[diademgrove]

I have listened to Ed Sheeran's Hearts Don't Break Around Here and what can I say? Its so bland, I had to force myself to listen all the way through.

The poor woman sounds so boring, or should I say Ed Sheeran's response to her love is so boring.

The line "Shakes my sole like a pothole" is so out of place. Hitting a pothole is jarring. If you're on a city street or country road it may be dangerous and upsetting. If you are on a dirt track or rallying it may be thrilling. If you're Ed Sheeran its neither. For me its a line that calls out from the page look how clever I am. When I listened it just flew past, neither here nor there.

That's the third song of his I've played this week and I don't think his music will be on my Christmas list.

Keith

[JonDavies]

New Man is an absolute banger ngl

[Boydie]

New Man is one of my favourites too - I won't quote the "stand out" line but I am sure you will get it on first listen 

[JonDavies]

New Man is one of my favourites too - I won't quote the "stand out" line but I am sure you will get it on first listen 

That line... I was listening to this album at work and nearly burst out laughing when he said that

"and everytime a rap song comes on he makes a gun sign
Says "Choon, boydem light up the room"" is also a highlight for me

[Oldbutyet]

I have to say Ed Sheeran has a very impressive list of awards and nominations to his name and it look like theres more to come, from what im reading he done the hard work and traveling so he deserve to have 16 of the top 20 spots, another impressive award.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_awards_and_nominations_received_by_Ed_Sheeran

"Shakes my soul like a pothole every time"  i like it    ive drove over a few pothole in my time and they shook more than my soul    i have listen to his song and tbh i really do like the way he sings that line.

[Sing4me88]

I'm not really convinced on the need to scrap streaming from counting towards chart positions. The purpose of the charts is to chart what sells and from this we know what people are listening to (otherwise why would they be buying a CD - to decorate cakes with??). If we want to know what people are listening to then streaming is an equally valid means of measuring this. I stream music several hours a day and I'm sure I'm not the only one. In fact I steam more music than I buy or than I listen to on the radio. MTV etc is probably my second source of music after YouTube. The fact that this all counts towards chart positions now is simply reflective of the fact there are now more ways to listen to and consume music. If this is discounted from the official charts then they can't really be considered an accurate barometer of what people are really consuming.

[diademgrove]

New Man is an absolute banger ngl

Sorry it doesn't do anything for me. Played it 4 times. Reminds me of another song but can't put my finger on it.

Stand out line for me is "Sip champagne out of cider cans".

To be honest looking at the words I don't really care what happens to any of the three characters in the song. None of them seem to have any likeable traits.

C'est la vie, it just goes to sure you never can tell.

[Ramshackles]

I'm not really convinced on the need to scrap streaming from counting towards chart positions.

I dont think streaming should be scrapped at all - it is increasingly the most important way in which we consume music. I think how it is handled needs to be rethought though.

The purpose of the charts is to chart what sells

Bang on - but if you sign up to spotify and stream the same song mutlitple times, it hasnt been 'sold' multiple times to you. The current method of 150 streams == 1 'sale' is poor as it is both to low (it certainly would take me a while to chalk up 150 streams of a single song), but also has no cutoff so that multiple streams from a single person could be counted as more than one 'sale'.

Streaming services like spotify require you to log on to work so the ability to tie streams to a user is there. Make the number of streams required for a sale much lower but once a sale of a song from a single user has been counted, it cant be counted again.

[Sing4me88]

That's actually a fair point about multiple streams. Tying to a user is one solution particularly for Spotfiy but I'm not sure I'd be a runner as far as YouTube is concerned, and the pull of YouTube can be seen in the viral success of Gangnum Style. I'm no tech-head so this is well outta my league but would it be possible to tie streams to an IP address perhaps?

[Oldbutyet]

Okay and again charts are and always were just a guide line for the music business even shows like the X factor use the audience votes as a chart to find out what way to go with the remaining acts that they have.

Ed Sheeran been mention here a lot and since i started reading up on him i like him, he came up through the ranks as they say like gigging traveling getting HIS songs out there and meeting and listening to those who know what they're talking about and not giving those people thoughts of  "this guy is only listening to himself"  in other words they listen to him but most importantly he listens to them and added his talent to it.

Time to scrap the top 40 and replace it with what, no matter what you replace it with you're still going to have a top 40 and as for fairness, its the people that buy that makes the top whatever and its the charts that telling us and most importantly those in the business what most people are buying, they're the ones spending the big bucks, depending on the audience of course.

Back to topic, time to scrap the top 40 and replace it with what?

[Ramshackles]

That's actually a fair point about multiple streams. Tying to a user is one solution particularly for Spotfiy but I'm not sure I'd be a runner as far as YouTube is concerned, and the pull of YouTube can be seen in the viral success of Gangnum Style. I'm no tech-head so this is well outta my league but would it be possible to tie streams to an IP address perhaps?

Yes you can, but there are a couple of problems:

- Multiple people listening on different devices but using the same wifi will have the same public IP address (it is the address of the router)
- If you listen at e.g. home then go to a cafe or some other wifi and listen there it will be different IP's, even though same user.

Youtube is a problem there yes. Also, playlists created by spotify are more likely to include successful songs so you may add a 'sale' cause you have it on in the background or whatever and some songs that you wouldnt normally buy get played. But I guess that is exactly the same as radio there...

[Boydie]

I think the only way to do it would be "per account" - although there are obvious issues with YouTube where you don't need accounts

Personally I would like to see the charts split in 2

A "sales chart" - physical sales and purchased downloads

A "what's hot" chart that is streaming - including the paid services but also soundcloud, YouTube, bandcamp etc.

I think this would be give a much fairer picture of both the "industry" and what people are listening to

[hardtwistmusic]

Took the time to listen to two Ed Sheeran songs.  Hadn't heard either one before. 

One of the two was something like "castle in the clouds" and I thought it was a true and genuine piece of hit music. 

The other one made no impact on my memory at all. 

I don't care if he "came up through the ranks" or paid a lick of dues.  I either like the music or I don't. 

So far, after two songs, Loved one, the other was entirely forgettable.  50% is a pretty good mark. 

[JonDavies]

Took the time to listen to two Ed Sheeran songs.  Hadn't heard either one before. 

One of the two was something like "castle in the clouds" and I thought it was a true and genuine piece of hit music. 

The other one made no impact on my memory at all. 

I don't care if he "came up through the ranks" or paid a lick of dues.  I either like the music or I don't. 

So far, after two songs, Loved one, the other was entirely forgettable.  50% is a pretty good mark. 

That'll probably be Castle On The Hill

I'd recommend The A Team, Photograph, Lego House, You Need Me, I Don't Need You and Galway Girl if you're interested in listening further

[hardtwistmusic]

Took the time to listen to two Ed Sheeran songs.  Hadn't heard either one before. 

That'll probably be Castle On The Hill

I'd recommend The A Team, Photograph, Lego House, You Need Me, I Don't Need You and Galway Girl if you're interested in listening further

Yes.... "Castle on the Hill."  I thought it was an exceptional song.  Memorable. 

Thanks for the other recommendations.  I do intend to listen, and it really helps to know what has impressed someone else.  Over time, I'll listen to enough to decide to what extent this artist impacts me.  Your suggestions help.