5 Ways In Which Ed Sheeran Changed The World Of Music

Ed Sheeran is undoubtedly one of the biggest artists in the world, but that status doesn’t always reflect quality. In the Brit’s case, though, it most certainly does.

 A true legend of the music industry will change the face of it forever, and Sheeran has been doing this for the best part of a decade now. Here are five issues that underline his impact.

#1. Rid Music Of The Image Obsession (Well…Sorta)

OK, so the modern music industry isn’t exactly void of vanity. Still, there is no doubt that there has been a major shift from image towards talent in recent years. Given that Mr Sheeran isn’t your typical pinup (Sorry Ed), it’s fair to attribute a lot of this change to his success. It certainly helps to look great too. But the days of Britney and Justin Timberlake topping the charts irrespective of their music content seem long gone. Thank the music gods (and Ed) for that! 

#2. Helped Reduce The Number Of Nonsense Music Videos 

Are Ed Sheeran’s music videos the best on the market? No. However, even back in the days of ‘A’ Team, he showed that simplicity was king. Moreover, musicians now see that using a lyric video maker is another important step in promoting the video. It gets fans excited and ensures that they know the words, which is great when the tours start. While the English superstar wasn’t the first to do it, his decision to start making lyric videos for Divide has made a big impact.

#3. Showed You Needn’t Chase Fame

For a lot of artists, making music is almost a secondary concern. Being famous and boosting the profile is number one, as was shown by a couple of NBA stars last year. Not only does Ed Sheeran focus on letting his music do the talking, he even takes breaks from social media. He is confident enough to know that his product will sell without having to oversell himself with gimmicks or forcing his way into the public eye. 

#4. Proved Music Is For Everyone 

The level of racial, gender, and social segregation still found in the music industry is nothing short of scary. Not least when musicians largely make music to bring people together. Sheeran isn’t the first to transcend his background for a universal appeal, and he won’t be the last. Still, we love to see any musician that appeals to people from all backgrounds. The fact that he merges about five different genres of music to break down even more barriers is merely a bonus. 

#5. Fought Ticket Touts

Seeing your favorite artist live is an incredible thing, but paying 5x the ticket price due to greedy touts is far from fun. Ed Sheeran’s endeavors to beat the touts haven’t only paved the way for musicians to help their fans fight back. It has helped comedians, sports teams, and other people from the entertainment industry regain control. If it results in fans having more money, it can only be a good thing – not least in the current climate. 

So, whether you like his music or not, you have to take your hats off to the ginger prince of music.