Inside Ed Sheeran’s Hit Factory: The Making of His Top Songs

Ed Sheeran is one of pop music's biggest sensations. He's known for his smash hit songs "Shape of You," "Bad Habits," and his top song, "Perfect." The latter was on the Billboard Hot 100 list for over a year, while Sheeran's "Shape of You" was on the charts for 59 weeks, and "Thinking Out Loud" for 58 weeks.

These astounding numbers have made Ed Sheeran the first solo artist to have three different songs stay on the Hot 100 for a year. With chart-topping songs and albums, four GRAMMY wins, 17 GRAMMY nominations, and numerous BRIT Awards, Ed Sheeran has made a name for himself as a global pop megastar.

If you've ever wondered where Sheeran gets his inspiration from or what his music production journey is like, keep reading. We'll explore how Sheeran takes a song concept, writes the lyrics and music, produces it, and markets the song for global success.

Sheeran was born on Feb. 17, 1991, in Halifax, West Yorkshire, England. He comes from an artistic family with a brother who's a music composer. At an early age, Sheeran sang in the church choir and later played the guitar. He began writing songs around the age of 11. Before his major label debut, Sheeran recorded and self-released several EPs: Spinning Man (2004), The Orange Room EP (2005), Ed Sheeran (2006), and Want Some? (2007). Soon after releasing Want Some?, he moved to London to pursue a career in music.

Sheeran jumped right into the music scene by playing at small gigs, cafes, weddings, and open mic nights. While he made only a modest amount of money, it validated his commitment to keep going. Sheeran got noticed in 2010 when he shared "You Need Me, I Don't Need You" on Jamal Edwards's U.K. hip-hop platform SB.TV.

In 2011, his song "A Team" from the EP Loose Change was a huge hit and helped launch his career. Soon after, Sheeran signed a recording contract with Asylum Records. From there, his albums and songs have reached and stayed on the charts, and he continues to tour around the world.

In an article written by Belmont University in Nashville, Tennessee, and talking in a Q&A session moderated by songwriting co-chair Drew Ramsey of Gallery of Iconic Guitars, Ed Sheeran said about his start to a song, “I walk in [to the studio], and the first thing I say is ‘dare to suck,'" he said. "This might suck; it might be good. If it sucks, no one has to hear it, we scrap it, it just doesn't exist. But if it is good and great, you keep it." 

In the same Q&A session at Belmont University, he also told aspiring songwriters, "The first time I had a song flop was actually my favorite fail because I went through probably five years of my career with everything working… Having that first flop and then feeling that disappointment, you appreciate it again when the next thing works."

Sheeran also uses what he calls the faucet theory as an approach to songwriting. When you first turn on a water faucet, the water may be muddy, but eventually becomes clear. Just like in writing, sometimes you just get muddy words down, and the more you write, the clearer the words come. If you stick with the process, you eventually have a great song.

Being in the music industry takes collaboration, and Ed Sheeran has often worked with fellow artists across musical genres. In 2014, he worked with the R&B artist Pharrell Williams on Sheeran's second studio album, ×  (Multiply). 

On Sheeran's album, No. 6 Collaborations Project, he collaborated with Cardi B, Chance the Rapper, Bruno Mars, and even country music star Chris Stapleton. You can hear elements of R&B, rap, soul, and a twist of country in some of the songs and albums from Sheeran's collaborations.

Sheeran is also a prolific songwriter, often writing daily. He has written "Little Things," performed by One Direction, co-wrote Taylor Swift's "Everything Has Changed," and "Love Yourself" by Justin Bieber.

The Ed Sheeran songs you hear on the radio take work to get to a final, polished track. While Sheeran imagines the songs and writes most of them, much of the hard work of refining the song for a radio hit and global success comes from his longtime producer, Jake Gosling. Gosling works out of his own “Sticky Studios” in the small Surrey village of Windlesham, England. The producer was fascinated by the way Sheeran blends ballads with urban beats, which help give Sheeran's music its unique sound.

Sheeran and Gosling begin their co-writing sessions by talking about life and jamming together. From there, they get a groove going, and the song often grows organically from the thoughts and sounds Gosling and Sheeran create. The magic of refinement of Sheeran's songs comes from Gosling's recording and mixing equipment, his ear for the right sound, and his knowledge of what will make a hit song.

In Sheeran's new song, "Azizam," he worked with producers Johnny McDaid, Ilya Salmanzadeh, and Savan Kotecha.

Sheeran understands the power of social media and brand partnerships and knows how to build excitement for a new song, album, or tour. When he releases a new song, he makes a lyrics video so fans can read the lyrics and understand them.

He also has pop-up stores that sell his merchandise. He'll post the location and times to get fans excited by creating a sense of urgency to get the merch before the pop-up closes. Sheeran also collaborates with brands he feels loyal to. Using social media creatively the way Sheeran does connects him with his audience, which is cross-generational and worldwide.

As Sheeran teases the possibility of a new album and continues to tour, he's also taking time to step away from so much limelight. After the birth of his second daughter, he realized that he wanted to take time to bond with his family and enjoy some of the simple pleasures of life. We'll most likely hear his peaceful approach to life in his new songs and albums.