Ed Sheeran 'incredibly chuffed' as new songs both top charts

Ed Sheeran said he is "incredibly chuffed" to have become the first artist ever to score the top two spots in the chart simultaneously with his two new singles.

Sheeran, 25, marked his comeback after a year away from the music scene last week by dropping tracks Shape Of You and Castle On The Hill.

Shape Of You has gone straight to number one in the singles chart followed by Castle On The Hill in second place, with total sales of 421,000 across the tracks in the past week, according to the Official Charts Company.

He has had the biggest opening week for an artist since Adele's record-breaking November 2015 return with her song Hello, which had combined sales of 332,000 in the first seven days.

Sheeran - who is gearing up to release his third album, Divide - said: "I'm incredibly chuffed that they've gone straight in at number one and two today.

"Both tracks mean a huge amount to me so it really is amazing to see them go to the top of the chart together on the first week.

"I can't wait for everyone to hear the rest of the album in March."

Shape Of You is Sheeran's third number one single in the UK - he topped the charts with Sing and Thinking Out Loud in 2014.

Sheeran has achieved a new one-week streaming record, too, with each song individually beating the streaming record previously held by Drake's One Dance, which garnered 8.9 million plays in one week last summer.

Sheeran's success means he has finally toppled chart champions Clean Bandit off the top spot, ending their nine-week reign with Rockabye.

The British electronic music group's song is now in fourth place, with Rag'n'Bone Man's Human at number three and Little Mix's Touch in fifth place.

Over on the Official Albums Chart, Little Mix are celebrating their effort Glory Days reaching a fifth week at number one.

They have become the second girl group to achieve such a coup in the past 20 years, falling only behind the Spice Girls who - in the 1990s - saw their debut record sit at number one for 15 weeks.

Pete Tong and The Heritage Orchestra's Classic House collection has remained in the second spot.

This week's highest new entry is You Me At Six's latest effort Night People, which has landed at number three after a strong mid-week sales surge.

The top five is completed by late music stars George Michael and David Bowie, with Michael's Ladies And Gentlemen at number four and Bowie's Legacy in fifth place.

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