Ed Sheeran's Subtract becomes his sixth number one album in a row

Image source, Reuters

Ed Sheeran has scored his sixth number one album in a row with - (Subtract).

His latest release is also the UK's fasting selling record of 2023 so far.

The album got 76,000 chart unit sales, which include physical albums as wells as digital and streaming, in its opening week with the majority being physical sales, according to the Official Charts Company.

The previous record was American singer Lana Del Rey's album Did You Know That There's A Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd, which got 41,000 chart units in total during its first week.

It follows Sheeran's other chart-topping and mathematical albums + (Plus), x (Multiply), 梅 (Divide), No 6 Collaborations Project and = (Equals).

The release of the album pushed its lead track, the number 1 single Eyes Closed, back up the UK singles chart from sixth place to third.

Image source, PA Media

Image caption, Subtract was written after a difficult period in Ed Sheeran's life

Ed Sheeran wrote the 14 tracks on - (Subtract) following difficult events in his life including the death of his close friend, music boss Jamal Edwards, and his wife getting ill whilst pregnant.

During the same period the singer won a court case after being accused of copying part of another artist's song for his hit the Shape of You.

Just a week ago he won a similar court case over his song Thinking Aloud.

He was accused of taking parts of another older song to create the hit, but the court ruled this hadn't happened.

After the ruling he said he was "frustrated" that such claims were allowed to go to court.

"If the jury had decided this matter the other way we might as well say goodbye to the creative freedom of songwriters."