NEW ALBUM SELLS 232K IN A DAY

ED Sheeran’s new album ÷ is battling to be crowned the UK’s fastest-selling album of all time after shifting 232,000 copies in just one day. The figures already dwarf his first week sales of 2011 debut +, which sold 102,000, and its follow-up x which shifted 180,000 back in 2014. Music industry experts predict Sheeran will sell at least 700,000 by Friday but he will be hard pushed to beat Adele’s record of 803,000 for 25 in 2015. The When We Were Young singer sold over 300,000 copies of her third album in a day when it was released. And industry sources believe the gap is already too wide to close. But Ed could overtake Oasis’ third album Be Here Now, which is currently the second fastest-selling album in the UK with 696,000 in its first week – albeit over three days as it was released on a Thursday. My source said: “Ed’s one-day album sales are incredible. The album will certainly become one of the fastest-selling albums of all time. “He has a good chance of catching Oasis but Adele’s huge figures may just be a jump too far.” Ed has previously said he wants to outsell Adele as she is his only competition. He told GQ magazine he’d be “selling myself short” if he didn’t aspire to break her sales records. However, ÷ is set to beat Take That’s sixth studio album Progress, which featured the return of Robbie Williams and is third on the fastest selling list with 518,601 copies sold. Coldplay’s X&Y is at No.4 with 464,471, while Take That again feature at No.5 with The Circus on 432,490. Whatever he achieves, Ed’s figures have already dwarfed those of last year’s fastest-selling album. David Bowie’s Blackstar sold 143,455 in a week. In addition, experts predict Ed could have all of his new tracks in next week’s Official Singles Chart. Ed is seen here celebrating his sales by taking girlfriend Cherry Seaborn out to a pizza restaurant on Friday.