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British talent dominates with 7 out of 10 of the most played acts from the UK 
‘Flowers’ by Miley Cyrus named the most played song of 2023 

 
Today, PPL can reveal that Ed Sheeran has been named the most played artist of 2023, winning the accolade for the seventh time in nine years. It’s the second time the Atlantic Records artist has clocked up three consecutive years as the most played act across radio, TV and in public places. The chart is being announced today to coincide with the PPL Annual General Meeting taking place this afternoon. 
 
PPL licenses the use of recorded music on radio, TV and in public places such as shops, bars, restaurants, gyms, offices and warehouses in the UK and receives extensive airplay reporting from such broadcasters and public performance venues. The organisation used this information to distribute revenue to close to 165,000 performers and recording rightsholders when their music was played publicly and broadcast in 2023. 
 
Ed previously scored a hat-trick between 2017 and 2019, with fellow Warner Music artist Dua Lipa bringing his fantastic run to a close in 2020. Dua Lipa was the third most played artist in the UK in 2023, propelled by the success of ‘Dance The Night’ from the Barbie OST. Taylor Swift jumped from number ten to two in 2023, matching her previous high in 2015. With the Eras tour having landed in the UK this month, it will be all to play for in 2024. 
 
Ed Sheeran said: “Thank you for naming me the most played artist for last year. I want to say thank you to my promotions team, Damian [Christian] and the whole team that works with you. You have consistently done amazing things, not just for me but for all the other artists you work with and I’m happy that you get this recognition - thanks so much and here’s to the next year!” 
 
Coldplay is the only group in the Top 10 and, alongside Ed Sheeran and Calvin Harris, has also been the most consistent presence annually in the chart appearing nine times in the last decade. British music continues to dominate with seven out of ten of the most played artists in 2023 being from the UK. Tom Grennan is the newest UK musician to enter the countdown at number eight, jumping from 17 in 2022. And finally, Madonna makes a return to the Top 10, following the launch of the Celebration greatest hits world tour in London last autumn. 
 
Most Played Artist in 2023 
  1. Ed Sheeran 
  2. Taylor Swift 
  3. Dua Lipa 
  4. Calvin Harris 
  5. David Guetta 
  6. Elton John 
  7. Coldplay 
  8. Tom Grennan 
  9. Harry Styles 
  10. Madonna 
Everybody loves Flowers 
Miley Cyrus makes her debut at number 12 in the Most Played Artist chart but steals the midsummer crown with ‘Flowers’ being named the most played song of 2023. As the lead single from her album Endless Summer Vacation, the global smash hit has already topped the sales charts in 37 countries, marking another incredible milestone for Miley.  
 
Ed Sheeran sits at number two with ‘Eyes Closed’, and Lewis Capaldi captures the number three spot with ‘Forget Me’. His song ‘Pointless’ sits just outside the Top 10 at number 11. Swifties will be happy to see ‘Anti-Hero’ is the fourth most played, and ‘Cruel Summer’ sits at nine. Dua Lipa is dancing the night away at five and Calvin Harris & Ellie Goulding’s ‘Miracle’ takes the sixth spot – the only collaboration in the Top 10. 
 
P!NK, previously named the most played female artist of the 21st century for National Album Day in 2021, holds steady at seven with ‘Trustfall’. Jonas Brothers’ ‘Waffle House’ takes eighth place and Niall Horan’s ‘Heaven’ is at number ten. 2022’s most played earworm ‘As It Was’ by Harry Styles slides down just outside the Top 10 to number 12. 
 
Most Played Song in 2023  
  1. Flowers 
Miley Cyrus 
  1. Eyes Closed 
Ed Sheeran 
  1. Forget Me 
Lewis Capaldi 
  1. Anti-Hero 
Taylor Swift 
  1. Dance The Night 
Dua Lipa 
  1. Miracle 
Calvin Harris, Ellie Goulding 
  1. Trustfall 
P!NK 
  1. Waffle House 
Jonas Brothers 
  1. Cruel Summer 
Taylor Swift 
  1. Heaven 
Niall Horan 
 
Peter Leathem OBE, CEO of PPL, said: “Congratulations to all artists featured this year and especially Ed and Miley on their respective number ones. These exclusive charts provide a snapshot of some of the most popular music being played publicly in the UK. As the global music market gets more competitive, it’s fantastic to see that seven out of the top ten most played acts are British. The charts highlight the important role broadcasters and businesses of all shapes and sizes play in supporting home-grown talent. Thanks to them, we can do our job ensuring performers and recording rightsholders get paid whenever their music is used in public.” 

23 Oct 2025 | Press release

Concord Music Publishing signs songwriter-producer Nickname Jos

  Today, Concord Music Publishing announced the signing of artist, songwriter, and producer Josef Kuhn, known professionally as Nickname Jos. The universal co-publishing deal, effective immediately, includes Nickname Jos’ full catalog and future works. Nickname Jos is a multitalented performer, songwriter, and producer that has...more

23 Oct 2025 | Press release

Wear the music, share the joy: Music therapy charity Nordoff and Robbins launches Christmas jumper collection

  Available now at nordoff-and-robbins.teemill.com A percentage of every sale goes directly to Nordoff and Robbins Endorsed by Nordoff and Robbins Music Ambassador, Edith Bowman Created in partnership with sustainable print on demand platform Teemill    Nordoff and Robbins, the UK’s largest music therapy charity, has today...more

23 Oct 2025 | Press release

IMPF establishes key targets across tech, data and emerging markets at Global Music Summit

 Record 650 delegates attended 2025 event.Dates set for 2026 event.   The IMPF established a number of key targets and priorities for the independent music publishing community across tech, data and newer markets at this year’s Global Music Summit Palma. Dates have also...more

23 Oct 2025 | Press release

Sophie Ellis-Bextor features on episode 4 of ‘The Red Carpet Treatment - On The Road Presented by Mastercard’

The Red Carpet Treatment - On The Road Presented by Mastercard Hosted by Luke Hamnett   Sophie Ellis-Bextor features on episode 4, out TODAY available to watch in full on @BRITs YouTube or on @BRITs social channels    The BRIT Awards with Mastercard today releases the fourth...more

23 Oct 2025 | Press release

Mercury rises for Sam Fender

WINNING ALBUM, PEOPLE WATCHING, ENJOYS 159% CHART SALES INCREASE IN THE OFFICIAL ALBUMS CHART MIDWEEK DATA   UK record labels association the BPI, which organises the Mercury Prize, today reports an increase in demand for Sam Fender’s album People Watching after last week’s acclaimed triumph in his hometown.  The...more

23 Oct 2025 | Press release

Industry Organisations Sign Groundbreaking Seat at The Table Inclusion Pledge

ATC Live and Ginger Owl Among First to Sign Pledge, with The Royal Albert Hall, AEG and The O2 Becoming Industry Champions New Live Sector-Wide Pledge Aims to Achieve Gender-Balanced Leadership and Measurable Progress by 2030 Following the release in April of the ‘Seat...more

23 Oct 2025 | Press release

EJAE signs with WME

EJAE, the vocalist and songwriter behind KPop Demon Hunter’s #1 hit, “Golden,” has signed with WME for worldwide representation in all areas of her music career. A breakout star of Netflix’s record-shattering animated musical film KPop Demon Hunters, EJAE is the...more

23 Oct 2025 | Press release

Blue Raincoat Music/Reservoir strikes publishing deal with Molly Drake Estate

Nick Drake Publishing Agreement Renewed Blue Raincoat Music Publishing, in conjunction with Reservoir, have signed a global publishing deal with the estate of songwriter and poet Molly Drake and have renewed their existing publishing deal with her late son, the seminal...more

22 Oct 2025 | Press release

hmv goes Dutch with new store in The Hague to open before end of the year

Music and popular culture retailer hmv is planning to open its first store in The Netherlands with a new site in The Hague in the latter stages of development. The new store will open its doors before the end of...more

22 Oct 2025 | Press release

Building on the momentum of its inaugural landmark edition SXSW London Announces it is Open for Business for 2026

  SXSW London builds on the success of its inaugural year with its 2026 programme. Passes for access across the festival are now available to purchase on the SXSW London website.   The leading European platform for the convergence of technology and the creative...more

22 Oct 2025 | Press release

Independent Venue Week announce Nova Twins as 2026 Artist Ambassadors

  The UK’s annual celebration of independent venues, music and culture will run over 7 days and nights from Monday 26th January to Sunday 1st February  Nova Twins will perform an exclusive live show as part of the week’s activities  More than 200...more

22 Oct 2025 | Press release

Leading Entertainment Execs Launch Unit1 Studio, The World's First Independent Avatar Concert Producer

  Headed by Barney Wragg (AEG, EMI, Really Useful Group, Universal) Breakthrough CGI and AI technologies deliver digital humans virtually indistinguishable from the artists themselves Unlocks potential for immersive avatar concerts through lower production costs and improved time-to-market Partnership with KT Tunstall ahead of...more

22 Oct 2025 | Press release

PPL announces Dr. Richard James Burgess MBE as new Chair 

PPL has appointed Dr. Richard James Burgess MBE as its new Chair. He will succeed John Smith OBE, effective 5 January 2026.  Burgess will lead the PPL Board as the organisation continues to grow as a global leader in neighbouring rights...more

22 Oct 2025 | Press release

2AM introduces Lenny, the first AI agent redefining audience engagement in live entertainment

After a successful large-scale deployment at Rock en Seine, the Paris-based startup brings AI-native communication to festivals and venues. 2AM unveils Lenny, the first AI agent purpose-built for audience engagement and live event operations, covering the full audience journey - before,...more

22 Oct 2025 | Press release

Tickets For Good bolsters international growth with appointment of veteran ticketing executive Henk Schuit as European board advisor

  The ADE Conference Startups alumni reveals latest Netherlands expansion news. TfG boasts almost 600k registered healthcare workers, teachers, and charity workers across UK, EU and U.S. It's distributed 1million+ free and discounted tickets from 1,000+ live event partners, including Dua Lipa, Idles,...more

22 Oct 2025 | Press release

KiTbetter and Duran Duran Deliver First-Ever Dolby Atmos Upgrade to a Physical Album

Groundbreaking upgrade to 2023's 'Danse Macabre: De Luxe' KiTalbum marks a new era for physical-digital music formats KiTbetter, the company reshaping physical music for the digital era, today announced a world first: the upgrade of a previously released physical album to...more

21 Oct 2025 | Press release

Yoto Launches David Bowie Card: Introducing the Legendary Artist to a New Generation

Yoto's latest addition to its growing popular music offering is filled with the immortal icon's classic songs    Yoto, the award-winning audio platform for kids, today announced the launch of a new Yoto card featuring the timeless work of David Bowie. With...more

21 Oct 2025 | Press release

The Other Songs announce team expansion

Global independent music and entertainment company The Other Songs have announced the exciting expansion of their team as they recruit music industry executives Louis Brown, joining as General Manager, and Raju Watts, joining as Financial Director.  Speaking on today’s news, founders...more

21 Oct 2025 | Press release

Day Fever partners with Ticketmaster’s Universe

Day Fever, the acclaimed daytime clubbing brand, has entered into a multi-year partnership with Ticketmaster’s white-label ticketing platform Universe, making the company its exclusive ticketing partner.Through the partnership, Day Fever will tap into Universe’s all-in-one ticketing and marketing platform, delivering...more

21 Oct 2025 | Press release

Simon Dunmore Partners with Armada Music to Launch New Label, NBT Records

The imprint will operate from Armada’s brand-new creative hub in London Acclaimed industry figure Simon Dunmore and Armada Music, the world’s biggest independent dance music label, have partnered to launch NBT Records – a brand-new label dedicated to soulful, dancefloor-driven records. Formed...more

21 Oct 2025 | Press release

Moises and Cory Henry Launch Global Music Competition with $50,000 in Prizes

Jam Sessions Invites Musicians Worldwide to Reimagine GRAMMY Winner's Track Through AI-Powered Tools Moises, Apple's 2024 iPad App of the Year, today launched Jam Sessions, a global music competition connecting artists, producers, and creators through AI-powered music technology. The inaugural edition...more

21 Oct 2025 | Press release

rightsHUB unveils tool to transform data ingestion process, signs Artist Theory alongside deal renewals with Believe, Defected and others

- New tool, rightsDROP, allows labels and publishers to optimise collection of metadata and resources via single point of entry or releases - rightsHUB now provides a fully end-to-end solution to streamline flow of rights data and assets- Artist Theory (Sam...more

21 Oct 2025 | Press release

Madi Diaz signs global co-publishing deal with Warner Chappell Music and Crush Music Publishing

Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter’s new album, ‘Fatal Optimist,’ out now First signing to Crush’s newly-launched publishing division   Warner Chappell Music (WCM) and Crush Music Publishing (CMP) today announced a global co-publishing deal with acclaimed singer-songwriter Madi Diaz. She is the first signing to Crush’s newly-launched...more

21 Oct 2025 | Press release

Warner Chappell Music Signs Victor Le Masne

GLOBAL ADMINISTRATION DEAL COVERS ALL WORKS PRODUCED THROUGH LE MASNE'S MULTIMAN RECORDS   Warner Chappell Music (WCM) has today announced the signing of Victor Le Masne to a global administration deal. The agreement covers all works produced through Le Masne's Multiman Records...more

21 Oct 2025 | Press release

Impala's fifth equity, diversity, and inclusion report: Reaffirming commitment to a more inclusive music industry

  IMPALA has released its fifth Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) Report, providing insights into its ongoing efforts in this area. Published on the anniversary of the organisation's EDI Charter, the report is the result of work by IMPALA's taskforce, which for the...more

21 Oct 2025 | Press release

DJ brands unite to launch OneLibrary

The DJ world is about to become more open. As part of its ongoing commitment to the sustainable growth of DJ culture and a more open industry environment, AlphaTheta has been actively collaborating with other manufacturers on an exciting...more

21 Oct 2025 | Press release

Dancefloor launches the Nightlife Dividend Programme to support grassroots venues and promoters

A recent report by The Night Time Industries Association suggests rising costs and ongoing pressures mean the UK is losing three nightclubs every week and will have none left by 2030. To help the fight for survival of independent venues...more

21 Oct 2025 | Press release

Beatoven.ai Expands Maestro to Generative Sound Effects, Bringing Licensed AI Audio to Film, Games, and Beyond

Fully licensed, fairly trained generative AI cinematic sound effects now available to creatives via Beatoven.ai and its latest API is now available for enterprises via Fal.ai The footsteps, howls, splashes, and zips that make media come alive are the secret to a...more

20 Oct 2025 | Press release

PRS Foundation congratulates Mercury Music Prize winner Sam Fender

    PRS Foundation has proudly supported 7 out of the last 8 Mercury Prize winners through various programmes Sam Fender had support through the PPL Momentum Music Fund to record early singles and International Showcase Fund support to perform at SXSW in...more

20 Oct 2025 | Press release

FEAT AGM: Confirms promoter-approved resale policy and continued campaign for stronger enforcement of DSA

  1000 illegally listed tickets reported across 2025 without a single response from unauthorised resale websites  Largest annual conference to date held in Barcelona, with over 20 attendees from eight countries   The Face-value European Alliance for Ticketing (FEAT) held its annual general meeting...more

23 Oct 2025

  • Lyor Cohen: AI won’t replace artists — it will make them unstoppable (see Opinion)

22 Oct 2025

  • Omdia tips music publishers’ revenues to hit $10bn this year (see Reports)

  • Unit1 Studio launches offering potential for immersive avatar concerts through lower production costs (see Digital)

21 Oct 2025

  • Are we still in the music business? When your POV is worth more than your mp3s (see Opinion)

20 Oct 2025

  • Is rock’n’roll dead? (see Features)

  • Book extract: Body Of Work: How The Album Outplayed The Algorithm And Survived Playlist Culture (see Comment)

  • With MTV channels switching off, is the music video under threat? (see Features)

17 Oct 2025

  • Spotify partnering with multinational music companies to develop ‘responsible’ AI products (see Digital)

  • Sam Fender wins 2025 Mercury Prize (see News)

16 Oct 2025

  • Spotify working on ‘SongDNA’ feature that showcases the people behind tracks (see Digital)

15 Oct 2025

  • How far should cultural boycotts go? (see Features)

  • How Subvert is building a co-op owned Bandcamp alternative (see Digital)

14 Oct 2025

  • Lucian Grainge outlines UMG’s strategy for generative AI partnerships and product development (see News)

  • The future of music streaming: Change or be changed (see Comment)

13 Oct 2025

  • Sam Altman: the man who stole the rights from copyright. If he’s the future, can we go backwards? (see Features)

10 Oct 2025

  • Warner Music Group CEO Robert Kyncl discusses the company's “tremendous catalogue” (see Features)

  • There’s a £1 idea that could save small music venues. Is Live Nation holding it back? (see Features)

  • Breaking down the arguments around VMG’s Downtown Music acquisition (see Analysis)