Lit’s ‘My Own Worst Enemy’ Goes Platinum Two Decades Later

Remember the Lit song “My Own Worst Enemy”? In the summer of 1999, it was an inescapable single on rock radio. In the over two decades since then, it’s continued to be a staple on classic alternative channels. But just this month — on May 8, to be precise — it was finally certified Platinum by the RIAA.

Double Platinum, actually. But why now? The tune has no doubt been eligible for official sales certification for quite some time. But only this month was it awarded as such by the Recording Industry Association of America, the trade organization that keeps tabs on these types of recording certifications.

That means “My Own Worst Enemy” racked up its (in ascending order) Gold, Platinum and Double Platinum stripes all in one day — yes, on May 8 — and all 21 years after the song’s original release. Lit dropped the pop-rock hit in spring 1999 as the lead single off their A Place in the Sun album.

With that, Lit secure the evidence to prove that their biggest song did the numbers it was always said to have done. Yes, Double Platinum verifies the single had indeed moved 2 million units. When it first came out, “My Own Worst Enemy” also went to No. 1. on Billboard’s U.S. Alternative Songs chart.

But it’s anyone’s guess as to why Lit’s RIAA certification took so long. Maybe the parties involved were drunk, passed out with their clothes on and their car in the front yard. We’re sure there’s some perfectly logical reason for the late certification that was also reported by Headline Planet.

The milestone also serves as a fresh remembrance of Allen Shellenberger, the Lit drummer who performed on “My Own Worst Enemy” and the song’s parent album. The musician died in 2009 after a battle with brain cancer. Lit’s A. Jay Popoff, Jeremy Popoff and Kevin Baldes continue to record and perform.

Source