Ed Sheeran to be named Artist of the Year at Music Biz conference

Multi-platinum and multiple Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter Ed Sheeran will be honored with the Artist of the Year Award at the Music Biz 2018 conference’s Awards Luncheon on Thursday, May 17, at the Omni Nashville Hotel.

With hits like “The Shape of You,” “Castle on the Hill,” and “Perfect,” Sheeran’s third studio album “÷” landed in the Billboard 200 at No. 1 upon its March 2017 release and is currently at No. 8, more than a year after its release. It was the year’s biggest album in the US, according to Nielsen Music.

“Ed Sheeran has had a remarkable year that few artists will ever achieve, helping to push streaming even further into the mainstream with the record-breaking success of ‘÷’ on these platforms, while also making history on the Billboard Hot 100,” said James Donio, president of Music Biz. “While he has been a strong presence in the industry for several years, 2017 proved to be extraordinary. We are thrilled to have him join the ranks of previous Music Biz Artist of the Year winners Adele, Little Big Town, Katy Perry, Taylor Swift, Coldplay and Green Day.”

Last year, all 60 dates of the North American leg of Sheeran’s world arena tour in support of “÷” sold out in minutes. He will return to the States this summer for the North American leg of his stadium tour.

“This past year has been absolutely unbelievable, and I really appreciate this amazing recognition from Music Biz,” said Sheeran. “Of course, none of it would be possible without all of my incredible fans and the fantastic team behind me.”

The Music Biz 2018 conference takes place from May 14-17 — for a schedule and more information, go to musicbiz2018.sched.com.