Snow Patrol's 'Chasing Cars' named most-played song of the 21st Century

By Sherna Noah

Snow Patrol's ballad Chasing Cars has been crowned the most-played song of the 21st Century.

Frontman Gary Lightbody has previously said the track is "the purest love song" he has ever written.

The anthem failed to reach number one when the indie-rockers released it in 2006, but featured in TV shows, including Grey's Anatomy, and a number of movies.

Lightbody was presented with a special gong by music licensing company PPL.

He told BBC Breakfast: "I was in the studio with our producer and I wrote 10 songs in a night, in a few hours, and five of those songs ended up on Eyes Open, which is the album Chasing Cars is on.

"And by the way, that's the first and only time that's happened - the hit rate is normally not that good. Normally I'd write 10 songs and none of them I'd ever show or play to anybody.

"That was a particularly good night."

He added that Chasing Cars still resonates with Snow Patrol fans when they play it live.

"We're very lucky to have a lot of songs people sing along to, but that is a particularly loud sing-along," he said.

"It changes every night with the audience that you play it to, but it'll always get a reaction, that's for sure."

More upbeat numbers Black Eyed Peas' I Gotta Feeling and Pharrell's Happy are second and third on the list.

PPL chief executive officer Peter Leather 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."

Chasing Cars failed to reach number one in the UK Official Singles Chart.

It was the last song performed live on Top Of The Pops, and featured on the Northern Ireland band's 2006 album Eyes Open.