LONDON • Ed Sheeran posted a photo in June that showed him performing in the back of a lorry to just one person - a toddler - at a music festival in Britain.

He was 15 and a nobody then.

No longer. Now, folk around the world clamour to see him.

The 28-year-old has overtaken U2 to set a new record for the highest-grossing tour, with last Friday's show in Hannover, Germany.

Industry tracker Pollstar said the US$736.7 million (S$1.02 billion) generated by Sheeran's Divide Tour so far has eclipsed the US$735.4 million mark set by U2's 360 Tour from 2009 to 2011.

In a statement online, Sheeran, whose tour took him to Singapore in April, called the achievement "amazing".

Pundits said his hard work has paid off, noting that the Divide Tour, which rolled off on March 16, 2017, will have chalked up 893 days on the road when it ends in his hometown, Ipswich, on Aug 26.

Sheeran is also banking in extra revenue, with his new album, No. 6 Collaborations Project, camping at the top of the British chart for a third week.