£28m payday is music to Sheeran’s ears

EVEN by the standards of a global superstar, Ed Sheeran can look back on 2017 with some satisfaction.

Not only did his third album ÷ [Divide] outsell any other in the UK and US last year, it also helped net the singer £28million – propelling him to second spot in the list of wealthiest British musicians under 30.

The 27-year-old also broke into the overall top 40 Sunday Times Rich List of UK music stars, tied at 35th on a net worth of £80million with Take That star Gary Barlow, 47.

Sheeran has enjoyed a meteoric rise since breaking out in 2011 and last year’s charttopping ÷ spawned more top ten singles than any album in UK history.

But he has some way to go to catch Adele, 30, as Britain’s richest young musician, who is worth an estimated £140million.

This was up £15million on the previous rich list and her phenomenally successful third album 25 remained one of 2017’s bestselling, despite being released two years earlier. Meanwhile, One Direction’s decision in January 2016 to take an extended break does not appear to have hit members Harry Styles and Niall Horan too heavily in the pocket – they saw their wealth rise £10million and £6million respectively. Sir Paul McCartney, 75, remains top of the overall list of richest British musicians, making £40million last year with his wife, American trucking heiress Nancy Shevell.

The couple’s total fortune now stands at £820million, making the ex-Beatle the wealthiest musician in the history of the rich list. Next is Lord Lloyd-Webber on £740million and U2 at £569million.

Sir Elton John, 71 – along with Sir Paul the only member of the first ever rich list in 1989 – is in fourth place with £300million.

But Robert Watts, compiler of The Sunday Times Rich List, said younger musicians will soon eclipse the veterans who have dominated the rankings for years.

He said: ‘Streaming services, the internet and income from endorsements are helping today’s young musicians build an international following – and with it their fortunes – far quicker than the older rockers.’