Ed Sheeran heading for huge Official Chart comeback

Ed Sheeran looks set to make a huge comeback on the Official Chart this week, OfficialCharts.com can confirm.

The returning singer/songwriter, who has been away from the public spotlight for the past 12 months, dropped two new tracks in the early hours of Friday morning, Shape Of You and Castle On The Hill, and is well on his way for a massive week of sales and streams, and quite possibly a new chart feat for good measure.

Way out in front on today’s early Official Charts Company sales flash are Ed’s two new tracks Shape Of You and the anthemic Castle On The Hill, about life growing up in Framlingham, Suffolk. Shape Of You takes the lead at Number 1 with a cool 83,000 chart sales after just 48 hours, while Castle On The Hill trails closely behind in second place.

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Both tracks are currently performing strongly across streaming and downloads, each outstripping the rest of the Top 10 combined at this early stage of the week.

While Ed Sheeran is no stranger to the dizzy heights of the Official Singles Chart summit having already notched up two Number 1 singles in his own name with 2014’s Sing and Thinking Out Loud, and penning further chart toppers for the likes of One Direction and Justin Bieber, this week could be a record-breaking week for Ed.

MORE: View Ed Sheeran's complete UK singles and albums chart history here

If both tracks remain at the top on Friday’s final chart placings, then Sheeran could set a new Official Chart record – the first artist to enter the Official Singles Chart at Number 1 and Number 2 with two brand new tracks.

The full midweek Official Singles and Albums Chart round-up to follow tomorrow afternoon, hear the latest on the Official Chart Update with Greg James on BBC Radio 1 from 5.30pm, and the full midweek Top 100 on OfficialCharts.com from 5.45pm.