Ed Sheeran is just so nice...

Sick of this stuff all over social media.

Not a fan of singer songwriters with acoustic guitars, and don't listen to music radio. So have managed to get to this point in my life and don't know one song of his. Presume it's the usual harmless bland stuff the genre spews out all the time.

But what does interest me is the way in which he manipulates social media, and in how those who use social media are manipulated. He has managed to package this nice guy image, to the extent that even when he is patently flogging his albums by appearing on the Late Late Toy Show (that's Ireland's most popular tv show for anyone else out there who wants to sell tickets to a gig in Croke Park), people want to believe he is doing it because he is nice. They lap up every "Ed Sheeran is nice and did this nice thing" story on sites like Joe.ie.

So what is it? Is it naivety? Is geek culture in? Is it a reaction to the generation that liked their music stars to ride motorbikes down hotel corridors? Is there some innate desire in us to see good guys do well and a need to believe that someone is a good person? Just why do people lap this up without question?

amdublin

Maybe he's just nice. And people like seeing niceness.

You don't even know his music...and are mad that everyone is lapping up his niceness on social media. I'm very confused what your point is.

amdublin

amdublin wrote: »

Maybe he's just nice. And people like seeing niceness.

You don't even know his music...and are mad that everyone is lapping up his niceness on social media. I'm very confused what your point is.

No I'm not "mad" at all. Cynical perhaps.

Your point is somewhat confusing though. I must know someone's music in order to comment on their marketing and image?

Here's Morrisseys take. And he is right. Though you'll have to forgive him, he doesn't specify how many times he's heard Ed Sheeran so it may have little value for you.

http://www.irishexaminer.com/examviral/celeb-life/what-is-morrisseys-problem-with-ed-sheeran-and-sam-smith-342243.html

Timberrrrrrrr

[Deleted User] wrote: »

No I'm not "mad" at all. Cynical perhaps.

Your point is somewhat confusing though. I must know someone's music in order to comment on their marketing and image?

Here's Morrisseys take. And he is right. Though you'll have to forgive him, he doesn't specify how many times he's heard Ed Sheeran so it may have little value for you.

http://www.irishexaminer.com/examviral/celeb-life/what-is-morrisseys-problem-with-ed-sheeran-and-sam-smith-342243.html

Morrissy

A bitter twisted has been whinging about nothing to keep his name in the headlines, chap is so depressing he could drive the care bears to suicide.

NIMAN

While I'm no fan of Ed myself, and don't know that many of his songs, I think that article from Morrissey stinks of pettiness.

So stars in the past weren't marketed? Of course they were. OK so it might be done dofferently nowadays but times change. And the music world is moving like everything else.

He says "So, we are now in the era of marketed pop stars, which means that the labels fully control the charts, and consequently the public has lost interest". I wouldn't say people are losing interest, Ed just sold 160,000 tickets for 2 shows in Dublin ffs! Could Morrissey do that?

What has he done that is "not nice"!?
And if you can't answer that, why believe that people are lapping up stories of him being nice.... He's prob just nice!
By the sounds of it.. You have just read an article and now treading about him?! Why not read an article that subjects something that you know of or understand and start a tread about that!?

Timberrrrrrrr

Timberrrrrrrr wrote: »

Morrissy

A bitter twisted has been whinging about nothing to keep his name in the headlines, chap is so depressing he could drive the care bears to suicide.

Your posts are the epitome of my point.

You think Sheeran is nice, Morrissey a "twisted had been" on the basis of their image, their personality...the marketing side.

I have never ever pondered on whether Beethoven or Kraftwerk were nice guys and liked kids and toy shows. Never. They made good music, that's the issue that mattered to me. Why would I even care about their personality? So I am puzzled by this apparent need to determine if someone is nice or not, and impressed at the way Sheeran has manipulated it.

murraychrisg

murraychrisg wrote: »

By the sounds of it.. You have just read an article and now treading about him?

No I haven't just read an article about him.

I have read posts of a few Facebook friends going to the gig and not one of them said his music is good, this album was pioneering, that album redefined the genre or whatever. It's all about him being nice and I'm just interested in the extent to which he has exploited the nice brand.

NIMAN

NIMAN wrote: »

He says "So, we are now in the era of marketed pop stars, which means that the labels fully control the charts, and consequently the public has lost interest". I wouldn't say people are losing interest, Ed just sold 160,000 tickets for 2 shows in Dublin ffs! Could Morrissey do that?

Your last sentence does prove the first 2 points he makes though.

I have no big interest in singer songwriters, but there are some brilliant ones out there like say Neil Young. He wouldn't sell 160,000 tickets to gigs though, because Sheeran is a marketing juggernaut. Let's face it, Morrissey may be nice or unpleasant, it shouldn't matter, as a matter of fact he (and Marr) reshaped the world of music.

Old Perry

If the stars of today acted like some of the stars of previous generations they would get nowhere. It is quite interesting how it goes alright. niall horan gets seen with an apparant weed pipe and its instantly 'bad press'. And then theres miley cyrus. i reckon that girl is being used like a puppet by her production company. but to say ed sheeran is playing the nice guy implys that he is bad in some way, there is nothing to support that really. flogging his wares is just another of saying he's promoting them tbf, part and parcel of the business these days.

Baron Kurtz

You sound about 70, and a bit of a bitchy queen.

Also, that narcissist you refer to is also culpable in equal measure to devising a marketing strategy that works for him. It's generally vitriolic. I'm not saying he's incorrect but he also enjoys the attention and indulges in being inflammatory on social media. There's isn't much difference between both of them to be honest.

Baron Kurtz

Baron Kurtz wrote: »

You sound about 70, and a bit of a bitchy queen.

Sure it's only auld wans who are interested in branding and the manipulation of image and social media!

A great point.

kirk buttercup

While Im not a fan of his he took time out for my daughter and gave her an Ice cream and because she loves him this made her year , lots of "artists" lose sight that the reason they are famous is because of kids like her lapping up everything they do.So its refreshing to see someone just being a genuine nice guy. He wont be the biggest thing around for long hopefully he wont turn into a bitter prick like Morrisey someone my generation had alot of respect for but is intolerable nowadays.

Baron Kurtz

Deleted User wrote: »

Sure it's only auld wans who are interested in branding and the manipulation of image and social media!

A great point.

That wasn't my point. If I had a point it's in my second paragraph, I suppose. You must admit though that your opening post was a bit wooly-headed and something that only a fusty misanthrope could come out with. I think you're generally like this.

jacool

Deleted User wrote: »

I have never ever pondered on whether Beethoven or Kraftwerk were nice guys and liked kids and toy shows. Never. They made good music, that's the issue that mattered to me.

So if its all about the music, then why haven't you listened to Ed then?

duffman13

I have a very passive interest in music, but the missus loves Ed so we went Friday. Turns out I knew a good few of his songs and had an absolute ball, the concert was incredible and he put on a great show. There was stewards in their 70s giving it socks during the gig aswell.

My point is he may be marketed as a nice guy but he has substance and put on a brilliant show. So much so I would have went Saturday aswell if I could have got tickets.

If he was just a nice guy 80000 people wouldn't have left Coke Park singing all the way back to O'Connell Street.

Baron Kurtz

Baron Kurtz wrote: »

... something that only a fusty misanthrope could come out with. I think you're generally like this.

Interesting.

Cos I guess one aspect of my point is the need to judge people...as nice in the case of Sheeran, nasty in the case of Morrissey. Here a poster has told me what I'm "generally like"!!!

Surely one could like or dislike the music, the point, whatever, without ratifying their position with a character analysis?

jacool

jacool wrote: »

So if its all about the music, then why haven't you listened to Ed then?

I don't like the genre.

I also don't like country and western. But am impressed at the way Daniel O'Donnell has also marketed the nice guy thing and made a fortune.

machiavellianme

jacool wrote: »

So if its all about the music, then why haven't you listened to Ed then?

Because he's rubbish?

duffman13

[Deleted User] wrote: »

Interesting.

Cos I guess one aspect of my point is the need to judge people...as nice in the case of Sheeran, nasty in the case of Morrissey. Here a poster has told me what I'm "generally like"!!!

Surely one could like or dislike the music, the point, whatever, without ratifying their position with a character analysis?

Welcome to life, we work/know people we don't like and are slower to warm to their ideas opinions because of our dislike. It's part of life that sometimes content comes second, not saying that is right at all but it will always happen.

If the content is good people will eventually warm to the idea, if the content is bad people will eventually get bored and form a dislike. If Ed was so bad he wouldn't have sold out two gigs in croker

machiavellianme

machiavellianme wrote: »

Because he's rubbish?

I can't say that. I don't like the genre so I don't know. He may be very good at it.

Maybe it's part of pop in general, Morrissey refers to Sam Smith too. I don't see it in electronic music, I have never heard anyone ponder if Underworld or the Aphew Twin were nice or not.

machiavellianme

duffman13 wrote: »

Welcome to life, we work/know people we don't like and are slower to warm to their ideas opinions because of our dislike. It's part of life that sometimes content comes second, not saying that is right at all but it will always happen.

If the content is good people will eventually warm to the idea, if the content is bad people will eventually get bored and form a dislike. If Ed was so bad he wouldn't have sold out two gigs in croker

There's no accounting for poor taste. Garth Brooks sold out 5. It doesn't imply his music is any good either. Same with westlife or boyzone or jedward or whatever other flavour of the month banal trite muck they're peddling.

Polly Sonic

I've no interest in his music at all, the missus loves his songs, if he was a complete and utter arsehole she would still love the songs.

The whole nice guy thing is a completely separate issue. It's not like he built up this false, overly nice persona and then turned around and said hey, by the way, I do music too.

Of course his image helps, whether it's sincere or not, who cares?
People do like to see nice people do well because we live in a world where it would seem the bigger the c*nt you are the better.

Ave Sodalis

Deleted User wrote:

I also don't like country and western. But am impressed at the way Daniel O'Donnell has also marketed the nice guy thing and made a fortune.

Have you met Daniel O'Donnell? He genuinely is a nice guy, and I am by no means a fan of his music. However, I've a lot of respect for the man and not because of marketing, but because he is actually nice. Now I am a fan of acoustic music. I don't know Ed but I don't think his niceness is just marketing. We need more nice people in the world and as role models. The world must be a bitter place for you OP if you have such a problem with people being nice that you needed to make a thread complaining. As for the music itself, you're not a fan of acoustic music but he is talented in that field.

sup_dude

sup_dude wrote: »

Have you met Daniel O'Donnell? He genuinely is a nice guy, and I am by no means a fan of his music. However, I've a lot of respect for the man and not because of marketing, but because he is actually nice...

From another thread here...

yuloni wrote: »

This post has been deleted.

cathysworld wrote: »

Daniel O Donnell was a pri.ck believe it or not

Now he could be nice, he may not be nice.

sup_dude wrote: »

The world must be a bitter place for you OP if you have such a problem with people being nice that you needed to make a thread complaining.

Again, this is precisely the issue I am raising, your need to make some assessment of me, our need to ascribe some personality to the person to deal with them, their music, their post on an anonymous forum.

amdublin

[Deleted User] wrote: »

No I'm not "mad" at all. Cynical perhaps.

Your point is somewhat confusing though. I must know someone's music in order to comment on their marketing and image?

Here's Morrisseys take. And he is right. Though you'll have to forgive him, he doesn't specify how many times he's heard Ed Sheeran so it may have little value for you.

http://www.irishexaminer.com/examviral/celeb-life/what-is-morrisseys-problem-with-ed-sheeran-and-sam-smith-342243.html

My point about you not listening to his music is that instead you seem obsessed how about he is being marketed.

Maybe listen to his music. I really doubt people are buying his music because he's nice.

Me, I wouldn't be into his music. I don't have his albums. I wouldn't buy a ticket for Croke Park.

But yeah, I think he's nice. So what????


Same goes for daniel o. I think all those aul wans go to his concert to tap along to that c&w sh1te he does. Like he doesn't stand there "being nice" for two hours. His records are not recordings of Daniel "being nice".

Shock horror. People are nice. Shock horror. It's mentioned in their marketing material and social media. So freakin what!!!!

amdublin

Ps. Are you and morrissey saying that if morrissey was marketed as nice he'd sell more records? I disagree.

Ed sheeran selling records and being nice are two streams running alongside each other.

amdublin

amdublin wrote: »

My point about you not listening to his music is that instead you seem obsessed how about he is being marketed.

Maybe listen to his music. I really doubt people are buying his music because he's nice.

Um...my point is precisely about his marketing, and not his music. I think I said pretty very clearly in the first post that I don't know his music.

And no I'm not "obsessed", just as I am not "mad" either.

amdublin wrote: »

Shock horror. People are nice. Shock horror. It's mentioned in their marketing material and social media. So freakin what!!!!

"So what"? Well you're answering, for starters, so evidently the topic has provoked some interest in your part.

duffman13

machiavellianme wrote: »

There's no accounting for poor taste. Garth Brooks sold out 5. It doesn't imply his music is any good either. Same with westlife or boyzone or jedward or whatever other flavour of the month banal trite muck they're peddling.

Taste is a matter of opinion and it's pretty unfair to say others have bad taste based on your perceptions. I wouldn't be in to any of the acts you've listed but you've got to respect some of them have huge fan bases based on the music they play. Brooks and Westlife have been doing it for a long time and deserve a bit of respect even if I wouldn't listen to either.

The whole point of the OP is he thinks Ed is only popular cause he's a nice bloke. People like his music, the fact he is a nice guy contributes to his success and why wouldn't it?

amdublin

amdublin wrote: »

Ps. Are you and morrissey saying that if morrissey was marketed as nice he'd sell more records? I disagree.

Ed sheeran selling records and being nice are two streams running alongside each other.

I don't know about the first point. It was never my contention that Morrissey should change his marketing to sell more records, not sure where you got that idea.

I agree with the second point, and I'm glad you have completely changed your position from your first post and now agree that one can analyse the music and the image completely separately.

duffman13

duffman13 wrote: »

The whole point of the OP is he thinks Ed is only popular cause he's a nice bloke.

Oh no it's not.

He could be brilliant at what he does, I can't say. I'd have to know his music to say the only reason for his popularity is his branding. I am merely saying the latter exists, very heavily.

amdublin

[Deleted User] wrote: »

I agree with the second point, and I'm glad you have completely changed your position from your first post and now agree......

????????

amdublin

Initially you thought one had to know his music to assess his image and branding...

amdublin wrote: »

You don't even know his music...and are mad that everyone is lapping up his niceness on social media.

You now accept that they are very distinct issues.

amdublin wrote: »

Ed sheeran selling records and being nice are two streams running alongside each other.

I don't have to buy one of his records to comment on the social media campaign.

amdublin

So your point is (his music aside) you don't like the way he's nice and this is being mentioned in the media?

amdublin

amdublin wrote: »

So your point is (his music aside) you don't like the way he's nice and this is being mentioned in the media?

No no, I don't know if he's nice or not. I don't care. I can't say he is not nice, I never met the guy. I am interested in the way it matters to so many who spread the "Ed was nice" stories, how his image is packaged and controlled and how well his handlers manipulate social media. I have never heard a fan of classical music ponder about whether Beethoven was nice, I have never heard a fan of minimal techno assess Ricardo Villalobos in that way.

As this article suggests, it's one of the key branding points they slot into interviews. It's the message that's constantly pressed.

http://pitchfork.com/thepitch/624-the-problem-with-ed-sheeran-and-nice-guys-like-him/

amdublin

Well my opinion is. He's a nice guy. Some stories about him being nice have got out/been sent out.

I'm ok with that.

I like nice guys.

Baron Kurtz

Honestly, Conor, your observation is one that at best deserves a shoulder shrug or acknowledgment that it might or might not be apparent in Sheeran or other pop stars but it's so banal and hardly worthy of the trenchant debating and defence of a non-argument you seem to be enthusing about here. It's a bit strange. It's like you went all out for the sake of an argument. Do you have no real people to discuss this with? I'm almost blushing at the fact that you've prompted this response:)

nc19

Deleted User wrote:

....... Just why do people lap this up without question?

he did a free show one time before he hit it big and because so many people showed up he did 2 extra nights FOR FREE so that no one would miss out.....


He is a nice guy. A normal down to earth guy who is very talented. He started his own label and had his first signing on a major tour with him.

He puts up with Taylor Swift ffs!!! The man's a saint........

NIMAN

He does appear to be a civil enough spud.

Seen him interviewed a few times, comes across as nice.
Read a few stories about him turning up for fans weddings or parties etc. Again a nice thing to do.

Read a few things about him doing work for charity. Again nice to do.

Overall, if I was a betting man, I'd say he's probably a decent enough fella.

Ave Sodalis

Deleted User wrote:

From another thread here...


Now he could be nice, he may not be nice.

I've had dealings with him several times at several events. He does a lot of charity and fundraising things in the area. Always came across as nice, mannerly and civil. He takes his time to get to know everyone. I have genuinely no idea where the sleazy accusation comes from, unless they were referencing the pisstake songs.

Deleted User wrote:

Again, this is precisely the issue I am raising, your need to make some assessment of me, our need to ascribe some personality to the person to deal with them, their music, their post on an anonymous forum.

In fairness, someone who complains about people being nice come across as bitter. Or worse, people who complain about people who prefer people who are nice. If I had kids, I would much much prefer Ed Sheeran as a role model than Miley Cyrus or the like.

Right Turn Clyde

Deleted User wrote: »

I have never heard a fan of minimal techno assess Ricardo Villalobos in that way.

It's something you always hear said about Carl Cox, whether by his fellow DJs or people within the media. I don't think Cox has a team of handlers manipulating his persona. Some people are just... nice.

But I've no doubt there's a team of PR gurus behind Team Sheeran.

By the way, I once met Villalobos at Sonar. He looked like he was feeling nice. Very nice indeed.

machiavellianme

Deleted User wrote: »

No no, I don't know if he's nice or not. I don't care. I can't say he is not nice, I never met the guy. I am interested in the way it matters to so many who spread the "Ed was nice" stories, how his image is packaged and controlled and how well his handlers manipulate social media. I have never heard a fan of classical music ponder about whether Beethoven was nice, I have never heard a fan of minimal techno assess Ricardo Villalobos in that way.

As this article suggests, it's one of the key branding points they slot into interviews. It's the message that's constantly pressed.

http://pitchfork.com/thepitch/624-the-problem-with-ed-sheeran-and-nice-guys-like-him/

That article compares ed duller than dishwater sheeran with dinosaur Jr?
It's all about marketing and nothing to do with talent. Those whingey plinky plonky singer songwriter types are a penny a dozen. Sheeran just got lucky as did David gray a few years back. In a couple more, he'll be gone and forgotten about with his back catalogue of banality buried in the past (bar infrequent spins on easy listening gold shows).

nc19

Deleted User wrote:

I have never ever pondered on whether Beethoven or Kraftwerk were nice guys and liked kids and toy shows. Never.

What a ridiculous post!!!


If they were alive and making music you liked you're saying that would be enough for you? You wouldn't like to know something about them? Where they were from, what they were like when they were younger, the things that may have informed their music and thus giving you a deeper understanding of said music?

Baron Kurtz

Baron Kurtz wrote: »

Honestly, Conor, your observation is one that at best deserves a shoulder shrug or acknowledgment that it might or might not be apparent in Sheeran or other pop stars but it's so banal and hardly worthy of the trenchant debating and defence of a non-argument you seem to be enthusing about here. It's a bit strange. It's like you went all out for the sake of an argument. Do you have no real people to discuss this with? I'm almost blushing at the fact that you've prompted this response:)

Your third post, and it's a third one about me.

And in a thread that you say only deserves "a shoulder shrug".

Psssst, if you want to pretend you are indifferent, don't (i) keep posting (ii) about me!

NIMAN

NIMAN wrote: »

Read a few things about him doing work for charity. Again nice to do.

Overall, if I was a betting man, I'd say he's probably a decent enough fella.

He could be. I don't know the man at all.

I note you say you read about his charity work. I fully expect you did.

nc19

nc19 wrote: »

What a ridiculous post!!!

If they were alive and making music you liked you're saying that would be enough for you? You wouldn't like to know something about them? Where they were from, what they were like when they were younger, the things that may have informed their music and thus giving you a deeper understanding of said music?

Zero interest in reading about how nice members of Kraftwerk are (they are alive!). It's is their music I like, not choreographed visits to sick kids. That's not to say I'd have no interest in their backgrounds, but not an assessment of their personality based on them handing a cheque to charity.

Ging Ging

Has anybody baked him a cake with a jumper in it?

Dozen Wicked Words

Not a fan of his music, but I think he seems pretty genuine, he was raised in Suffolk and years and years ago, the local TV station did an piece about him, this was long before he got signed, and he was pretty much as he is now. Obviously the record company loves this side of him and it probably helps his image, but I'm still inclined to believe what you see is what you get with Sheeran. Promotion of a negative image is often just as attractive for record companies anyway, Sex Pistols weren't famous for their cuddlyness or their musical prowess, Billy Idol was a manufactured "bad boy", Maddona is still flogging the dead horse of supposed sexy/edgyness.

I think Taylor Swift would be a better case to discuss manipulation of media to portray her as everyone's friend, who loves her fans and has always been the hard done by one. Not a week goes by where she isn't photographed with the current new big thing (Sheeran was one of those, but you also had Haim, Ellie Goulding, Lorde etc etc), those nasty women Poehler and Fey were terrible to her, shes the only "feminist" allowed to have a voice. Those nasty actors who went out with her were always the villian.

I think her and her advisors have the game sewn up, she is queen manipulator and would struggle to see where the spin starts and ends. I blame Kanye West, once he invaded the stage for her award speech a little light bulb went off over her head about media portrayal and so it began! Now, I'm off to the CT forum.

Right Turn Clyde

Deleted User wrote: »

Your posts are the epitome of my point.

You think Sheeran is nice, Morrissey a "twisted had been" on the basis of their image, their personality...the marketing side.

I have never ever pondered on whether Beethoven or Kraftwerk were nice guys and liked kids and toy shows. Never. They made good music, that's the issue that mattered to me. Why would I even care about their personality? So I am puzzled by this apparent need to determine if someone is nice or not, and impressed at the way Sheeran has manipulated it.

nc19 wrote: »

What a ridiculous post!!!


If they were alive and making music you liked you're saying that would be enough for you? You wouldn't like to know something about them? Where they were from, what they were like when they were younger, the things that may have informed their music and thus giving you a deeper understanding of said music?

Let me guess. You thought Kraftwerk was a dead composer?

Baron Kurtz

Deleted User wrote: »

Your third post, and it's a third one about me.

And in a thread that you say only deserves "a shoulder shrug".

Psssst, if you want to pretend you are indifferent, don't (i) keep posting (ii) about me!

Yeah, it should deserve that, in a normal conversation, but your justification and incessant arguing for arguing sake is risible so it is directed at you. Who else should I direct it at?:)

My comments are headed your way because I'm highlighting the silliness of your thread/rationale and you just aren't backing down on anything or at least conceding to other posters that have posted some bit of sense.

I don't think there's any point continuing arguing essentially nothing here. You can multi-quote and extract the bits you want now til your heart's content.

Dozen Wicked Words

Dozen Wicked Words wrote: »

I think Taylor Swift would be a better case to discuss manipulation of media to portray her as everyone's friend, who loves her fans and has always been the hard done by one. Not a week goes by where she isn't photographed with the current new big thing (Sheeran was one of those, but you also had Haim, Ellie Goulding, Lorde etc etc), those nasty women Poehler and Fey were terrible to her, shes the only "feminist" allowed to have a voice. Those nasty actors who went out with her were always the villian.

Re Sheeran and Swift, I can't say who is manipulating who, I presume it's a mutually beneficial friendship that both sides are exploiting. In fact as he was her support act on a US tour 2 years ago and is now headlining there, I'd say he did very well for himself out if it.