“Paper Planes” by M.I.A. Becomes 3× Platinum in the UK

“Paper Planes” by UK rapper M.I.A has officially been certified 3× Platinum in the United Kingdom.

According to the British Phonographic Industry (BPI), as of 14 November, the song surpasses 1,800,000 streaming-equivalent units in in that country as measured by The Official Charts Company.

Released 11 February 2008 as the third single from M.I.A.’s second studio album Kala (2007), “Paper Planes” was co-written by M.I.A. and producers Diplo and Switch, and it includes a prominent sample from the 1982 song “Straight to Hell” by The Clash — thus the members of The Clash (Joe Strummer, Mick Jones, Paul Simonon, Topper Headon) are credited as co-writers.

Musically, the track blends alternative hip-hop, electro-hop and pop, infused with African-folk-influenced rhythms and relatively downtempo production. The chorus features the distinctive sounds of gunshots and a cash-register ding, alongside children chanting, which combine to create a sharp, ironic commentary on immigrant and border narratives. The lyrics deliver satire of American perceptions of Third World immigrants — “I fly like paper, get high like planes / If you catch me at the border I got visas in my name” — while the instrumental loop and sampling give the song a catchy, globalised sound.

Recorded in 2007, “Paper Planes” emerged from M.I.A.’s own frustrations with her visa refusal for the U.S., her observations of urban immigrant life, and her multi-cultural, nomadic artistic perspective. The video, shot in the Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood of Brooklyn, dramatizes M.I.A. in the guise of a street vendor/dealer, intercut with paper-planes flying over bridges and city streets — symbolizing both escape and ambition.

Chart Success & Commercial Impact

“Paper Planes” became M.I.A.’s biggest mainstream breakthrough. In the United States, the single peaked at #4 on the Billboard Hot 100, marking her first and, for years, only top-five hit. In Canada it reached the top 10, peaking at #7. In the UK, the single debuted at #69 and climbed to a peak of #19, ultimately spending 35 weeks on the UK Singles Chart.

The song’s exposure grew significantly through inclusion in major film soundtracks — notably Slumdog Millionaire(2008) and the trailer for Pineapple Express — contributing to its commercial momentum especially in the U.S. and globally. Its cross-genre appeal, combining pop hooks with political edge and world-music flavour, expanded its reach beyond indie and alternative audiences into the mainstream.

Certifications & Sales

Prior to today, the track had been certified 2× Platinum in the UK (1,200,000 units).

Beyond the UK:

• In the United States, “Paper Planes” achieved 3× Platinum status by the Recording Industry Association of America(RIAA), reflecting over 3 million units sold/streamed in the U.S.

• In Canada, the single was certified 7× Platinum by Music Canada, equating to over 560,000 units.

• In New Zealand, it reached 4× Platinum by Recorded Music NZ, for sales exceeding 120,000 units.

• Additional certifications include Gold in Italy (50,000 units) and Spain (30,000 units), as well as Gold in Denmark (45,000 units).

These certification thresholds vary country to country, but cumulatively they underscore how “Paper Planes” has sustained commercial appeal across multiple markets over many years.

M.I.A., born Mathangi “Maya” Arulpragasam, emerged from a deeply global and politically charged background: born to Tamil parents in Sri Lanka, later moving and working in London, she built a sound and persona rooted in diaspora experience, conflict, and global pop. Her debut album Arular (2005) introduced her distinctive mix of activism and dance music; for Kala, she faced U.S. visa restrictions which partly inspired the thematic weight of “Paper Planes”.

Critically, the song was widely acclaimed: it featured on numerous “best of” decade lists, was nominated for Record of the Year at the 2009 Grammy Awards, and continues to be cited as a landmark track of the 2000s. It helped shift M.I.A. from the niche into the pop-culture mainstream, while retaining a strong sense of outsider ethos.

The music video, directed by Bernard Gourley has surpassed 320 million views on YouTube. It depicts the contrast of black-and-white flying paper-planes over Brooklyn, and color scenes of M.I.A. selling goods on the streets, symbolizing both aspiration and survival. The imagery of the peace-sign hand in front of a crowd (as seen on the single cover) and the urban vendor metaphor strengthen the track’s conflation of war-displaced identity and global commerce.