Shaggy and Rayvon’s 2001 classic Angel has officially been certified Platinum in the United Kingdom. The British Phonographic Industry (BPI) announced the milestone on Friday, November 1, in recognition of the track’s combined sales and streaming figures, which have now surpassed 600,000 units. The song previously received Gold certification back in May 2001 for reaching 400,000 units.
Part of Shaggy’s Hot Shot album, Angel remains a staple on wedding playlists and ranked as the 17th most popular song in the U.S. in 2001. Produced by Shaun “Sting International” Pizzonia, the hit climbed to No. 1 in 12 countries, including the UK, Canada, and the United States.
Angel creatively mixes musical influences, sampling lyrics from Evie Sands’ 1967 track Angel of the Morning and incorporating a reggae-inspired bassline from the Steve Miller Band’s 1973 hit, The Joker. In a 2021 interview, Shaggy explained that this bassline, which was suggested by DJ Paul to his producer Sting International, provided the “doom-doom, do-do-doom-doom” groove that fit well with a reggae vibe.
Lyrically, the song took shape with input from RikRok, who improvised a melody that Shaggy and co-writer Dave Kelly adapted. “We updated the lyrics with popular slang like ‘peeps’ and ‘shorty,’” Shaggy shared, noting that RikRok’s addition to the second verse and bridge helped complete the track and bring it to life.
The Angel music video has remained a fan favorite, amassing over 500 million views on YouTube.
In the UK, Angel joins other Shaggy hits that have achieved significant certifications. His top UK single, It Wasn’t Me featuring RikRok, holds a 4X Platinum status. Boombastic is also Platinum, while I Need Your Love (with Mohombi, Faydee, and Costi) and In The Summertime (featuring Rayvon) have each earned Silver certification.
