Edward Christopher Sheeran was born in Halifax, West Yorkshire, and raised in Framlingham, Suffolk. He has sold more than 150 million records worldwide, making him one of the world's best-selling music artists. In 2012, he won the Brit Awards for Best British Male Solo Artist and British Breakthrough Act. His third album, รท ("Divide"), was released in March 2017, and was the best selling album worldwide of 2017. His fifth studio album, = ("Equals"), topped the charts in most major markets in 2021. He is the 3rd most followed artist on Spotify, as of July 2024.