<<Print>>

Ed Sheeran has secured a string of number one’s and amassed a collection of awards – and now the singer-songwriter has added another achievement to his C.V.

Sheeran, 24, was today announced as the first artist to hit 500 million Spotify streams with his single Thinking Out Loud. The artist said he was “chuffed” to learn of the career milestone and thanked all of his fans who have used the track for their weddings.

“Chuffed to hear that Thinking Out Loud has had half a billion plays on Spotify. Being the first artist to hit that milestone is amazing,” he said.

“Thanks to all the people who use this as a wedding song, soundtrack to a date and as a way to woo someone into a Netflix and Chill situation."

Some 19 million people listen to Sheeran on Spotify each month, while his songs have been streamed approximately 2.9 billion times and are included on 38 million playlists.

Sheeran will this month add hosting to his talenst when he co-hosts this year's MTV EMAs with Ruby Rose.

“I just don’t know how well it’s going to go!,” he today told Dave Berry and Lisa Snowdon on the Capital FM Breakfast Show.

Speaking abut Rose he joked: “I’ve had so many texts from friends of mine that are lesbians that are just like ‘Put in a good word!’.”

To celebrate his global influence, Spotify has created The Sheerio Index, an audiographic heat map displaying Sheeran fandom by country.