In 2009, he played 312 gigs and in early 2011, Sheeran released an independent extended play, No. 5 Collaborations Project which led him to be signed to Asylum / Atlantic Records. Buoyed by the commercial breakthrough success of the singles "The A Team" and "Lego House", his debut album + (2011) has been certified quintuple platinum in the United Kingdom.
In 2012, he won two BRIT Awards for Best British Male Solo Artist, and British Breakthrough of the Year, while "The A Team" also won the Ivor Novello Award for Best Song Musically and Lyrically.
Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ed_Sheeran
