December 26, 2023 • 11 mins
This is the story of how an average teenager from small-town England, armed with only a guitar and innate songwriting talent, rose to become one of the biggest musical artists in the world in the span of a single decade. Charting Ed Sheeran’s journey from self-producing albums in his bedroom to breaking sales records globally, selling out stadiums as a solo act, and earning elite pop icon status, this biography looks at the phenomenal career of the first decade that made Sheeran a household name.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:00):
Here's an introductory paragraph for the EdSheeran biography. Over the past decade,
English singer songwriter Ed Sheeran has rapidlyemerged from obscurity to become one of the
world's biggest musical acts. Armed withonly his guitar piercing wit and knack for
crafting infectious pop hooks wrapped in organicsongwriting, Scheran has won over legions of
(00:21):
devoted fans spanning genres and generations,fueled by record breaking sales and streams,
sold out headline shows in iconic stadiums, and critical acclaim. The young artist's
unmatched crossover success places him amongst popmusic's top echelon of current hit makers and
among the UK's most successful musical exportsever, with four multi platinum albums and
(00:44):
ten number one one UK singles underhis belt before reaching age thirty. However,
through it all, Scheran has maintainedhis signature style and tireless work ethic,
while remaining firmly grounded in the simpleacts of writing heartfelt songs and performing
for audiences, no matter how largehis stages grow. Ed Sheeran was born
on February seventeenth, nineteen ninety onein Halifax, West Yorkshire, England.
(01:07):
From a young age, he lovedlistening to music, especially older artists like
Bob Dylan and Eric Clapton. Heplayed guitar from childhood and started writing his
own songs when he was very young. When Ed was eleven years old,
he saw Eric Clapton play live.This inspired him to pursue music more seriously.
He continued writing songs and playing localgigs throughout his teenage years. In
(01:30):
two thousand four, at age thirteen, Ed released his first album, Spinning
Man, which he recorded himself.As a teenager, Ed attended Thomas Mills
High School. It was during hishigh school years that Ed really cultivated his
love for performing. He participated inmany musical productions at school and played at
local open mic nights in his freetime. When Ed was sixteen, he
(01:55):
moved to London for a year topursue a music career, but struggled to
gained traction, so he eventually returnedhome After finishing high school. At age
seventeen, Ed released another album intwo thousand nine called You Need Me Still.
He struggled financially and took odd jobswhile continuing to play music and seek
(02:16):
opportunities in London. Finally, intwenty ten, he caught his first big
break. Jamie Fox, the actorand musician, let Ed use his recording
studio, which led to many morecollaborations and performances around London. Ed released
more EPs over the next couple years, while playing over three hundred live shows.
(02:36):
His career started gaining momentum. Intwenty eleven, Ed was invited to
tour with Taylor Swift on her SpeakNow World Tour, which raised his profile
as an artist. Finally, inSeptember twenty eleven, Ed signed with Atlantic
Records and started work on his majorlabel debut album, Plus or Plus.
(02:57):
The first major single from Plus,the A Team, was released in June
twenty eleven. The song peaked atHash three on the UK Singles Chart,
establishing Ed as a rising star inthe music industry. Two more singles,
Lego House and You Need Me IDon't Need You, also achieved commercial success.
Finally, Plus was released in Septembertwenty eleven, debuting Hash one in
(03:19):
twelve countries, including the UK.The album earned ed several brit Award nominations.
In early twenty twelve, the runawaysuccessive Plus took ed to New Heights.
By early twenty twelve, he wasembarking on his first headlining US tour.
His fan base was growing rapidly worldwidedue to his unique stylings as both
a singer, songwriter and guitarist.His popularity continued rising over the next year,
(03:45):
with major TV appearances, additional hitsingles, and a sold out headlining
tour across arenas in Europe. Bythe end of twenty twelve, it was
clear that Ed has become one ofthe world's biggest musical acts. Twenty thirteen
proved to be another standout year,propelling Ed to even greater stardom. He
won two brit Awards in February,including Best British Male Solo Artist. He
(04:09):
collaborated with Taylor Swift on a single, as well as performed with Elton John
at the Grammy Awards. He alsoplayed some of the biggest festivals in the
world, including Glastonbury in the UK. His song The A Team was nominated
for Song of the Year at thetwenty thirteen Grammys, and he embarked on
his second North American arena tour.Throughout twenty fourteen, Ed continued touring the
(04:30):
world in support of Plus playing overone hundred shows across Europe, North America,
Asia and Australia. He also foundtime to record new material at various
studios. By the end of twentyfourteen, Plus had passed six million sales
worldwide, making Ed one of themost globally successful male solo artists. He
capped off the year with four Grammynominations in December. In early twenty fifteen,
(04:56):
Ed announced his decision to take anextended hiatus from touring and live performances
after several years on the road.He wanted to see the world and also
work on new material, which hepreviewed at shows in Los Angeles and New
York. Before his hiatus, Edspent most of twenty fifteen and twenty sixteen
traveling the world, surfing, skateboarding, and otherwise enjoying time away from the
(05:21):
rigors of fame and the music business. Fans were eagerly awaiting his new material.
Ed re emerged with two new singles, Castle on the Hill and Shape
of You in January twenty seventeen.These two tracks marked the first sampling of
his anxiously anticipated third album. Healso announced a twenty seventeen world tour in
(05:44):
support of the new album, calledor Divide, Shape of You was an
instant hit, becoming one of thebest selling singles ever in numerous countries including
the UK, Australia, Canada,and Germany. Ultimately, its worldwide sales
seeded fifteen million, making it oneof history's best selling singles. The accompanying
album shattered sales records as well.Upon its March twenty seventeen release. Like
(06:12):
Plus, it reached Hash one incountries all over the world and became the
best selling album of the year.The massive success of the carried over into
an equally massive two year world tour. From twenty seventeen to twenty nineteen,
over nine million fans attended Ed's recordbreaking Divide Tour, which became the highest
grossing tour of all time in Augusttwenty nineteen. The tour visited played over
(06:36):
two hundred and fifty shows across nearlythirty countries. It cemented ed Sheeran's status
as one of the biggest global superstarsin music history, with fans all over
the world. Not content to reston his laurels, Ed continued writing and
recording during a short break after theDivide tour in late twenty nineteen, He
(06:57):
also popped up as himself in abrief cameo in the hit movie Yesterday that
summer. Never want to slow downhis musical creativity, Ed soon released two
new singles titled Afterglow and Bad Habitsin late twenty twenty and mid twenty twenty
one, respectively. Bad Habits becameEd's tenth single to peak at HASH one
in the UK, tying Elvis Presleyfor second most chart toppers. Additionally,
(07:23):
Bad Habits marked his fiftieth top tensingle, faster than any other artist in
UK chart history. It was yetanother remarkable achievement, cementing his status as
a global pop sensation. In Octobertwenty twenty one, Ed released new single
Shivers, followed by his fourth studioalbum announcement, called Equal Sign or Equals.
(07:45):
When it was released on October twentyninth, twenty twenty one, Equal
Sign debuted at HASH one in overtwenty countries. It became the fastest selling
album of twenty twenty one in theUK and marked Ed's fourth consecutive album,
a feat only matched by a handfulof superstar artists like Eminem, Colplay,
Jay Z and Kanye West. Theglobal success of Equal Signs spawned several more
(08:11):
hit singles for Ed, including Shiversand Merry Christmas with Elton John. In
April twenty twenty two, Ed kickedoff his Mathematics Tour in support of his
latest album, playing multiple nights inmassive stadiums like Wembley and MetLife. The
Mathematics Tour continues through twenty twenty three, with over fifty dates planned across Europe
(08:31):
and North America. Now into histhirties, Ed Sheeran remains one of the
most successful and decorated artists of hisgeneration. His one of a kind blend
of organic singer songwriter sensibilities with pophooks has endeared him to music lovers around
the world. With four massively successfulworld tours and counting under his belt in
(08:54):
just over a decade, Ed hasconsistently set impressive records in touring on top
of his chart topping albums and singles. With his musical style and niche humble
persona, Ed Sheeron has become aglobally recognized icon. He has won countless
awards across all the major music showsand award ceremonies. His albums have sold
(09:15):
over one hundred fifty million total copies, making him one of the world's best
selling artists ever. He continues breakingchart records as he furthers his artistic legacy.
Still early in his career, Edwill undoubtedly remain a central figure in
pop and rock music for years tocome. So in summary, Ed Sheeron
has risen from self releasing homemade albumsas a teenager in England to becoming one
(09:39):
of biggest pop stars on the planetin little more than a decade. His
multi genre appeal, blending acoustic singersongwriter stylings with pop hooks, has earned
him an ocean of devoted to fans. Four straight chart topping albums, multiple
record smashing world tours, ten hashwon UK singles and and over one hundred
(10:00):
fifty million albums sold cements his iconstatus despite his young age. With much
more still to come career wise,the musical legend of Ed Sheeran looks set
to grow exponentially in the years aheadgiven his track record of success. And
there you have it, the incrediblestory of Ed Sheeran's meteoric rise from young
(10:22):
aspiring musician to one of the biggeststars in music today. From self produced
albums as a teen to playing WembleyStadium and shattering chart records. Sheeron's organic
talent, combined with sheer determination,drove him to the pinnacle of pop superstardom.
However, through all the fame andsuccess, he remains humble and dedicated
(10:43):
to his craft, writing great songsand playing for devoted audiences night after night.
As he continues selling out arenas worldwide, there is no doubt Ed Sheeron's
magical musical journey is just beginning.Thanks so much for listening. I hope
you enjoyed this inspirational story. Pleaseremember to subscribe to Quiet Pleas for more
biographies on your favorite artists and iconsfrom the world of music. Until you
(11:07):
next time,
Here's an introductory paragraph for the EdSheeran biography. Over the past decade,
English singer songwriter Ed Sheeran has rapidlyemerged from obscurity to become one of the
world's biggest musical acts. Armed withonly his guitar piercing wit and knack for
crafting infectious pop hooks wrapped in organicsongwriting, Scheran has won over legions of
(00:21):
devoted fans spanning genres and generations,fueled by record breaking sales and streams,
sold out headline shows in iconic stadiums, and critical acclaim. The young artist's
unmatched crossover success places him amongst popmusic's top echelon of current hit makers and
among the UK's most successful musical exportsever, with four multi platinum albums and
(00:44):
ten number one one UK singles underhis belt before reaching age thirty. However,
through it all, Scheran has maintainedhis signature style and tireless work ethic,
while remaining firmly grounded in the simpleacts of writing heartfelt songs and performing
for audiences, no matter how largehis stages grow. Ed Sheeran was born
on February seventeenth, nineteen ninety onein Halifax, West Yorkshire, England.
(01:07):
From a young age, he lovedlistening to music, especially older artists like
Bob Dylan and Eric Clapton. Heplayed guitar from childhood and started writing his
own songs when he was very young. When Ed was eleven years old,
he saw Eric Clapton play live.This inspired him to pursue music more seriously.
He continued writing songs and playing localgigs throughout his teenage years. In
(01:30):
two thousand four, at age thirteen, Ed released his first album, Spinning
Man, which he recorded himself.As a teenager, Ed attended Thomas Mills
High School. It was during hishigh school years that Ed really cultivated his
love for performing. He participated inmany musical productions at school and played at
local open mic nights in his freetime. When Ed was sixteen, he
(01:55):
moved to London for a year topursue a music career, but struggled to
gained traction, so he eventually returnedhome After finishing high school. At age
seventeen, Ed released another album intwo thousand nine called You Need Me Still.
He struggled financially and took odd jobswhile continuing to play music and seek
(02:16):
opportunities in London. Finally, intwenty ten, he caught his first big
break. Jamie Fox, the actorand musician, let Ed use his recording
studio, which led to many morecollaborations and performances around London. Ed released
more EPs over the next couple years, while playing over three hundred live shows.
(02:36):
His career started gaining momentum. Intwenty eleven, Ed was invited to
tour with Taylor Swift on her SpeakNow World Tour, which raised his profile
as an artist. Finally, inSeptember twenty eleven, Ed signed with Atlantic
Records and started work on his majorlabel debut album, Plus or Plus.
(02:57):
The first major single from Plus,the A Team, was released in June
twenty eleven. The song peaked atHash three on the UK Singles Chart,
establishing Ed as a rising star inthe music industry. Two more singles,
Lego House and You Need Me IDon't Need You, also achieved commercial success.
Finally, Plus was released in Septembertwenty eleven, debuting Hash one in
(03:19):
twelve countries, including the UK.The album earned ed several brit Award nominations.
In early twenty twelve, the runawaysuccessive Plus took ed to New Heights.
By early twenty twelve, he wasembarking on his first headlining US tour.
His fan base was growing rapidly worldwidedue to his unique stylings as both
a singer, songwriter and guitarist.His popularity continued rising over the next year,
(03:45):
with major TV appearances, additional hitsingles, and a sold out headlining
tour across arenas in Europe. Bythe end of twenty twelve, it was
clear that Ed has become one ofthe world's biggest musical acts. Twenty thirteen
proved to be another standout year,propelling Ed to even greater stardom. He
won two brit Awards in February,including Best British Male Solo Artist. He
(04:09):
collaborated with Taylor Swift on a single, as well as performed with Elton John
at the Grammy Awards. He alsoplayed some of the biggest festivals in the
world, including Glastonbury in the UK. His song The A Team was nominated
for Song of the Year at thetwenty thirteen Grammys, and he embarked on
his second North American arena tour.Throughout twenty fourteen, Ed continued touring the
(04:30):
world in support of Plus playing overone hundred shows across Europe, North America,
Asia and Australia. He also foundtime to record new material at various
studios. By the end of twentyfourteen, Plus had passed six million sales
worldwide, making Ed one of themost globally successful male solo artists. He
capped off the year with four Grammynominations in December. In early twenty fifteen,
(04:56):
Ed announced his decision to take anextended hiatus from touring and live performances
after several years on the road.He wanted to see the world and also
work on new material, which hepreviewed at shows in Los Angeles and New
York. Before his hiatus, Edspent most of twenty fifteen and twenty sixteen
traveling the world, surfing, skateboarding, and otherwise enjoying time away from the
(05:21):
rigors of fame and the music business. Fans were eagerly awaiting his new material.
Ed re emerged with two new singles, Castle on the Hill and Shape
of You in January twenty seventeen.These two tracks marked the first sampling of
his anxiously anticipated third album. Healso announced a twenty seventeen world tour in
(05:44):
support of the new album, calledor Divide, Shape of You was an
instant hit, becoming one of thebest selling singles ever in numerous countries including
the UK, Australia, Canada,and Germany. Ultimately, its worldwide sales
seeded fifteen million, making it oneof history's best selling singles. The accompanying
album shattered sales records as well.Upon its March twenty seventeen release. Like
(06:12):
Plus, it reached Hash one incountries all over the world and became the
best selling album of the year.The massive success of the carried over into
an equally massive two year world tour. From twenty seventeen to twenty nineteen,
over nine million fans attended Ed's recordbreaking Divide Tour, which became the highest
grossing tour of all time in Augusttwenty nineteen. The tour visited played over
(06:36):
two hundred and fifty shows across nearlythirty countries. It cemented ed Sheeran's status
as one of the biggest global superstarsin music history, with fans all over
the world. Not content to reston his laurels, Ed continued writing and
recording during a short break after theDivide tour in late twenty nineteen, He
(06:57):
also popped up as himself in abrief cameo in the hit movie Yesterday that
summer. Never want to slow downhis musical creativity, Ed soon released two
new singles titled Afterglow and Bad Habitsin late twenty twenty and mid twenty twenty
one, respectively. Bad Habits becameEd's tenth single to peak at HASH one
in the UK, tying Elvis Presleyfor second most chart toppers. Additionally,
(07:23):
Bad Habits marked his fiftieth top tensingle, faster than any other artist in
UK chart history. It was yetanother remarkable achievement, cementing his status as
a global pop sensation. In Octobertwenty twenty one, Ed released new single
Shivers, followed by his fourth studioalbum announcement, called Equal Sign or Equals.
(07:45):
When it was released on October twentyninth, twenty twenty one, Equal
Sign debuted at HASH one in overtwenty countries. It became the fastest selling
album of twenty twenty one in theUK and marked Ed's fourth consecutive album,
a feat only matched by a handfulof superstar artists like Eminem, Colplay,
Jay Z and Kanye West. Theglobal success of Equal Signs spawned several more
(08:11):
hit singles for Ed, including Shiversand Merry Christmas with Elton John. In
April twenty twenty two, Ed kickedoff his Mathematics Tour in support of his
latest album, playing multiple nights inmassive stadiums like Wembley and MetLife. The
Mathematics Tour continues through twenty twenty three, with over fifty dates planned across Europe
(08:31):
and North America. Now into histhirties, Ed Sheeran remains one of the
most successful and decorated artists of hisgeneration. His one of a kind blend
of organic singer songwriter sensibilities with pophooks has endeared him to music lovers around
the world. With four massively successfulworld tours and counting under his belt in
(08:54):
just over a decade, Ed hasconsistently set impressive records in touring on top
of his chart topping albums and singles. With his musical style and niche humble
persona, Ed Sheeron has become aglobally recognized icon. He has won countless
awards across all the major music showsand award ceremonies. His albums have sold
(09:15):
over one hundred fifty million total copies, making him one of the world's best
selling artists ever. He continues breakingchart records as he furthers his artistic legacy.
Still early in his career, Edwill undoubtedly remain a central figure in
pop and rock music for years tocome. So in summary, Ed Sheeron
has risen from self releasing homemade albumsas a teenager in England to becoming one
(09:39):
of biggest pop stars on the planetin little more than a decade. His
multi genre appeal, blending acoustic singersongwriter stylings with pop hooks, has earned
him an ocean of devoted to fans. Four straight chart topping albums, multiple
record smashing world tours, ten hashwon UK singles and and over one hundred
(10:00):
fifty million albums sold cements his iconstatus despite his young age. With much
more still to come career wise,the musical legend of Ed Sheeran looks set
to grow exponentially in the years aheadgiven his track record of success. And
there you have it, the incrediblestory of Ed Sheeran's meteoric rise from young
(10:22):
aspiring musician to one of the biggeststars in music today. From self produced
albums as a teen to playing WembleyStadium and shattering chart records. Sheeron's organic
talent, combined with sheer determination,drove him to the pinnacle of pop superstardom.
However, through all the fame andsuccess, he remains humble and dedicated
(10:43):
to his craft, writing great songsand playing for devoted audiences night after night.
As he continues selling out arenas worldwide, there is no doubt Ed Sheeron's
magical musical journey is just beginning.Thanks so much for listening. I hope
you enjoyed this inspirational story. Pleaseremember to subscribe to Quiet Pleas for more
biographies on your favorite artists and iconsfrom the world of music. Until you
(11:07):
next time,
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