Words by Ed Sheeran’s concerts break a rule of stadium pop. There is no band, no troupe of dancers and often no elaborate set. There is Sheeran, a guitar and a loop pedal, building songs layer by layer in front of tens of thousands of people. That stripped-down approach helped make him one of the best-selling musicians of his generation.
Early life
Edward Christopher Sheeran was born on February 17, 1991, in Halifax, West Yorkshire, England, and grew up in Framlingham, Suffolk. He started playing guitar as a child and began writing songs as a teenager.
At 16 he moved to London to pursue music, playing small venues and open mics wherever he could. He played hundreds of gigs in a short span and released independent recordings, building a following online and on the club circuit.
Breakthrough
His independently released EPs, especially “No. 5 Collaborations Project” (2011), drew attention from the music industry. He signed with Asylum Records, and his debut single, “The A Team,” became a hit in the United Kingdom in 2011. The song, about a young woman struggling with addiction, earned him an Ivor Novello Award.
His debut album, “+” (pronounced “plus”), followed in 2011, and his profile grew in the United States after he opened for Taylor Swift on her Red Tour in 2013. Sheeran and Swift later collaborated on several songs.
Mathematical albums
Sheeran named his studio albums after mathematical symbols. “x” (multiply) arrived in 2014 and featured “Sing” and “Thinking Out Loud.” The latter became a wedding staple and won Grammy Awards in 2016 for song of the year and best pop solo performance.
“รท” (divide), released in 2017, was a global phenomenon. “Shape of You” became one of the most-streamed songs in history and won a Grammy for best pop solo performance. “Perfect,” a romantic ballad, topped charts in many countries, and the album won the Grammy for best pop vocal album.
“=” (equals) followed in 2021 with “Bad Habits” and “Shivers,” and “-” (subtract) in 2023 brought a more somber, acoustic tone. He also released “Autumn Variations” in 2023.
The Divide Tour
Sheeran’s Divide Tour, which ran from 2017 to 2019, became the highest-grossing concert tour of all time when it concluded, playing to millions of fans worldwide. His Mathematics Tour, which began in 2022, featured a circular, in-the-round stage.
Songwriter for others
Sheeran has also written for other artists. He co-wrote “Love Yourself” for Justin Bieber and has worked with artists across pop, hip-hop and country. His “No. 6 Collaborations Project” (2019) paired him with a wide range of guest performers.
On screen
He has made cameo appearances in television and film, including “Game of Thrones,” and appeared as himself in the comedy “Yesterday” (2019). The documentary series “The Sum of It All” (2023) followed his life and career.
Personal life
Sheeran married Cherry Seaborn, a childhood friend, and the couple have two daughters. He is a well-known supporter of Ipswich Town Football Club and has sponsored the team’s shirts.
He was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in 2017 for services to music and charity.
His approach
Sheeran’s songs often mix confessional lyrics with hooks designed for singalongs. He moves between folk, pop, R&B and hip-hop influences, and his rapid-fire verses show the influence of rap and grime. On stage, his loop pedal lets him build rhythm, harmony and backing vocals in real time.
Where to start
New listeners can try “The A Team,” “Thinking Out Loud,” “Photograph,” “Shape of You,” “Perfect” and “Bad Habits.” Together they show how a busker from Suffolk became a stadium headliner without changing much about how he plays.