Ed Sheeran breaks record as the most-played singer

• Ed Sheeran was the most-played artist in the UK in 2021.
• His album Divide and smash single Shape Of You completed the double.
• The 31-year-old is the first artist to win both awards in successive years.

Ed Sheeran was the most-played artist in the UK in 2021, and his tune Bad Habits was the year’s most-played single.

The 31-year-old pop sensation, Ed Sheeran is the first artist to win both awards in successive years.

With the release of his album Divide and the smash single Shape Of You in 2017, he previously completed the double.

With Rolling In The Deep and the success of her album 21, Adele is the only other artist to have topped both lists in the same year.

Read more. Platinum Jubilee: Ed Sheeran takes to the stage, performing ‘Perfect’

Sheeran has also been the UK’s most played artist for the fourth time in five years, only to be dethroned in 2020 by Dua Lipa with the release of her chart-topping second album Future Nostalgia.

Phonographic Performance Limited (PPL), a music licensing firm, compiles the annual charts from music usage and airplay data from radio stations and television channels, as well as public performance venues.

Featuring By Your Side with Calvin Harris and Little Bit Of Love, Tom Grennan capped off a breakout year by securing the second and third most played tunes of 2021.

Blinding Lights by The Weeknd was the fourth most played song, showcasing its longevity despite being released in November 2019.