Breaking Benjamin “Dear Agony” Platinum Record Award

Another award just landed in the Swiss Highlands! This time, it's the Platinum record for Breaking Benjamin’s fourth album, “Dear Agony”. It’s my second award from the band, check out the story behind my first one here! Released on September 29, 2009, via Hollywood Records, “Dear Agony” went Gold in just over 4 months (February 16, 2010) and achieved Platinum status 6 years later (July 11, 2016). The speed at which it went Gold is mind-blowing, especially considering the decline in album sales since the early 2000s.

The singles were just as successful: “Dear Agony” went Gold on February 6, 2020, “Give Me a Sign” earned Gold on November 24, 2015, and “I Will Not Bow” reached a massive 3x Platinum on August 24, 2022.

As for the charts: “Dear Agony” debuted at #4 on the Billboard Top 200, selling around 134,000 copies in its first week. It also charted globally, #216 in Japan, #13 in Canada, and #22 in New Zealand.

Breaking Benjamin “Dear Agony” Platinum Record Award

Let’s dive into the award: This time there’s not much to say, but what’s there is pretty cool. The album cover artwork is boldly featured, along with the official RIAA bar hologram. A little side note about that artwork: “Dear Agony’s” cover is actually an MRI scan of lead vocalist Benjamin Burnley’s brain, taken during a neurological exam while he was fighting through alcoholism. Burnley has shared that overcoming this struggle was a key part of writing the album while sober.

Now, about the dedication: This award is dedicated to the Disney Music Group, thanks to Breaking Benjamin’s long-standing partnership with Hollywood Records, a subsidiary of Disney Music. The band has had a solid relationship with the label for nearly two decades.