Ed Sheeran has officially been named the UK’s most played artist of 2025, marking the eighth time he has earned the title in just over a decade.
The 35 year old superstar managed to outperform global names like Taylor Swift and Dua Lipa to return to the top spot on PPL’s annual ranking of the artists most frequently played across UK radio, television, and public spaces. No other British artist has achieved anything close to the same level of consistency.
According to PPL, Ed’s music has become such a constant part of everyday life in the UK that his songs are played an average of 574 times per day, which works out to around 24 plays every hour.
Reacting to the achievement, Ed admitted he was deeply appreciative of the continued support his music receives.
“I am so grateful to be named most played artist across TV, radio and venues across the UK for an incredible eighth time,” he said.
“A huge thanks to everyone who has played my music over the last year, and over the last 15 years. I really appreciate the continuing support.”
Other artists who secured spots in the Top 10 included Calvin Harris, David Guetta, Coldplay, Elton John, Ariana Grande, Sabrina Carpenter, and Lady Gaga.
Meanwhile, rising artist Myles Smith landed the UK’s most played song of the year with his breakout hit “Nice To Meet You.”
“Having the most played song in the UK last year … honestly it still doesn’t feel real,” he said.
His follow up single “Stargazing” also made it into the year’s Top 10 most played songs, alongside tracks including Lola Young’s “Messy,” Alex Warren’s “Ordinary,” Sam Fender’s “People Watching,” and two Ed Sheeran songs, “Sapphire” and “Azizam,” proving his catalog continues to dominate playlists nationwide.
The news arrives shortly after Ed surprised fans by confirming he was leaving Asylum/Warner Music after spending 15 years with the label.
The “Azizam” singer reflected on first meeting A+R executive Ed Howard during a small gig in Notting Hill when he was only 18 years old, a meeting that eventually led to demo recordings, sofa surfing, and ultimately the record deal that launched his career.
Ed insisted the decision to leave was not caused by conflict, but instead reflected how much his personal life has evolved since becoming a father of two.
“My life is hugely different now… I’ve been feeling in my gut for a long time that a lot of things in my professional life need to change,” he explained.
He also thanked the label teams around the world and suggested the possibility of working together again in the future.
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