Warner U.K. star Ed Sheeran has made chart history by overtaking Adele to land the longest consecutive rein in Blighty’s Top 10 for a British artist with second album x. The record-breaking release has racked up sales of over 10m worldwide and remained in the Top 10 for 73 consecutive weeks. Cor, blimey!

XL’s Adele previously held the record for her second album, 21, which stayed in the Top 10 for 71 consecutive weeks. Released on 6/20 last year, Sheeran’s x was 2014’s biggest and fastest-selling album and the LP has received a staggering 59 platinum certifications.

Sheeran, managed by Rocket Music’s Stuart Camp (though rumours have been flying that both Camp and Sheeran are to leave the firm co-founded by Elton John), has been on a stratospheric rise since being signed by Ben Cook in 2011. Cook was then President of Asylum Records U.K. and has since been upped to President of Atlantic U.K, taking over from the man who became Chairman and CEO of Warner Music U.K., Max Lousada.

Sheeran wasn't an obvious signing, having been already signed and then dropped by Island. An insightful interview on Music Business Worldwide today with A&R execs including co-MD of Columbia U.K. Alison Donald, president of Universal's Fiction Records Jim Chancellor and former CEO and Chairman of Sony Music U.K. Nick Gatfield (who is now operating his own indie organisation Twin Music), reveals that it might have been Sheeran's aesthetics that turned marketing heads off initially (he’s blessed with ginger locks). Yet Warner took a risk, and turned him into a global star.

This latest feat is the “cherry on top,” of “a year to remember,” says Sheeran. That year included the singer/songwriter playing three sold-out shows at Wembley Stadium in July in front of over 240k fans. Footage of which is included in Sheeran’s debut concert film, Jumpers for Goalposts. The DVD is out today and also features exclusive behind-the-scenes material and five new tracks (the trailer can be viewed below).

Last month, Sheeran hosted the MTV EMAs in Milan, where he was awarded with gongs for Best Live and Best World Stage. The Q Awards in October also honored the red-headed crooner with Best Solo Artist for the second year in a row and he received an honorary degree from the University Campus Suffolk in Ipswich for his outstanding contribution to music that same month.

Can Adele reclaim the crown by landing 74+ weeks in the U.K. Top 10 with 25? Make a note in your diary to read that story in 2017.