Ed Sheeran claims back top spot in UK music

Ed Sheeran has returned to the number one position as the UK's most played artist, marking the eighth time in 11 years he has achieved the honor.

Data released by licensing body PPL reveals that Sheeran's music dominated British airplay across radio, television, and public venues throughout 2025.

Sheeran, who first topped the PPL chart in 2015 and has remained in the top three every year since 2017, averaged 574 broadcasts per day over his 15-year career.

His enduring popularity was underscored by landing two songs in the top ten most played tracks of the year: Sapphire at number eight and Azizam at number nine.

Expressing his gratitude, Sheeran has always thanked broadcasters, venues, and fans for their consistent support over the past decade and a half.

The artist chart demonstrated remarkable stability at the top, with Taylor Swift claiming the second spot for the third consecutive year, and previous number one Dua Lipa finishing in third.

These three artists have locked down the top three positions for three consecutive chart cycles with the remainder of the top ten featured a mix of legacy acts and global pop icons, including Calvin Harris, David Guetta, Coldplay, Elton John, Ariana Grande, Sabrina Carpenter, and Lady Gaga.