Ever since Ed Sheeran's red hair and sappy love songs hit the market I fell in love with him immediately. Ever since the days of Taylor Swift's Pre-Pop era I've wanted to be a songwriter just like the Irish native. His songs were touching, emotional and intimate. His voice is as relaxing as that feeling after you get out of the shower and climb into a bed with clean sheets. Nothing can beat that feeling, not even the feeling of a first kiss or finally peeing after having to hold it in for hours (which is totally unhealthy, you should avoid doing that). Any who... His songs changed my world and perhaps the world of others. His songs were handcrafted in such a way that only Ed Sheeran could do, which made them unique in nature. Until his latest releases hit iTunes and Spotify: Castle on the Hill and Shape of You. Castle on the Hill I enjoy. It's personal and unique like most of his songs. But it's Shape of You that I can't help but shake my head in disappointment to.
The general public seemed to enjoy it for I've heard it on the radio countless times and as I pass by the other apartments in my complex they all seem to be blasting it on the weekend during they're pregame parties. I can tell you right away that it's not something I would expect for an Ed Sheeran song. His songs are meant to be listened to with headphones while staring out the window on public transit or to be played from your car speakers while driving home at 2 in the morning. It's music that's meant to be slow danced to at your wedding or prom and it's meant for sappy engagement videos that all the millennials love to see. At least, that's what I think. It's okay to think differently, but hear me out. I'll give you a few reasons why I'm disappointed with Ed Sheeran for releasing this song. Mention how I didn't say I didn't like the song, but I how I was upset with who released it.
Reasons Why I'm Disappointed.
1. The lyrics
I'll tell you right away it didn't take me long to judge this song immediately.
The club isn't the best place to find a lover
So the bar is where I go
Me and my friends at the table doing shots
Drinking fast and then we talk slow
Right away he's mentioning going to a bar and doing shots. We always knew Ed Sheeran had a slight (read: extreme) dependence on alcohol and wasn't ashamed of it but he always gave off this aura that he was kind of a lonely person who couldn't really handle a club. At least, that's the vibe I got from the singer. It seemed that was how he was being imaged. Perhaps the stardom changed his life and he's now more of a partier, good for him! But I don't know, didn't expect him to write something about it.
Say, boy, let's not talk too much
Grab on my waist and put that body on me
Come on now, follow my lead
Come, come on now, follow my lead
Eddy. Eddy. I know you didn't write this! It kills me. You even stated in an article from AXS.com that you were not a dancer after you had shot the music video for "Thinking Out Loud".
"I could learn how to dance and that would be a thing to do. Now I've done it, there's nothing left to prove for me. I've done it, I know it was hard."
The song has two verses and a chorus. If Ed had actually written this than he would've had more material.
2. The sound
It is completely electronic. He introduces a muted guitar towards the end but very briefly. But over all it sounds like Sia should've been singing over this not Ed Sheeran. Even if he did write this, he should've just sold it to someone like The Weeknd or Justin Bieber. Not saying they don't write they're own content but he'd have a better chance of getting a good sound out of it if he had one of them sing it.
3. What does this mean for the industry?
My main concern isn't that Ed Sheeran released a song that's new and refreshing. I'm happy that he's branching out and that his single reached the charts and such (like any Sheeran song), but it's the fact that even the most sensitive and intimate singers will be changed and altered to fit the image of the 'pop era'.
Pop is great. It's upbeat and puts you into a better mood but the genre is just filled with a bunch of what I like to call "chart diggers". Instead of gold diggers who search for people with fortune, it's people who search for a spot on the charts and for extended periods of time. It's not about content. I mean, it is, but the content is brainless and is something anybody could make themselves. It's a simple catchy beat with a melodic structure in the background and lyrics about simple love stories.
Girl meets boy in club. Boy buys her drink. Boy and girl dance. Boy and girl live happily ever after. The end. But you repeat the chorus 900 times because the song needs to be a little bit longer but they don't have enough creativity to come up with a bridge or use a key change or maybe shake up the melody a bit.
Who do we blame? The labels and promoters who sign these artists of course! They let them do what they want for an album or two but then strip them of their ideas and force simple melodies and lyrics down their throats because "it's what the fans want". As true as that is, it's only true because that's what people feel they're limited to or they feel out of touch with the world because they're not listening to Kanye or the Chainsmokers (both great artists by the way). But there is more out there other than a few artists who are endlessly looped on the radio.
I'm awaiting Ed Sheeran's new album and cannot wait to hear what he's been working on and I refuse to judge Divide based on one song I didn't like. But in the end, I'm still a little disappointed that the main stream got to him because he was my last hope. Just whatever you do, don't take Adele away from me too.
