Snow Patrol 'most played' Northern Irish artists ahead of Van Morrison

By Joe Nerssessian

Snow Patrol have beaten veteran musician Van Morrison to be named the most played Northern Irish act of the 21st century.

The indie rockers are the Northern Irish artists featured most often in UK radio and television broadcasts since 2000, according to research by licensing body PPL.

Although they formed in Scotland in the mid-1990s, four of Snow Patrol's five members hail from Northern Ireland and hits such as Chocolate, Chasing Cars and Run saw them finish ahead of Van Morrison, with Feargal Sharkey in third place.

The two runners-up were joined in the top 10 by their former bands- Morrison's Them are the eighth most-played and Sharkey's The Undertones the ninth.

Pop punk stalwarts Ash, indie rockers Two Door Cinema Club, electronic producer David Holmes, late Thin Lizzy and Skid Row guitarist Gary Moore and The Divine Comedy make up the rest of the top 10.

The research was put together ahead of this year's Northern Irish Music Prize which takes place on November 11 at the Mandela Hall in Belfast.