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BuzzJack Music Forum _ UK Charts _ Ed Sheeran to release two more tracks this week!
Posted by: mdh Feb 21 2017, 12:16 PM
Thanks to Joe for posting this in the BRITs thread. Go to that thread if you want to see the original post instead of me just regurgitating what Joe said.
Ed Sheeran is releasing two more tracks this Friday (24th February) - surely with the intention of occupying the entire UK top 5? One of the songs is getting a conventional release on Friday, and the other, supposedly a 'big collab' he's been 'trying not to reveal' is being premiered at the BRITs tomorrow evening, and getting an official release on Friday. He told Radio 1 this
He's looking likely to occupy the entire top 3 this week, and it doesn't seem unlikely that he'll take up the whole top 5 next week - on the day of his album release.
Opinions on this? Has Ed Sheeran ruined music? Has he saved the charts by injecting a welcome burst of phre$hness? Discuss.
Posted by: lewistgreen Feb 21 2017, 12:20 PM
By releasing tracks from his album he's not doing anything different than any other artist with an album coming out. He's popular, people like his music and so he will do well in the charts.
Posted by: mdh Feb 21 2017, 12:21 PM
Still, as a chart fan, it's really interesting to see his domination and definitely worthy of a thread.
Posted by: popchartfreak Feb 21 2017, 12:22 PM
Greedy. Me me me me me at the expense of lesser artists. Bad enough to get a deluge of album tracks by huge artists taking over the singles chart with a new album, but to deliberately plot it in advance is taking the michael.
Here's hoping the streaming/advance downloading really hit the album sales and backfires... 
Posted by: Bjork Feb 21 2017, 12:23 PM
Sure it generates interest in the charts
Makes us all speculate what will happen
So sure is positive
Posted by: JosephStyles Feb 21 2017, 12:25 PM
This isn't surprising tbh, he did about 7 instant grats from the last album, not including Sing :') I'm very interested in this collaboration though, I expect it's a huge name if he's kept it so secret, surely a #1 contender next week?
Posted by: Bjork Feb 21 2017, 12:25 PM
I kinda knew he was gonna do something like that
So the 2 Fri tracks
Are not Grats
But singles??
Posted by: JosephStyles Feb 21 2017, 12:27 PM
So the 2 Fri tracks
Are not Grats
But singles??
No I expect they'll just be two more grats!
Posted by: Herbs Feb 21 2017, 12:28 PM
Damien Rice duet please!
Posted by: Liаm Feb 21 2017, 12:31 PM
Exactly, I really don't think he's consciously trying to occupy the whole chart in order to ruin it for people who enjoy the charts and smaller artists... As Lewis said, loads of artists do this it's just that Ed is so popular he could release an interlude as an instant grat and it would probably go top 5 at least! 
Posted by: Bjork Feb 21 2017, 12:32 PM
Damien might be Eds hero
But hes not an A name
And doubt he'd agree
Hes pretty much off radar
And against charts and labels
Posted by: OutstandingMixer Feb 21 2017, 12:35 PM
So bored of the Ed Sheeran dominance already. Unfortunately, we're going to have to get used to it. 
Posted by: JosephStyles Feb 21 2017, 12:38 PM
Absolutely this! He's not exempt from using the same techniques as other artists simply because he's way bigger than them and will clog up the top 10
Posted by: Robbie Feb 21 2017, 12:46 PM
Ed Sheeran is releasing two more tracks this Friday (24th February) - surely with the intention of occupying the entire UK top 5? One of the songs is getting a conventional release on Friday, and the other, supposedly a 'big collab' he's been 'trying not to reveal' is being premiered at the BRITs tomorrow evening, and getting an official release on Friday. He told Radio 1 this
He's looking likely to occupy the entire top 3 this week, and it doesn't seem unlikely that he'll take up the whole top 5 next week - on the day of his album release.
Opinions on this? Has Ed Sheeran ruined music? Has he saved the charts by injecting a welcome burst of phre$hness? Discuss.
Posted by: Atonement Feb 21 2017, 12:48 PM
Ed Sheeran feat. Rihanna, Stay pt. 2 is coming 
Posted by: M4NG0 Feb 21 2017, 12:48 PM
I like that he's getting people more interested in the chart again, but I dislike the dominance of a single artist in the Top 10, it kinda ruins it for me.
I know he's absolutely huge right now but if he's not careful this could all backfire and people could end up becoming sick of him.
Posted by: Doctor Blind Feb 21 2017, 12:52 PM
I agree with you that it is great to see artists releasing new music - however it does eventually lead to a pile-up/traffic jam of tracks by the same artist in the Top 10 (see: Justin Bieber in 2015/16), and then perhaps growing resentment due to the over-saturation of a particular artist.
The problem is the music industry is focussed around a small number of artists who deliver the astronomical sales that prop up the rest of the market.
Posted by: PeteFromLeeds Feb 21 2017, 12:56 PM
Yes, it would freshen up the charts, but so did the One Dance/Too Good/Controlla trio when they were first released 
Posted by: mdh Feb 21 2017, 01:01 PM
I'm glad of it to be honest. It's a fair game, anybody can release a song at any point and who can blame Ed and his team for capitalising on the charts being easy to crack in their case. It's good for us too, high new entries are a rare thing these days so I welcome any opportinity for a fresh chart.
Posted by: Liаm Feb 21 2017, 01:03 PM
Tbh it's more the sheepish nature of society to blame, hype can sell anything. Ed is just one of those artists who gets instant hype and everyone is streaming his stuff straight away, it's a shame that other artists don't get that but that's how it is.
Omg this would make my life *.*
Posted by: Mack Feb 21 2017, 01:05 PM
If he were to somehow manage to have the whole Top5 it would be a remarkable achievement.
Posted by: danG Feb 21 2017, 01:10 PM
It would certainly be a big achievement if he could get the entire top five - and possibly top ten once the album comes out!
My problem with this though is that it'll be harder for new acts to get into the top ten when there's Ed dominating for weeks on end, but I imagine the album tracks will die down after a few weeks.
Posted by: omrimayo Feb 21 2017, 01:10 PM
Just WOW. He's the definition of HUGE.
Posted by: Mack Feb 21 2017, 01:16 PM
The problem I have which I echo what danG said. It is going to much harder for new & established acts to reach the Top10.
I hate to think how many album tracks will be in the Top40 when it is released.
Posted by: mdh Feb 21 2017, 01:16 PM
Yeah, I'd assume that a majority of his album tracks (with the exception of Castle On The Hill, Shape Of You, the new collab and a couple more accessible cherrypicks) will debut somewhere in the top 15, then after the initial first week high streams, hang around between 20-40 for a good few weeks.
He'll dominate the top 40 for a while for sure (especially with the singles/tracks that the public take to), but I doubt he'll take up the entire top 10/15 for more than a week.
Posted by: pippa Feb 21 2017, 01:17 PM
His releases are adding excitement to the higher end of the charts which is welcoming. As i do like him i would be happy for him to have the entire top 5 and have a new record.
I am excited for his album as i hope he can open on huge sales.
Posted by: shindymindy Feb 21 2017, 01:29 PM
I wonder who the collaboration is?
Posted by: mdh Feb 21 2017, 01:32 PM
There's some speculation http://www.buzzjack.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=194441&pid=5629705&st=160. At this point I think we can rule out JB and Drake.
Posted by: iain Feb 21 2017, 01:33 PM
5 tracks have duration times on iTunes which is usually a sign of a pre release, so I guess we'll get 5 more before the album is released.
Posted by: T Boy Feb 21 2017, 01:34 PM
Yeah, not buying for even a second that Ed doesn't give a shit about the charts and is just releasing music and it's not his fault he's popular blah blah blah. NO ONE stays huge this long without an idea of how to play at business.
I'm just miffed that it's showing just how dull the general population's music taste has become.
Posted by: mdh Feb 21 2017, 01:36 PM
THIS. We've seen his obsession with trying really hard to get Castle On The Hill to #1. His releases have all been very strategic - his team have definitely at least got the charts in mind in their decision to release these tracks.
Posted by: Houdini Feb 21 2017, 01:36 PM
Not many people in the general public care about the Official Chart anymore so who can blame him? people who like his music are going to buy/stream it solely because they like it and without awareness of the consequences it has for the charts.
For me he can do whatever he likes, the Official Chart died a long time ago in my opinion.
Posted by: JosephStyles Feb 21 2017, 01:38 PM
Of course he and his team are being smart about it, but that doesn't mean he's being greedy or selfish, it's business-minded and will create headlines if he does manage to break official chart records!
Posted by: mdh Feb 21 2017, 01:38 PM
The media can have a field day with it, giving Ed a subtle plug
Labels still care about charts as they're a reflection of a songs popularity, and even if the public don't pay as much attention to the Official Chart anymore, nearly all of them let the iTunes and Spotify chart dictate what they listen to. Even if the chart doesn't mean as much as it used to it still plays a MASSIVE part in getting a song popular, and that probably won't ever change.
Posted by: Robbie Feb 21 2017, 01:39 PM
Posted by: T Boy Feb 21 2017, 01:40 PM
I've not claimed he's greedy or selfish. Just that he's boring.
So there'll be another record to add to his collection that makes him seem better than he actually is.
Posted by: PeteFromLeeds Feb 21 2017, 01:42 PM
Someone like Ed should release 40 tracks at once as a protest to show how pointless the charts have become
Posted by: mdh Feb 21 2017, 01:43 PM
They're not pointless though. If anything they're better now, they're a more genuine reflection of a songs popularity.
EDIT - I mean don't get me wrong, sometimes they're as boring as watching paint dry, but they're more accurate than ever.
Posted by: Simon. Feb 21 2017, 01:57 PM
It's sad but I find this frustrating.
Posted by: danG Feb 21 2017, 01:58 PM
I hate to think how many album tracks will be in the Top40 when it is released.
All 16 tracks will go top 40 I think. As well as 'Thinking Out Loud' and 'Photograph' getting significant streaming boosts from his back catalogue. That's potentially nearly half the top 40 being Ed Sheeran, oh joy!
Posted by: Doctor Blind Feb 21 2017, 02:01 PM
Maybe like with compilations in January 1989 we should have an Ed Sheeran only chart and remove him permanently?
Posted by: rundmck Feb 21 2017, 02:03 PM
But hes not an A name
And doubt he'd agree
Hes pretty much off radar
And against charts and labels
Worst.Limerick.Ever
Posted by: cqmerqn Feb 21 2017, 02:04 PM
There should be a cap on how many songs from an album can get into the singles chart. There's a reason for the album chart...
Posted by: The Wise Sultan Feb 21 2017, 02:13 PM
Which songs does Kygo produce on the album, I can't find him on the production credits on the Wikipedia page....wasn't he supposed to have produced a few of the tracks?
Posted by: mdh Feb 21 2017, 02:23 PM
You can see some production credits http://www.josepvinaixa.com/blog/ed-sheeran-third-studio-album/ but I don't think anyone has any information on most of the tracks. There's no sign of Kygo on the existing production credits although apparently he was working in the studio with him.
Posted by: The Wise Sultan Feb 21 2017, 02:28 PM
Well it will clear out a lot of the current deadwood when he releases the album at least! The older songs like Rockabye, Sexual and Say You Won't Let Go should finally leave the top 40 (or be close to leaving) and definitely Closer if it is not out of the top 40 by then anyway.
Posted by: howiet1971 Feb 21 2017, 02:36 PM
This generation's Phil Collins.... beige! 
Posted by: pippa Feb 21 2017, 02:40 PM
If all the tracks chart strongly it will kill the album campaign quickly. Ed so far has had huge chart runs as each single boosts the sales, if all the tracks initially sell well individually it will reduce the likelihood of further hits until the re-release of the album if it happens.
Ed will no doubt do features further down the line to keep his name out there to attract further album sales.
Posted by: Mart!n Feb 21 2017, 03:07 PM
My only problem with this, I have to echo Dan's post on the previous page, other acts will find it hard to release any new material in the next coming weeks, its a bit over saturation, and people will soon get fed up with, he could end up shooting himself in the foot, and piss off a lot of people listening to the chart that don't like his material.
Will Radio 1 actually bother playing a top 10 of Ed Sheeran tracks 
Posted by: The Wise Sultan Feb 21 2017, 03:37 PM
"The number 1 may be Shape Of You
But I'll push and pull those instant grats too
Reaching the heart of the streamers too
I'm in love with the stream counts
Now two more in the spotify room
5, so the top 10 smells like poo
But at least its something new
And I'm in love with the stream counts"
Posted by: danG Feb 21 2017, 03:55 PM
They'll be more than happy to. They played all the Beyonce album tracks when they charted and they love Ed even more.
Posted by: mdh Feb 21 2017, 04:12 PM
Yet I bet they'll skip the Stormzy album tracks that'll chart in next weeks top 40
Posted by: JosephStyles Feb 21 2017, 04:13 PM
They'll play all the new entries as they do every week I expect
Posted by: Regina Feb 21 2017, 04:57 PM
He's fearful of the threat John Mayer is creating by releasing wave 2 from The Search for Everything. The slayage is real.
Posted by: 777666jason Feb 21 2017, 05:53 PM
Could be ed Sheeran ft little mix
Posted by: cqmerqn Feb 21 2017, 05:54 PM
Doubt it
Posted by: Mart!n Feb 21 2017, 06:03 PM
Nah....
Ed Sheeran feat. The Muppets
Posted by: Bjork Feb 21 2017, 06:11 PM
he covered Touch in the Live Lounge today
he also did Shape of You and Castle on the Hill but didn't do Paean for some reason (but did Bloodstream and TOL)
Posted by: JosephStyles Feb 21 2017, 06:14 PM
he also did Shape of You and Castle on the Hill but didn't do Paean for some reason (but did Bloodstream and TOL)
How Would You Feel isn't a single so that's probably why
Posted by: Bjork Feb 21 2017, 06:38 PM
I know I know
but considering it's #1 on iTunes, he could have easily performed it too, and help generate more sales for the song and keep it up there
Posted by: danG Feb 21 2017, 06:57 PM
But getting sales for that song isn't his priority at the moment. The purpose of the instant gratification is to hype the album and give an incentive for people to pre order it.
Posted by: Lenny Feb 21 2017, 07:15 PM
If this doesn't push the OCC to enforce new rules to make this a SINGLES chart again, then nothing will.
Labels should have to nominate tracks as singles, with a maximum of one new single every so many weeks (somewhere between 8 and 13).
Sales and streams of B-sides and remixes should contribute towards the single's weekly 'sales' in the singles chart.
Tracks to purchase should be album only unless they are nominated as singles. Would help drive albums.
Streaming albums would then actually mean something as well.
I'm all for everything being available at my fingertips but if you don't put some form of restriction on a collection of songs then what is an album? What is a single?
Posted by: danG Feb 21 2017, 07:45 PM
I think once the entirety of Ed's album goes top 40 the OCC will have to do something.
I reckon the label should have to nominate singles - no more than three from one album at any one time - to be chart eligible. Makes a joke of the singles chart when every album track makes the chart. It's already happened with Justin Bieber and The Weeknd and Beyoncé got the majority of her album in, but Ed's streaming domination will be even bigger.
Posted by: JosephStyles Feb 21 2017, 07:47 PM
I don't think nominating singles is something that would work - sometimes album tracks take off of their own accord, imagine if Love Yourself wasn't eligible to chart for a bit because it wasn't nominated as a single? Equally I don't particularly like how things are at the moment but there must be a better and more accurate option.
Posted by: Lenny Feb 21 2017, 07:52 PM
To be honest I think 'Love Yourself' would have taken off when nominated as a single. His album sales would have been bigger at the time and perhaps have pushed that to number 1 over the new year.
It's all hypothetical of course!
Posted by: danG Feb 21 2017, 07:52 PM
I imagine they would have quickly nominated 'Love Yourself' as the third single though, it's not like there was any doubt about what the third single was going to be.
Posted by: Bjork Feb 21 2017, 07:57 PM
Itunes will always allow cherrypicking
Thats been their policy in the last 10 years
Won't change now
But there should be a way so that
If you stream an album or most of it
Then it counts for the album charts only
Not for both singles and albums
Posted by: mdh Feb 21 2017, 07:57 PM
I think streams for songs should be counted for the charts on a one-play-in-its-entirety-per-person-every-day/150 basis. This'd eliminate a lot of the playlist bias in the charts and mean fanbases couldn't just HAMMER tracks from albums like they will do with Ed. The OCC will do something to alter how songs are counted for the charts, guaranteed.
Posted by: danG Feb 21 2017, 08:07 PM
Thats been their policy in the last 10 years
Won't change now
But there should be a way so that
If you stream an album or most of it
Then it counts for the album charts only
Not for both singles and albums
I don't suggest iTunes take away cherrypicking,
I was saying let the record label nominate singles for chart eligibility.
I have another idea as well, which may be an improvement on my original idea:
- let all cherry-picked album track download sales be eligible
- but the label has to nominate for streaming which songs are singles and which are album tracks
- all singles streams count towards the singles chart, and that chart only
- all album track streams count towards the albums chart, and that chart only
- this way a stream only counts towards one chart, because it's ridiculous that at the moment it counts towards two charts.
Posted by: SLlewellyn Feb 21 2017, 08:28 PM
He said on Grimmy's show this morning that people will go "nuts" for the track he is debuting at the BRITs, which we know already to be a duet/collaboration of some kind. Surely the only thing people will go nuts for at the moment is a big sounding dancehall/tropical track. I know there was mention of a Fuse ODG collaboration, but that can't be the one he is talking about here surely.
Unless it's someone like Stormzy (i.e., the UK only will go nuts for it), I have a feeling it could be Rihanna. He has already collaborated with Taylor Swift, and that was meh.
Posted by: Tinasha Feb 21 2017, 09:48 PM
I was saying let the record label nominate singles for chart eligibility.
I have another idea as well, which may be an improvement on my original idea:
- let all cherry-picked album track download sales be eligible
- but the label has to nominate for streaming which songs are singles and which are album tracks
- all singles streams count towards the singles chart, and that chart only
- all album track streams count towards the albums chart, and that chart only
- this way a stream only counts towards one chart, because it's ridiculous that at the moment it counts towards two charts.
I agree this would be ideal.
Posted by: Mart!n Feb 21 2017, 09:56 PM
Somewhere down the line rules will have to change, if acts are going to release an album and all the tracks are made all available to stream. Thank god Ed Sheeran is not releasing a double album with 2 CDs, with at least 26 new tracks 
I just hope I didn't put this idea in his head, if he is treading Buzzjack.
In a good way, he will be breaking a record having the most tracks in the singles chart, but you have to draw the line somewhere.
And I like Dan's idea.
Posted by: ML Hammer95 Feb 21 2017, 10:10 PM
Unless it's someone like Stormzy (i.e., the UK only will go nuts for it), I have a feeling it could be Rihanna. He has already collaborated with Taylor Swift, and that was meh.
That'd certainly make me go nuts! Sean Paul?
Posted by: Steve201 Feb 22 2017, 08:45 PM
I'm glad eds having such success it's better than no success for artists for god sake, you can't win!
At the end of the day he writes his own music and plays his own instruments and it makes people respect that and try it themselves, better than something like Westlife be hugely popular imo!
Is Ed bigger than Adele??
Posted by: pippa Feb 22 2017, 09:04 PM
At the end of the day he writes his own music and plays his own instruments and it makes people respect that and try it themselves, better than something like Westlife be hugely popular imo!
Is Ed bigger than Adele??
Excellent post that i fully agree with, i would also add that he seems like a very nice person who has not let fame change him.
I would believe as big as Ed Sheeran is, Adele is the bigger artist. That said, both are hugely successful artists. An Adele and Ed Sheeran duets album, that would be a seller!
Posted by: Bré Feb 22 2017, 09:47 PM
Is there any indication at all that the OCC cares about album tracks dominating the chart? Lol
Posted by: Doctor Blind Feb 22 2017, 10:09 PM
I do feel that the Weeknd domination in November at least partly led them to change the ratio (100:1 to 150:1) though... so they appear to care a little IMO.
Posted by: Steve201 Feb 22 2017, 10:35 PM
I would believe as big as Ed Sheeran is, Adele is the bigger artist. That said, both are hugely successful artists. An Adele and Ed Sheeran duets album, that would be a seller!
Thanks!
As has been mentioned in previous discussions Ed is probably a more singles friendly artist. Still I can't wait to see Eds album sales next week!!
Posted by: rundmck Feb 23 2017, 07:51 AM
As successful as Ed is, he is not in the same league as Adele when it comes to global success. She has sold >50m with her last 2 albums, Ed has sold about 10m with his 2.
In the US, X & + have sold <2.2m each.
19, 21 and 25 have sold 3m, 11.8m and 9.2m respectively.
Even in the UK, you can completely ignore Adele's mammoth 21, and her 2 lesser selling albums still significantly outsell Ed's 2.
This is not to do Ed down, he's phenomenally successful and will no doubt have further great success with ÷, just presenting a few facts.
Posted by: mr_pmt Feb 23 2017, 12:58 PM
How did the notion of Ed being bigger than Adele come about? 
Posted by: Doctor Blind Feb 23 2017, 01:07 PM
He did put on a little weight in 2011, but has since slimmed down so I think that notion is rapidly losing credibility.
Posted by: mr_pmt Feb 23 2017, 01:21 PM
See also Adele.
Posted by: Doctor Blind Feb 23 2017, 01:22 PM
No Adele shade intended btw, I think she is a great role model for young women!
Posted by: omrimayo Feb 23 2017, 02:18 PM
OK so NO NEW SONGS for Ed. It's out in NZ - It's just 2 new remixes to SOU - Major Lazer and the rap version from yesterday. Wow that's a disappointment and I don't like he'll prevent Coldplay's number 1 but whatever.
Posted by: danG Feb 23 2017, 02:21 PM
at least we won't have 5 Ed songs in the top 10 before the album's even released, but lawd at the desperation of Ed trying to keep SOY at #1
Posted by: omrimayo Feb 23 2017, 02:23 PM
Yap that's a bit too much for a huge hit anyway.. I don't like it and I LOVE Ed.
Posted by: Bjork Feb 23 2017, 02:50 PM
thought he wanted SOY and COTH to switch? he could have done only Castle in the Brits then 
Posted by: mdh Feb 23 2017, 03:35 PM
How bloody underwhelming
Posted by: danG Feb 23 2017, 04:06 PM
I think he initially did but now he's realised that isn't going to happen so may as well promote both of them.
Posted by: 777666jason Feb 23 2017, 10:28 PM
Anticlimax to the max now no ed first person have 5 top 10s simultaneously yadda yadda
Posted by: Queen LeQueefa Feb 23 2017, 11:38 PM
He shoulda released Castle a week earlier and gor two no.1s.
He is soooo chart fesperate. He wants that Drake no.1 record. Don't doubt he'll do all he can to keep Coldplay and Katy Perry and himself away from SoY.
He needa to learn chart humility from Adele and Dido.
Posted by: Queen LeQueefa Feb 23 2017, 11:42 PM
At the end of the day he writes his own music and plays his own instruments and it makes people respect that and try it themselves, better than something like Westlife be hugely popular imo!
100% agreed with this.
It is time for real music after a decade of Westlifes and Screeches.
However his chart desperation is close to Spice Girls moving SUYL back one week levels.
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