Top 10 Ed Sheeran Songs

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10. "Don't" (2014)

British singer-songwriter Ed Sheeran first began recording in 2005. He moved to London in 2008 and began playing small venues. Following a 2010 trip to Los Angeles, he returned to the UK and in early 2011 self-released the EP No. 5 Collaborations Project. It drew mainstream attention and a recording contract with Atlantic Records.

"Don't" was released as the second single from Ed Sheeran's second album x. The tale of cheating and a breakup generated widespread speculation about the woman being described. Ed Sheeran considered not releasing it seeing it as potentially too personal. It was recorded individually with producers Benny Blanco and Rick Rubin. The final product is a blend of their approaches. "Don't" was a top 10 pop hit in both the US and the UK climbing into the top 3 at both mainstream and adult pop radio. It even briefly appeared on the country radio airplay chart peaking at #59.

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9. "I See Fire" (2013)

Ed Sheeran was personally chosen by Peter Jackson, director of the film The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug, to write a theme song for the project. He saw the movie, wrote the song and recorded most of it all on the same day. Ed Sheeran says that The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien was the first book he ever read. The song reached the top 20 on the rock radio airplay chart in the US and became a top 10 pop hit in many other countries around the world. It received a Grammy Award nomination for Best Song Written for Visual Media.

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8. "Drunk" (2012)

"Drunk" was the fourth UK single from Ed Sheeran's debut album +. The accompanying music video in which a cat takes him out and gets him drunk to distract him from the emotional impact of a bad breakup drew significant attention. "Drunk" was a top 10 pop hit in the UK and Australia while reaching the top 30 on the US rock radio chart.

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7. "Make It Rain" (2014)

Ed Sheeran is a fan of the FX TV series Sons of Anarchy. When he mentioned that fact on Twitter, he was invited by the series creator to record a song for one of the show's episodes. Ed Sheeran was touring with Irish singer-songwriter Foy Vance at the time, the writer of "Make It Rain." Intrigued by the song's opening line "When the sins of my father weigh down in my soul," Ed Sheeran recorded it, and it became a top 40 pop hit in both the US and UK.

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6. "Lego House" (2011)

"Lego House" was released as the follow up to Ed Sheeran's big breakthrough in the US with "The A Team." It had already been a top 5 pop hit in the UK. In the US it sold more than a million digital downloads while reaching the top 10 at both adult pop and rock radio. The accompanying music video features actor Rupert Grint, known for his work in the Harry Potter movies. It received an MTV Video Music Awards nomination for Best Male Video.

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5. "You Need Me, I Don't Need You" (2011)

After scoring a major pop breakthrough in the UK with "The A Team," Ed Sheeran released this change of pace as his follow up. He shows off his hip hop inflected talents. The song is often performed onstage as a multi-looped track created with just a guitar and loop pedal. "You Need Me, I Don't Need You" reached #4 on the UK pop singles chart, but it did not chart in the US as a single.

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4. "Bloodstream" with Rudimental (2015)

Ed Sheeran wrote "Bloodstream" with Rudimental and two members of the band Snow Patrol about his experience taking the drug MDMA at a wedding celebration in Ibiza. It was remixed by Rudimental in December 2014 and then released as a single later in 2015. It peaked at #2 in the UK and in the top 10 in many other countries around the world.

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3. "Sing" (2014)

"Sing" was released as the debut single from Ed Sheeran's second album x. It is a collaboration with Pharrell Williams who co-wrote, produced and provided background vocals. Ed Sheeran says it was inspired by his own appreciation for the work of Justin Timberlake. "Sing" became Ed Sheeran's first #1 single at home in the UK and also topped the pop singles charts in Australia, Canada and New Zealand. In the US it reached the top 10 at both adult pop and mainstream pop radio.

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2. "The A Team" (2011)

"The A Team" is the song that introduced Ed Sheeran to the world. It is a poignant ballad about a prostitute addicted to crack cocaine, a Class A drug in the UK. The dark but melodic song received strong critical acclaim. It hit #3 on the UK pop singles chart. In the US it broke into the top 10 at rock, adult pop, and mainstream pop radio. "The A Team" also became a top 10 pop hit in many other countries around the world. It received a Grammy Award nomination for Song of the Year.

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1. "Thinking Out Loud" (2014)

Ed Sheeran's boldly romantic "Thinking Out Loud" is an instantly likable option for a wedding song. It became a worldwide breakout pop hit for the artist. The accompanying music video features the star dancing with Brittany Cherry, a former contestant on the TV series So You Think You Can Dance. "Thinking Out Loud" hit #2 on the US pop chart and stayed there for eight weeks. It reached #1 at home in the UK. It was a top 5 hit in most other markets around the world.