Ed Sheeran is named the UK’s most played artist for 2025, beating Taylor Swift in the latest industry data reported by multiple outlets. The result marks Sheeran’s record eighth time at the top of the UK most-played artist ranking. One report says his tracks are played an average of 574 times per day, which works out to about 24 plays every hour. The coverage presents the chart as based on playback or streaming-style airplay data compiled for the year, reflecting how often artists’ songs are listened to across the UK during the period measured. Taylor Swift is described as the runner-up, indicating that Sheeran’s cumulative play count leads the field in this year’s ranking. Together, the sources portray a dominant year for Sheeran, with the key figures emphasizing both his total plays and the milestone nature of achieving an eighth top position. No additional details about methodology, participating platforms, or the full rankings are included in the provided excerpts.