Chasing Cars by Snow Patrol is most-played song of 21st century so far

Chasing Cars by Snow Patrol has been named the most-played song of the 21st century, so far, by music licensing agency PPL.

The song was released in June 2006, when it reached No 6 in the UK and Ireland; it remained in the British top 75 for 94 weeks.

Chasing Cars was 2006’s 14th best-selling single in the UK, and was the last song played on BBC’s Top of the Pops. The song has also been used in a number of soundtracks for film and television, such as Grey’s Anatomy.

The day after the song featured in the second series of the hospital drama, it went to the top of US iTunes’s download chart.

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The song was written by Snow Patrol lead singer Gary Lightbody, lead guitarist Nathan Connolly, sampler Tom Simpson and drummer Jonny Quinn.

Lightbody will be presented with a special award at PPL’s 85th anniversary celebrations in London on Tuesday evening.

Speaking ahead of the event, Peter Leathem, CEO at PPL, said: "Chasing Cars is a song that has become a popular anthem, securing huge success across radio, in public and especially TV where its huge appeal has led to its use in many programmes and especially Grey's Anatomy.

“These platforms can dramatically extend the life of a record beyond its initial release.”

PPL is the UK music industry’s collective management organisation, which licenses recorded music when it is played in public – such as in shops, bars and nightclubs – or broadcast on television, radio, and some online streaming sources, and ensures that the musicians are paid for the use of their music.