It is the second time in a single year that Sheeran has won both awards, and the fourth time in the past five years that he has been named the UK’s most-played artist.
It is the second time he has won both awards, having previously done so in 2017 with the release of the album Divide and the hit single Shape Of You.
Adele is the only other artist to have topped both charts in the same year, with Rolling In The Deep and 21.
This is the fourth time in five years that the 31-year-old pop superstar has been the most played artist in the United Kingdom, having been temporarily dethroned by Dua Lipa in 2020.
The annual charts are compiled by Phonographic Performance Limited (PPL) using music usage and airplay data from radio stations, television channels, and public performance venues.
With By Your Side with Calvin Harris and Little Bit Of Love, respectively, Tom Grennan claimed the second and third most-played songs of 2021, capping off a breakthrough year.
Blinding Lights by The Weeknd was the fourth most-played song, demonstrating its enduring popularity since its November 2019 release.
Coldplay’s Higher Power was the fifth most-played song of 2021.
David Guetta was the second most-played artist of the year, followed by Dua Lipa.
Little Mix, who recently went on hiatus and have been a fixture in the top 10 for the past five years, came in at number four.
Coldplay was the fifth most performed artist.
Peter Leathem, chief executive officer of PPL, stated, “Congratulations to Ed Sheeran for having the most-played song and artist in the United Kingdom in 2021.
His chart-topping success over the past five years is a testament not only to the quality of his output but also to the strength of UK music at a time when the global music landscape is more competitive than ever before.
