Ed Sheeran and Justin Bieber likely to top charts this week with new single

Ed Sheeran and Justin Bieber are on course to top the charts this week with their new single I Don’t Care.

The duet has accumulated 4.7 million streams since it was released on Friday, and it has achieved more digital downloads than the rest of the current top five combined, the Official Charts Company said.

If I Don’t Care does hit number one on Friday, it will be Sheeran’s sixth UK number one and Bieber’s seventh.

British singer-songwriter Sheeran and Canadian music star Bieber had teased fans with their collaboration for a week-and-a-half before it was released online.

The track, an upbeat dancehall-influenced number reminiscent of Sheeran’s Shape Of You, sees the pair sing about social anxieties while at a party.

Rapper Lil Nas X is at number two at the halfway stage of the charts week with Old Down Road, and Stormzy is down to number three from number one with Vossi Bop.

Previous chart-topper Someone You Loved by Lewis Capaldi is at number four and Piece Of Your Heart by Meduza featuring Goodboys rounds off the top five.

Billie Eilish is being held back at number two with her debut album and previous chart-topper When We Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?, while the new record from Whitesnake – Flesh And Blood – is set to be this week’s highest new entry at number three.

It is the hard rock band’s 13th studio album and it could become their fourth top five in the UK.

The cast recording for The Greatest Showman is still in the top five, currently in fourth place, and Vampire Weekend’s Father Of The Bride is at number five.