Scottish singer-songwriter Lewis Capaldi's 2018 ballad 'Someone You Loved' has become the UK's most-streamed song of all time, overtaking Ed Sheeran's hit single 'Shape Of You'.

According to the Official Charts Company, the song has been played 562 million times, counting both audio and video streams.

Only three songs have topped 500 million streams to date, with 'Someone You Loved' being followed by Ed Sheeran's 'Shape Of You' and 'Perfect' in second and third place.

Lewis Capaldi welcomed the news, calling himself "the streaming king".

 

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He told Official Charts, "I feel huge, I feel massive, I feel my loins expanding as I become more and more aware of the reality of my coronation as the king of music. Thank you.

"A very large accolade that I will now shoulder for the rest of my life, or until Ed Sheeran releases his next album…," the 26-year-old joked.

He continued: "Listen…The Beatles, Drake, Metallica, The Eagles, Michael Jackson, don’t worry guys, no hard feelings, I just had to take this one. Take a step back and let Daddy steer the ship now, ok?"

When asked if he had any words for his "good mate" Ed Sheeran, Capaldi said, "Ed's a man who is like a brother to me, he’s been a mentor, he’s put his arm round me and said don’t worry everything’s going to be ok. He gave us the honour of supporting him on the closing shows of the Divide tour, he’s been nothing but kind and gracious and beautiful, a good friend in an ever-changing industry.

"So to Ed I say ‘EAT MY SH*T! That’s what happens…nice guys finish last. You snooze you lose, kiddo. Keep up!," he added.

The Official Charts Company (OCC) celebrates the 70th birthday of the Official Singles Chart today (November 14). Started by music newspaper the New Musical Express (NME) on 14 November, 1952, Al Martino's 'Here In My Heart' became the first ever number one.

The Official Singles Chart was initially a marketing strategy deviced by NME's advertising manager Percy Dickins, who believed a chart would bring the publication new advertisers. Growing more and more sophisticated over the next seven decades, the chart that was once constructed from a survey of 20 record shops now monitors every sale, stream and download in the UK.

Since its inception, a total of 4.55 billion singles, 683 billion audio streams and 128 billion video streams have been consumed in the country.

Elton John's "Something About The Way You Look Tonight"/"Candle In The Wind 1997" remains the biggest-selling UK single of all time, with 4.94 million sales, taking streaming and downloads into account. The latest single to have surpassed one million sales is Taylor Swift's 2014 hit 'Shake It Off'.

Swift's track 'Anti-Hero' currently holds the top spot on the chart and is expected to remain there for a fourth week when the latest chart is announced this Friday.

Since records began, a total of 1,404 songs have reached number one, including Queen's 'Bohemian Rhapsody', the Spice Girls' 'Wannabe' and The Beatles' 'She Loves You'.

Streams now make up 98.6% of the singles market, with the average No.1 single being streamed 6.82m times per week, according to the OCC's chart anniversary analyis.

Meanwhile, Queen's Greatest Hits is the UK's best-selling album of all time, with 7 million copies sold.

The UK's most-streamed singles (audio and video streams):

1. Lewis Capaldi - 'Someone You Loved'
2. Ed Sheeran - 'Shape Of You'
3. Ed Sheeran - 'Perfect'
4. George Ezra - 'Shotgun'
5. Tones & I - 'Dance Monkeys'

The UK's biggest-selling singles (physical purchases and downloads only):

1. Elton John - 'Candle In The Wind '97'
2. Band Aid - 'Do They Know It's Christmas?'
3. Queen - 'Bohemian Rhapsody'
4. Wings - 'Mull Of Kintyre'
5. John Travolta & Olivia Newton - 'You're The One That I Want'

Watch Lewis Capaldi respond to making Official Charts history below.