Ed Sheeran crowned UK’s artist of the decade after 79 weeks at No 1

LONDON (Reuters) – Singer-songwriter Ed Sheeran has been named the “UK’s Official Number 1 Artist of the Decade” after a record-breaking run of hits, the Official Charts Company said on Wednesday.

His global smash “Shape of You” – which spent 14 weeks at No. 1 in Britain in 2017 – was named top song of the past 10 years.

And he scooped the “Official Chart Record Breaker” award for the most number 1 singles and albums from 2010-2019. In all, his releases spent 79 weeks in the top spot over that period, the company, which compiles Britain’s weekly charts, added.

Previous recipients of that award include Paul McCartney and Justin Bieber.

“At the start of the decade, he was a little known (albeit highly rated) young 18-year-old lad from Suffolk – but his catalog of achievements since then are genuinely remarkable,” Martin Talbot, chief executive of the Official Charts Company, said.

Sheeran first entered the UK charts in 2011 with debut single “The A Team”. He has since had eight UK no. 1 singles. His four studio albums each topped the British charts.

“Thank you to everyone who’s supported me over the past 10 years, especially my amazing fans. Here’s to the next 10,” Sheeran said in a statement about the awards.

“Shape of You” topped the Official Charts Company’s list of the top 100 biggest songs of the decade, followed by “Uptown Funk” by Mark Ronson, featuring Bruno Mars.

Two other Sheeran songs, “Thinking Out Loud” and “Perfect”, also made the top 10 of that list.

Adele’s “21” and “25” took the first two spots in the top 100 biggest albums of the decade. The British songstress picked up six Grammys for “21” and five of the awards for “25”, with both records topping charts around the world.

Three of Sheeran’s albums made the top 10.

(Reporting by Marie-Louise Gumuchian; Editing by Andrew Heavens)