Ed Sheeran [Greg Williams | Atlantic Press Photo]
Thanks to “on the hour” airplay promotions and hype befitting a new Ed Sheeran single, “Shape Of You” garnered an impressive amount of first day airplay at pop and hot adult contemporary radio**.
According to Mediabase, “Shape Of You” had received 1,356 pop radio spins and 611 hot adult contemporary radio spins by the end of Friday.
The counts position “Shape Of You” at #30 on the building pop and hot adult contemporary airplay charts. Those charts rank songs based on the first six days of the January 1-7 tracking week.
While it will doubtfully receive as many spins on Saturday, “Shape Of You” will surely garner a solid amount of airplay at both formats. It has a very good chance of retaining its Top 30 positions at both formats through the close of tracking.
Its official debut positions will be revealed Sunday evening.
— “Shape Of You” was not the only new Ed Sheeran song to emerge Friday, and it was not the only new Ed Sheeran song to receive airplay.
Sheeran’s “Castle On The Hill” did not register nearly as many spins as “Shape of You” (which, as of right now, represents his “official” mainstream radio single), but it did receive meaningful support at both radio formats.
The “Castle On The Hill” support further demonstrates radio’s excitement over new Ed Sheeran music.
**Editor’s Note: A handful of spins may have actually been recorded just prior to midnight on Thursday. But, for all intents and purposes, the spin counts reflect “first day airplay.”