Bob Marley & The Wailers’ classic Three Little Birds is the first song by the Reggae group to reach triple platinum status in the United Kingdom (UK).
According to the British Phonographic Industry (BPI), Three Little Birds was issued a BRIT Certified Platinum 3X award on Friday (September 6), after it surpassed over 1.8 million units in the UK, as measured by The Official Charts Company.
It had been certified double Platinum in December 2021, and Platinum in August 2018, and recently became Marley’s first song to surpass one billion plays on Spotify.
First released on June 3, 1977, on the landmark Exodus album, the song had reached No. 17 on the UK Singles Chart. Three Little Birds is said to have been inspired by the birds that fluttered by the window at Bob’s home at 56 Hope Road, Kingston before his exodus sent him to the UK in 1976.
It later appeared on the Diamond-selling greatest hits compilation album, Legend, in 1984.
In 2020, to celebrate Marley’s 75th birthday, a new animated music video for Three Little Birds was released. Marley’s daughter Cedella, at the time, said, “This song has helped provide hope and light for so many over the years, including me, and I hope it does the same for people now, especially with all that is going on in the world.” The new visuals, which depict a pig and a wolf developing a friendship under the watchful eye of the titular three little birds, have racked up over 125 million views on YouTube.
In 2014, the song’s beat was sampled in MAGIC!’s UK and US No. 1 hit Rude.
The track has also been featured on the soundtracks of several films, including the Bob Marley: One Love biopic (2024), Zombieland: Double Tap (2019), Brightburn (2019), Romona and Beezus (2010), Funny People (2009), and I Am Legend (2007).
Three Little Birds is one of seven songs by the Reggae band that reached platinum status in the UK.
Is This Love (1978) and Could You Be Loved (1980) are currently certified double platinum, each reaching a milestone exceeding 1.2 million units. Four other tracks have reached Platinum in the country, each surpassing 600,000 units: No Woman, No Cry (1974), Jamming (1977), One Love (1977), and Buffalo Solider (1983).
Stir It Up, Waiting In Vain, and Redemption Song have achieved Gold status (400,000 units), while Get Up, Stand Up, I Shot The Sheriff, and Satisfy My Soul are certified Silver (200,000 units).
