Ed Sheeran, am i missing something?

ronnie085

Average singer, average songwriter, go as far as saying he'd struggle to fill the local based on talent (in my opinion) yet he is one of the biggest deals at the moment. Victory for the PR hype machine? He's kinda Irish you know

skankkuvhima

I'm with you ronnie, if I saw him on the street banging out wonderwall I'd hardly give him a second glance.

Knex*

Music is subjective. Let people enjoy things.

vicwatson

ronnie085 wrote: »

Average singer, average songwriter, go as far as saying he'd struggle to fill the local based on talent (in my opinion) yet he is one of the biggest deals at the moment. Victory for the PR hype machine? He's kinda Irish you know

No he's not, his grandmother is Irish

Mantis Toboggan

Average singer no doubt but he's an excellent song writer and good performer.

skankkuvhima

Knex. wrote: »

Music is subjective. Let people enjoy things.

I dunno about that, I've heard shite singers that are genuinely objectively shite.

Peintre Celebre

Birds goin on about how good looking he is. A fat ginger lad with kinda froggy eyes, wonder would they say that if he worked in Tesco

awec

Some absolute nonsense posted on here. Average singer and average songwriter? Wise yourself.

Not into all his music but there is no denying he is incredibly talented.

Dr Crayfish

Ha. I was just saying in work that I don't know one of his songs and they wouldn't believe me. I'm 36, did I miss something? Is he only huge in Ireland like Garth Brooks? Living in London till 2015 I didn't hear of him at all till I came home to Dublin.

ronnie085

Knex. wrote: »

Music is subjective. Let people enjoy things.

Oh my know, just can't get my head around the attaraction for so many, one direction wouldn't appeal be but I understand why they sold out gigs in a few mins, U2, rolling stones and the likes but good auld ed, I dunno

Django99

Dr Crayfish wrote: »

Ha. I was just saying in work that I don't know one of his songs and they wouldn't believe me. I'm 36, did I miss something? Is he only huge in Ireland like Garth Brooks? Living in London till 2015 I didn't hear of him at all till I came home to Dublin.

He is like Garth Brooks in that he is huge worldwide. Brooks is one of the best selling artists of all time, not sure why people think only the Irish like him. Ed Sheeran is also huge worldwide.

AllGunsBlazing

Ahhh.... there was a rake of young ones camped outside a local bookstore (which also sells concert tickets) last night, sleeping bags and all. This would probably explain it.


It absolutely pissed down overnight as well.

awec

Dr Crayfish wrote: »

Ha. I was just saying in work that I don't know one of his songs and they wouldn't believe me. I'm 36, did I miss something? Is he only huge in Ireland like Garth Brooks? Living in London till 2015 I didn't hear of him at all till I came home to Dublin.

You would know his songs if you heard them unless you live in a cave or something.

He's big pretty much worldwide.

Knex*

ronnie085 wrote: »

Oh my know, just can't get my head around the attaraction for so many, one direction wouldn't appeal be but I understand why they sold out gigs in a few mins, U2, rolling stones and the likes but good auld ed, I dunno

Yeah, I'd be the same with the likes of One Direction, or god forbid I was ever in a room full of trad musicians, but at least with the latter I can still appreciate the talent, even if the music grates me.

Whatever about One Direction being glorified models, Ed Sheeran I would have thought most people could see that there was talent there, even if they don't appreciate the music.

Anyway, most people take pride in their own music tastes, which can be quite personal, and its very hard to do that without also looking at other music styles and thinking, "That's crap", so I can understand the sentiment to be honest.

valoren

I couldn't grasp how he could fill up huge stadiums for concerts.
Listening to someone gushing out acoustic love songs from half a kilometer away is not my idea of a good time.

Django99

ronnie085 wrote: »

Oh my know, just can't get my head around the attaraction for so many, one direction wouldn't appeal be but I understand why they sold out gigs in a few mins, U2, rolling stones and the likes but good auld ed, I dunno

He ticks a lot of the boxes needed to be a global star. His songs are easy listening, consistent and appeal to wide demographic. He's also a rags to riches story which people love. From busking on the streets to selling out gigs in seconds.

yerwanthere123

I'm afraid someone's already done this thread OP. It's not quite up there with the usual 'annoying vegans!!!1!' dross but it's not a bad effort, nonetheless.

ronnie085

yerwanthere123 wrote: »

I'm afraid someone's already done this thread OP. It's not quite up there with the usual 'annoying vegans!!!1!' dross but it's not a bad effort, nonetheless.

Sorry didn't realise it's been done, just had to get something off my chest on a discussion board, profuse apologies

Sam Kade

awec wrote: »

Some absolute nonsense posted on here. Average singer and average songwriter? Wise yourself.

Not into all his music but there is no denying he is incredibly talented.

Which is your opinion, just because people have a different opinion to yours doesn't mean they are talking nonsense. My opinion of him would be that he is no better than a backstreet busker.

Osmosis Jones

Meh, if something is popular there'll always be some small contingent on boards ready to hate it.

Wanderer78

Also don't get it, but then again, rarely liked popular music

Ol' Donie

awec wrote: »

You would know his songs if you heard them unless you live in a cave or something.

He's big pretty much worldwide.

The luckiest cave in the world.

Ol' Donie

Osmosis Jones wrote: »

Meh, if something is popular there'll always be some small contingent on boards ready to hate it.

That doesn't mean they are wrong.

dulpit

Ol' Donie wrote: »

That doesn't mean they are wrong.

Can an opinion be wrong though?

mimimcmc

I can't believe he's charging €86 a ticket!! :eek:

Lorelli!

I know what he looks like but I couldn't name a song.

I remember hearing The Saturdays were bringing out a greatest hits and I'd heard of them but I was thinking "wait, greatest hits? Did they even have a song yet?"

Noveight

He's a very, very good songwriter. I saw him in Dublin last time he was around (3ish years ago?) and he puts on an excellent live show. I think he's a good singer as well, not excellent but good. More luck to the lad.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ytb7J0ciBcE

Arcade_Tryer

awec wrote: »

Some absolute nonsense posted on here. Average singer and average songwriter? Wise yourself.

Not into all his music but there is no denying he is incredibly talented.

He comes across as a nice guy and has cleverly created a cult following out of that, along with a few very, very average folk/pop melodies, and lyrics which make many people want to vomit.

Along with Adele and Drake, he's an instant radio station switcher. Those three form the axis of modern musical hell.

seachto7

Anyone who can sell out a stadium 2 nights in a row in London and play with just his guitar and no backing band is doing something right. He's not for me though. Seems to appeal to casual music listeners, the ones who buy "2016 Summer Hits" etc and seems to appeal to teenagers. Fair play to him other than that.

His lyrics are muck, and he's formulaic, but look at who he is appealing to. I work with adults who like him. I'm not sure what that says about them other than they like Ed Sheeran.

Sam Kade

mimimcmc wrote: »

I can't believe he's charging €86 a ticket!! :eek:

He may as well when there are people willing to pay for them. Don Henley was in cork and Dublin last summer and people were cribbing that he was charging €90 a ticket. Don Henley is an international legend and then this back street busker charges a similar price and people are falling over themselves to get tickets. Sometimes I think it's the sheeple effect, a lot of people might not be gone on his singing but they will follow the crowd. This was clearly the case with Gareth brooks young ones that never even heard of him before were falling over themselves to get tickets.

andekwarhola

Wanderer78 wrote: »

Also don't get it, but then again, rarely liked popular music

seachto7

Arcade_Tryer wrote: »

Those three form the axis of modern musical hell.

Add in The Coronas, Bressie, The Riptide Movement etc and The Kings of Leon. Ireland celebrates mediocrity.

RobertKK

Taylor Swift helped turn him into a global star when's she had him as the support act on her world tour back in 2012/2013, and on her album with the song 'everything has changed'.

Agricola

For me he's the poster boy for modern music. There's no edge, no message, nothing to say bar a lot of high pitched pining soppy love songs. Himself and Gavin James on stage together is my version of hell.

Sam Kade wrote: »

Sometimes I think it's the sheeple effect, a lot of people might not be gone on his singing but they will follow the crowd. This was clearly the case with Gareth brooks young ones that never even heard of him before were falling over themselves to get tickets.

There's always an element of that when it comes to any big act in Ireland, but to be fair to Sheeran I think he has a broader appeal and obviously far younger fanbase than Brookes. And these are the people who live to go to concerts.

But the Garth Brookes thing was without doubt a follow the crowd phenomena. I know someone who doesnt buy or listen to music at all, bar the odd NOW compilation, who was 9 or 10 when he was in Ireland the first time. She camped out for a night to get tickets. It's an event sure, sleep on the street with your mates, stick it up on facebook etc etc. Social media has made event junkies even worse.

Arcade_Tryer

seachto7 wrote: »

Anyone who can sell out a stadium 2 nights in a row in London and play with just his guitar and no backing band is doing something right. He's not for me though. Seems to appeal to casual music listeners, the ones who buy "2016 Summer Hits" etc and seems to appeal to teenagers. Fair play to him other than that.

Ed Sheeran is essentially a glorified boy band except with only one member. His target market is teenage girls and those who like pop music and not much else.

Gary Barlow has written far superior songs than Ed Sheeran to put it in context.

andekwarhola

I think he's brutal. Not because he's popular or pop music or from begrudgery©, just don't like it but if you start trying to quantify why people like things in huge numbers (without resorting to patronizing platitudes about people being sheep) you'll just tie yourself in knots.

And at least he's writing and performing his music. There's far worse and far more cynical out there.

seachto7

Arcade_Tryer wrote: »

Gary Barlow has written far superior songs than Ed Sheeran to put it in context.

I would agree.

Arne_Saknussem

Noveight wrote: »

He's a very, very good songwriter. I saw him in Dublin last time he was around (3ish years ago?) and he puts on an excellent live show. I think he's a good singer as well, not excellent but good. More luck to the lad.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ytb7J0ciBcE

Jesus, that's brutal.

seachto7

andekwarhola wrote: »

And at least he's writing and performing his music. There's far worse and far more cynical out there.

All his music? Is he co writing?

Noveight

Arne_Saknussem wrote: »

Jesus, that's brutal.

I wouldn't agree. Horses for courses

Jofspring

Ah lads in fairness there is a big difference between Ed Sheeran a guy that has come from busking on the streets to selling albums all over the world and Boybands. How many boy bands play instruments, write their own music and then put on a full live show with just a guitar and a few pedals. Very few I'd imagine.

The guy himself says he isn't the best singer and was even worse when he was younger.

Ed Sheeran is not for everyone but it also shouldn't really bother anyone why he is so popular as it's clear to see he has talent and writes songs with mass appeal.

Would he have been more popular with certain people if he wasn't played on the radio so much, was a bit more underground and wasn't so popular with younger people?

Riesen_Meal

The only thing different from what I can see he does that most singer songwriter lads don't really do is use a sampler for his voice and rhythm guitar...

As in he records a loop from his guitar with a pedal and then records him singing a chorus and plays them back while singing over them...

Beardyman and the like has been doing it eons, some live acts and singer songwriters do to a degree, but not as much as Ed...

Not my cup of earl grey but I get why the kids like him...

Django99

seachto7 wrote: »

Add in The Coronas, Bressie, The Riptide Movement etc and The Kings of Leon. Ireland celebrates mediocrity.

Again, Ed Sheeran, Garth Brooks, Adele, Drake, all these artists are global superstars and are not unique to Ireland. Where did you get this idea from?

lawred2

ronnie085 wrote: »

Average singer, average songwriter, go as far as saying he'd struggle to fill the local based on talent (in my opinion) yet he is one of the biggest deals at the moment. Victory for the PR hype machine? He's kinda Irish you know

he's incredibly talented... Not my cup of tea but average? Get a grip.

I did see him on Sky Arts one night compose his own arrangement on stage using sound loops

Pretty bloody good if you ask me

bucketybuck

It doesn't really matter if he is talented or not, Ireland is a nation of event junkies and somebody needs to be the bandwagon they are jumping upon, so it might as well be him.

Django99

bucketybuck wrote: »

It doesn't really matter if he is talented or not, Ireland is a nation of event junkies and somebody needs to be the bandwagon they are jumping upon, so it might as well be him.

Bandwagons are not unique to Ireland. Ed Sheeran will sell out venues all across Europe and the US.

machiavellianme

seachto7 wrote: »

Add in The Coronas, Bressie, The Riptide Movement etc and The Kings of Leon. Ireland celebrates mediocrity.

I am delighted never to have heard of those or a single song by them except KoL who are deplorable.

seachto7

Django99 wrote: »

Again, Ed Sheeran, Garth Brooks, Adele, Drake, all these artists are global superstars and are not unique to Ireland. Where did you get this idea from?

I was referring to radio in Ireland. Are you the drummer in any of the bands mentioned?

jenn1984

I've seen him in concert before and he is excellent - he's alright looking but I wouldn't drool over him. Couldn't get tickets and wasn't going to be like one of those mad 'young ones' queueing up all night. Hopefully he adds more dates.

Big Bag of Chips

Sam Kade wrote: »

My opinion of him would be that he is no better than a backstreet busker.

You obviously haven't seen him live. I saw him in Croke Park. Mildly interested in him before that. Knew a few of his songs from the radio. Didn't own any albums or anything of his. Knew about 5 or 6 songs on the night, but....

Oh My Gawd!!!!

What a performance. One man, alone on a stage, creating his own backing track in front of us. Creating his own back vocals. Creating the percussion for the song, and then performing it all put together.

The man, no matter what people's opinion of him is, is a phenomenal talent. I play a few instruments, and know a bit about music and I certainly could not put on anything near the show he put on. I wonder how many posting saying he's nothing special could? He has a unique setup in that he is truly a one man band, capable of playing stadium tours. Very very few of his songs are ballads.

Django99

seachto7 wrote: »

I was referring to radio in Ireland. Are you the drummer in any of the bands mentioned?

Nope I just mentioned the most successful artists in the post you quoted and seemed to agree with. I don't play any music at all!

Of the bands you mentioned, well The Coronas are Irish but quite successful in the UK. Kings of Leon have been very successful in the US and Europe too. Just don't know why people say that Irish people love mediocrity as you suggested.