Ed Sheeran Named the UK's Most Popular Artist for the Seventh Time

The British music company Phonographic Performance Limited has named Ed Sheeran the most popular artist of 2023 in the United Kingdom. This marks the seventh time in nine years that the singer and musician has topped the ranking. Additionally, it is the second time Ed Sheeran has been the UK's most popular artist for three consecutive years, according to The Guardian.

"Thank you for naming me the most popular artist of the past year. Thanks to my team, not just for me but for all the other artists they work with – I’m happy you received this recognition," said Ed Sheeran.

In Phonographic Performance Limited's ranking of popular artists, Taylor Swift came in second, while Dua Lipa secured third place thanks to the success of her song "Dance The Night" from the film "Barbie." Scottish DJ Calvin Harris took fourth place, followed by Sir Elton John in fifth. The only band in the ranking, Coldplay, landed in seventh place, with Tom Grennan in eighth, and Harry Styles in ninth.

It is worth noting that Ed Sheeran first achieved commercial success in July 2011 with the single "The A Team," which reached third place in the UK chart. All his albums — "+" (2011), "x" (2015), "÷" (2017) — reached number one in the UK Singles Chart, with the latter also topping the US chart. In January 2017, his single "Shape of You" hit number one in sales in both the US and the UK. To date, Sheeran has sold over 26 million album copies and 100 million global single copies, making him one of the best-selling music artists.

Additionally, The Gaze reported that during a concert in Scotland, Taylor Swift's fans triggered earthquake sensors located 6 km from the stadium where the globally renowned singer was performing due to their dancing.