” was certified diamond on August 17, 2020.
39. “Grenade” by Bruno Mars
“Grenade” was released on September 28, 2010.
Bruno Mars/YouTube
“Grenade” was certified diamond on October 2, 2020.
40. “Pumped Up Kicks” by Foster the People
FosterThePeople/YouTube
“Pumped Up Kicks” by Foster the People was certified diamond on October 13, 2020.
41. “All of Me” by John Legend
“All of Me” was released on August 12, 2013
John Legend/YouTube
“All of Me” was certified diamond on October 13, 2020.
42. “Baby Shark” by Pinkfong
The massively popular “Baby Shark Dance” video from Pinkfong has now amassed over 7.04 billion views.
Pinkfong! Kids’ Songs & Stories/YouTube
“Baby Shark” was certified diamond on November 5, 2020.
43. “Rockstar” by Post Malone featuring 21 Savage
“Rockstar” was released on September 15, 2017.
Post Malone/YouTube
“Rockstar” was certified diamond on November 9, 2020.
44. “Sunflower (Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse)” by Post Malone and Swae Lee
“Sunflower” was released on October 18, 2018.
Post Malone/YouTube
“Sunflower (Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse)” was certified diamond on November 9, 2020.
45. “Stay With Me” by Sam Smith
“Stay With Me” was released on April 14, 2014.
Sam Smith/YouTube
“Stay With Me” was certified diamond on November 12, 2020.
46. “Party in the U.S.A.” by Miley Cyrus
HollywoodRecordsVevo/YouTube
“Party in the U.S.A.” was certified diamond on December 7, 2020.
47. “Sicko Mode” by Travis Scott featuring Drake
“Sicko Mode” was released on August 21, 2018.
Travis Scott/YouTube
“Sicko Mode” was certified diamond on December 9, 2020.
48. “Bodak Yellow” by Cardi B
Cardi B/YouTube
“Bodak Yellow” was certified diamond on March 8, 2021, making Cardi B the first female rapper in history to have a diamond-certified single.
49. “Bohemian Rhapsody” by Queen
“Bohemian Rhapsody” was released on October 31, 1975.
Queen/YouTube
“Bohemian Rhapsody” was certified diamond on March 25, 2021.
50. “Sorry” by Justin Bieber
Justin Bieber/YouTube
“Sorry” was certified diamond on March 29, 2021.
51. “Hey, Soul Sister” by Train
Train/YouTube
“Hey, Soul Sister” was certified diamond on April 7, 2021.
52. “Low” by Flo Rida featuring T-Pain
Flo Rida/YouTube
“Low” was certified diamond on April 22, 2021.
53. “Stressed Out” by Twenty One Pilots
Fueled By Ramen/YouTube
“Stressed Out” was certified diamond on April 30, 2021.
54. “Somebody That I Used to Know” by Gotye featuring Kimbra
“Somebody That I Used to Know” was released in 2011.
gotyemusic/YouTube
“Somebody That I Used to Know,” sometimes described as a one-hit wonder, was certified diamond on May 6, 2021.
55. “That’s What I Like” by Bruno Mars
“That’s What I Like” was released as a single on January 30, 2017.
Bruno Mars/YouTube
“That’s What I Like” was certified diamond on May 21, 2021.
56. “When I Was Your Man” by Bruno Mars
“When I Was Your Man” was released as a single on January 15, 2013.
Bruno Mars/YouTube
“When I Was Your Man” was certified diamond on May 21, 2021, making Mars the first artist in history with five diamond-certified songs.
57. “Sail” by AWOLNATION
“Sail” was released in 2011.
Red Bull Records
“Sail” was certified diamond on June 14, 2021.
58. “Moves Like Jagger” by Maroon 5
“Moves Like Jagger” was released as a single on June 21, 2011.
Maroon 5/YouTube
“Moves Like Jagger” was certified diamond on July 1, 2021.
59. “Sad!” by XXXTentacion
“Sad!” was released as a single on March 2, 2018.
XXXTENTACION/YouTube
“Sad!” was certified diamond on August 13, 2021.
60. “Demons” by Imagine Dragons
Imagine Dragons/YouTube
“Demons” was certified diamond on August 31, 2021.
61. “Believer” by Imagine Dragons
Imagine Dragons/YouTube
“Believer” was certified diamond on August 31, 2021.
62. “Lean On” by Major Lazer and DJ Snake featuring MØ
Major Lazer/YouTube
“Lean On” was certified diamond on September 17, 2021.
63. “Havana” by Camila Cabello featuring Young Thug
“Havana” was released as a single on August 3, 2017.
Camila Cabello/YouTube
“Havana” was certified diamond on October 4, 2021.
64. “Stronger” by Kanye West
“Stronger” was released as a single on July 31, 2007.
Kanye West/YouTube
“Stronger” was certified diamond on October 6, 2021.
65. “Super Bass” by Nicki Minaj
Nicki Minaj/YouTube
“Super Bass” was certified diamond on November 9, 2021.
66. “Life Is Good” by Future featuring Drake
Future/YouTube
“Life Is Good” was certified diamond on November 22, 2021.
67. “Girls Like You” by Maroon 5 featuring Cardi B
Maroon 5/YouTube
“Girls Like You” was certified diamond on November 29, 2021.
68. “All I Want for Christmas Is You” by Mariah Carey
Mariah Carey/YouTube
“All I Want for Christmas Is You” was certified diamond on December 3, 2021. The song continues to hit No. 1 on Billboard charts each holiday season.
69. “The Box” by Roddy Ricch
Roddy Ricch/YouTube
“The Box” was certified diamond on December 6, 2021.
70. “I Like It” by Cardi B featuring J Balvin and Bad Bunny
Cardi B/YouTube
“I Like It” was certified diamond on December 13, 2021.
71. “Tennessee Whiskey” by Chris Stapleton
Chris Stapleton/YouTube
“Tennessee Whiskey” was certified diamond on December 14, 2021.
72. “Sugar” by Maroon 5
Maroon 5/YouTube
“Sugar” was certified diamond on January 11, 2022.
It marks Maroon 5’s third diamond-certified song, putting the band on equal footing with the likes of Eminem, Ed Sheeran, and Cardi B.
73. “I Will Always Love You” by Whitney Houston
Whitney Houston/YouTube
“I Will Always Love You” was certified diamond on January 12, 2022.
74. “Lucid Dreams” by Juice Wrld
Lyrical Lemonade/YouTube
“Lucid Dreams” was certified diamond on February 4, 2022.
75. “Location” by Khalid
“Location” was released on May 19, 2016.
Khalid/YouTube
“Location” was certified diamond on March 3, 2022.
76. “A Thousand Years” by Christina Perri
Christina Perri/YouTube
“A Thousand Years” was certified diamond on March 3, 2022.
77. “Blinding Lights” by The Weeknd
“Blinding Lights” was released on November 29, 2019.
“Thunder” was certified diamond on July 7, 2022, marking Imagine Dragons’ fourth diamond-certified song.
81. “Don’t Let Me Down” by The Chainsmokers featuring Daya
The Chainsmokers/YouTube
“Don’t Let Me Down” was certified diamond on July 11, 2022.
82. “Heathens” by Twenty One Pilots
Fueled by Ramen/YouTube
“Heathens” was certified diamond on July 22, 2022.
83. “Unforgettable” by French Montana featuring Swae Lee
French Montana/YouTube
“Unforgettable” was certified diamond on August 25, 2022.
84. “Billie Jean” by Michael Jackson
Michael Jackson/YouTube
“Billie Jean” was certified diamond on August 29, 2022.
85. “Thriller” by Michael Jackson
Michael Jackson/YouTube
“Thriller” was certified diamond on August 29, 2022.
86. “Drip Too Hard” by Lil Baby and Gunna
“Drip Too Hard” was released on September 12, 2018.
Lil Baby/YouTube
“Drip Too Hard” was certified diamond on September 12, 2022.
87. “Locked Out of Heaven” by Bruno Mars
“Locked Out of Heaven” was released on October 1, 2012.
Bruno Mars/YouTube
“Locked Out of Heaven” was certified diamond on October 1, 2022.
88. “Can’t Hold Us” by Macklemore & Ryan Lewis featuring Ray Dalton
Macklemore/YouTube
“Can’t Hold Us” was certified diamond on October 14, 2022.
89. “Wagon Wheel” by Darius Rucker
Darius Rucker/YouTube
“Wagon Wheel” was certified diamond on October 27, 2022.
90. “Something Just Like This” by The Chainsmokers and Coldplay
The Chainsmokers/YouTube
“Something Just Like This” was certified diamond on November 2, 2022.
91. “Psycho” by Post Malone featuring Ty Dolla $ign
Post Malone/YouTube
“Psycho” was certified diamond on November 14, 2022.
92. “White Iverson” by Post Malone
“White Iverson” was released on August 14, 2015.
Post Malone/YouTube
“White Iverson” was certified diamond on November 14, 2022.
93. “Can’t Feel My Face” by The Weeknd
“Can’t Feel My Face” was released in 2015.
The Weeknd/YouTube
“Can’t Feel My Face” was certified diamond on December 6, 2022.
94. “Hotline Bling” by Drake
“Hotline Bling” was released in 2015.
Drake/YouTube
“Hotline Bling” was certified diamond on December 8, 2022.
95. “One Dance” by Drake
NBC
“One Dance” was certified diamond on December 8, 2022.
96. “Lollipop” by Lil Wayne featuring Static Major
“Lollipop” was released in 2008.
Lil Wayne/YouTube
“Lollipop” was certified diamond on December 14, 2022.
97. “Pursuit of Happiness (Nightmare)” by Kid Cudi featuring MGMT and Ratatat
“Pursuit of Happiness (Nightmare)” was released in 2009.
Kid Cudi/YouTube
“Pursuit of Happiness (Nightmare)” was certified diamond on December 15, 2022.
98. “XO Tour Llif3” by Lil Uzi Vert
Lil Uzi Vert/YouTube
“XO Tour Llif3” was certified diamond on December 7, 2022.
99. “Fireflies” by Owl City
“Fireflies” was released in 2009.
Owl City/YouTube
“Fireflies” was certified diamond on January 25, 2023. It’s also one of the few solo-written No. 1 songs in this century.
100. “Without Me” by Halsey
Halsey/YouTube
“Without Me” was certified diamond on February 1, 2023.
101. “Say You Won’t Let Go” by James Arthur
James Arthur/YouTube
“Say You Won’t Let Go” was certified diamond on February 15, 2023.
102. “Earned It” by The Weeknd
“Earned It” was released in 2014.
The Weeknd/YouTube
“Earned It” was certified diamond on February 16, 2023.
Although it was released as the lead single from the “Fifty Shades of Grey” film soundtrack, “Earned It” was also included on The Weeknd’s sophomore studio album “Beauty Behind the Madness.” It’s the first album in history to have three diamond-certified songs on its tracklist.
103. “Take Me to Church” by Hozier
“Take Me to Church” was released in 2013.
Hozier/YouTube
“Take Me to Church” was certified diamond on March 15, 2023.
104. “Just Dance” by Lady Gaga
“Just Dance” was released in 2008.
Lady Gaga/YouTube
“Just Dance” was certified diamond on April 12, 2023.
105. “Need You Now” by Lady A
“Need You Now” was released in 2009.
Lady A/YouTube
“Need You Now” was certified diamond on April 17, 2023.
106. “Sweater Weather” by The Neighbourhood
“Sweater Weather” was released in 2012.
The Neighbourhood/YouTube
“Sweater Weather” was certified diamond on April 19, 2023.
107. “Better Now” by Post Malone
“Better Now” was released in 2018.
Post Malone/YouTube
“Better Now” was certified diamond on April 20, 2023.
108. “I Fall Apart” by Post Malone
“I Fall Apart” was released in 2017.
Post Malone/YouTube
“I Fall Apart” was certified diamond on April 20, 2023.
109. “Circles” by Post Malone
“Circles” was released in 2019.
Post Malone/YouTube
“Circles” was certified diamond on April 20, 2023.
110. “We Found Love” by Rihanna featuring Calvin Harris
Rihanna/YouTube
“We Found Love” was certified diamond on April 27, 2023.
111. “Beautiful Crazy” by Luke Combs
“Beautiful Crazy” was released in 2018.
Luke Combs/YouTube
“Beautiful Crazy” was certified diamond on June 12, 2023.
112. “Ni**as in Paris” by Jay-Z and Kanye West
“Ni**as In Paris” was released in 2011.
Kanye West/YouTube
“Ni**as in Paris” was certified diamond on June 12, 2023.
113. “Wake Me Up” by Avicii
“Wake Me Up” was released in 2013.
Avicii/YouTube
“Wake Me Up” was certified diamond on June 16, 2023.
114. “Fuck Love” by XXXTentacion featuring Trippie Redd
XXXTentacion performs at Rolling Loud Festival in 2017.
Matias J. Ocner/Miami Herald/Tribune News Service via Getty Images
“Fuck Love” was certified diamond on June 18, 2023.
115. “California Gurls” by Katy Perry featuring Snoop Dogg
“California Gurls” was released in 2010.
Katy Perry/YouTube
“California Gurls” was certified diamond on June 21, 2023.
116. “Stay” by The Kid LAROI and Justin Bieber
“Stay” was released in 2021.
The Kid LAROI/YouTube
“Stay” was certified diamond on June 23, 2023.
117. “No Hands” by Waka Flocka Flame featuring Wale and Roscoe Dash
“No Hands” was released in 2010.
Waka Flocka/YouTube
“No Hands” was certified diamond on July 20, 2023.
