By Armando
Asylum. Atlantic.
Ed Sheeran’s “Thinking Out Loud” has just been certified diamond in the US, which signify sales and streams of at least 10 million, Billboard reports Friday.
Written by the English singer-songwriter himself together with Amy Wadge, the song was release in September 2014 as the third single from his “×” (Multiply) album.
What makes the feat even more impressive is the fact that the song never made it to the top of the Billboard Hot 100 chart. The song peaked at number two for eight consecutive weeks, blocked by “Uptown Funk” from reaching the summit.
“Thinking Out Loud” later won Grammy Awards for Song of the Year and Best Pop Solo Performance, while also receiving nomination for Record of the Year, the former two being the singer’s first Grammy wins.
Sheeran shared the news to his official instagram page (below): “Thinking out loud is diamond in the US. Thank you to everyone who streamed or downloaded it x.”
This accomplishment puts the romantic ballad in rarefied company: since the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) implemented Diamond certification, only 14 other songs have achieved it.
As impressive the accolade is, this likely won’t be Sheeran’s last. Earlier this year, the singer released “Shape of You” which seem destined to top Billboard’s Year-End Hot 100 singles of 2017: as of August 2017, the single has sold 2.3 million copies and spent 32 weeks at the top 10, a record it shares with The Chainsmokers’ “Closer” and LeAnn Rimes’ “How Do I Live.”
“Shape of You” is from Sheeran’s third studio album ÷ (Divide), also in the running for biggest-selling album of the year. If Sheeran successfully accomplish both feats, he will be the first artist since Adele to top both single and album year-end charts with “Rolling in the Deep” and “21” respectively back in 2011.
