Chasing Cars: Snow Patrol frontman wrote ‘most-played hit of 21st century’ in one 'particularly good night'

Gary Lightbody receives the award for Most Played song of the 21st century, according to music licensing company PPL (Picture: PA)

Snow Patrol frontman Gary Lightbody wrote Britain’s most-played song of the 21st Century on one "particularly good night", he has revealed.

Chasing Cars racked up the most radio plays over the last 20 years, it was announced today, but writing it took no time at all.

Lightbody, 43, said he wrote the track, along with nine other songs, in just the space of a few hours.

He told BBC Breakfast on Wednesday: "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.

Lightbody said he wrote the top track along with nine others in just 'a few hours' (PA)

"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."

Speaking of the track’s stunning accolade, the Northern Irish musician said: "It's amazing but, when I wrote it in 2006... I mean there's no possible way of knowing it would even endure this long, never mind be the most played song on the radio. It's extraordinary."

The anthem failed to reach number one when Snow Patrol released it 13 years ago, but it enjoyed a spike in popularity after featuring on TV shows including Grey's Anatomy, and a number of movies.

Courteney Cox's daughter performs duet with Snow Patrol's Gary Lightbody

Lightbody, who has previously described Chasing Cars as the "purest love song", said he was still friends with the person he wrote it about.

He added that the band feel very fortunate to have created a track that still strikes a chord with 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.

Snow Patrol continue to play the track at gigs to delighted fans

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

Music licensing body PPL presented Lightbody with a gong for the song’s special achievement, praising its "huge appeal”.

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."

The song already made history by being the last ever performed live on Top Of The Pops.