Ed Sheeran album X breaks 2m sales mark in rapid time to rival Adele and The Beatles

The singer achieved the feat in just 38 weeks after the album's release last June

Ed Sheeran performing live (Getty Images)

Ed Sheeran has joined the likes of Adele and The Beatles by passing the two million sales mark with his award-winning album X.

The “Thinking Out Loud” singer hit the milestone earlier this week just nine months after its release last June, according to the Official Charts Company. It is now the sixth fastest two million-seller since 2000.

X has spent an impressive 12 weeks at number one on the Official Albums Chart and reached the one million sales mark after just 23 weeks on sale. Its biggest week came in December when it sold 214,000 copies in just seven days.

Sheeran has two albums among the ten biggest-sellers of the decade so far – X at number five and + at number 6. Only Adele and Michael Buble have also achieved this feat.

“So chuffed to hear X has just hit the two million mark in the UK!” Sheeran told OfficialCharts.com. “Looking forward to getting back there for my Wembley shows in July and celebrating with you all.”

Thirty-nine albums have passed the two million sales mark this Millennium and only eight within a 12-month period. The only ones to do so faster than Sheeran are 21 by Adele, Life For Rent by Dido, 1 by The Beatles, Progress by Take That and X&Y by Coldplay.

“It is unlikely that anyone was in any doubt before, but this firmly establishes just what a significant, era-defining album X has become,” said Martin Talbot, chief executive of Official Charts Company.

“The two million landmark is quite an achievement and puts Ed up there with the biggest acts of the age. Many many congratulations, Ed!”