Ed Sheeran lands huge number one with new album Equals

By Neil Wilkes, Editor-in-chief | 05 November 2021

Ed Sheeran claims the biggest first-week album sales in nearly five years to top the chart with new album =.

Ed Sheeran has outsold the rest of the Top 30 combined to secure his fifth number one album with =.

The record secured 139,000 chart sales over the last week - the highest first-week figures since Sheeran's ÷, released over four-and-a-half years ago in March 2017.

The sales comprise an impressive 68% on physical, including 11,600 vinyl copies, with 14% via downloads and 18% on streaming.

"Thank you so much for making Equals the Number 1 album in the UK this week," he told the Official Charts Company. "I don't know what else to say, you guys are great, thank you so much for all listening to it, I hope you enjoy it. I hope to see you on tour next year."

Elsewhere, Adele triumphed after a close battle with Sheeran on the singles chart, making it three weeks at number one with 'Easy On Me', which logged 78,600 sales.

Sheeran was just 3,200 copies behind at two with 'Shivers', while he was also at number three with 'Easy On Me' and number four with new track 'Overpass Graffiti'.

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