Printable version of thread

Posted by: poppet15 Apr 13 2015, 01:23 PM

The 2 biggest UK male solo artists who are also having international stardom.

Who's the best

I much prefer Sam Smith.

Posted by: ThePensmith Apr 13 2015, 01:29 PM

Oooh Ed, definitely. I've gone into my reasons about why this is before so I won't regale them here but he's always struck me as being a more personable guy the whole way round.

Sam Smith gives me, as others might say on here, Duffy 'teas'.

Posted by: Kl▲mzee Apr 13 2015, 01:31 PM

Ed Sheeran has more artistic integrity.

Posted by: Regina Apr 13 2015, 01:33 PM

Shayne Ward.

Posted by: Mike Sugafan Apr 13 2015, 01:42 PM

I don't really like them honestly. I prefer John Newman to them.

John Newman >>>>>> Sam Smith >> Ed Sheeran

Posted by: Rob.S Apr 13 2015, 05:10 PM

Ed definitely. I don't mind some of Sam's stuff but the Universal Love and overkill of his songs makes me dislike him. Helps that I own Ed's album and not Sam's too but yeah Ed has far more artistry appeal for me!

Posted by: ► ▲ N Apr 13 2015, 05:12 PM

Ed Sheeran definitely, at least a lot his songs don't want to make me go to sleep

Posted by: mr_aly Apr 13 2015, 05:21 PM

Ed Sheeran with ease, I pretty much can't stand Sam Smith.

Posted by: ErnieJackson Apr 13 2015, 05:25 PM

I can see the Sam Smith appeal, but don't you find his vocal slightly 'through the nose'?

Ed defo has the quality in terms of musicianship, but I guess there is room for both (and John Newman)

Posted by: Chez Wombat Apr 13 2015, 05:27 PM

Not a fan of either, but Ed has Bloodstream at least and not ALL his songs are pretty much the same, plus he's not been as literally inescapable as Sam recently.

Posted by: ErnieJackson Apr 13 2015, 05:28 PM

Who's you're thing Chez?

Posted by: Sean. Apr 13 2015, 05:31 PM

Sam, by far. What I find striking about Ed is the friends of mine who are fans of his often come out with comments such as "hes so cute with his guitar" or some other variant before saying they enjoy his music.

Posted by: T Boy Apr 13 2015, 05:43 PM

They're both terrible.

Posted by: ErnieJackson Apr 13 2015, 06:13 PM

Yeah, I see your point Sean. It's like saying the music is a secondary talent, behind being "adorable"

Posted by: Liаm Apr 13 2015, 06:18 PM

Ed by MILES. Sam is intolerable, apart from La La La and Latch which I don't really even like now because of my deep dislike for him All his songs are absolutely terrible that I've heard, his whiny voice makes them so.

Ed is fab though, I really liked + and x ended up being one of my absolute favourites of 2014.

Posted by: Ultraviolence1989 Apr 13 2015, 06:19 PM

This

Posted by: Kath ♡ Apr 13 2015, 06:19 PM

They both need to fall in a pit tbh

Posted by: Chez Wombat Apr 13 2015, 06:22 PM

Forgive me, I'm not entirely sure what you mean by this? If you mean my tastes, They're style of music ie. MOR, acoustic, stripped back, soppy radio fodder ballad etc. isn't really the sort of thing I run too, I prefer slightly more left field/adventurous/dynamic stuff for want of a better word.

Posted by: Iz~ Apr 13 2015, 06:36 PM

Despite some less interesting moments, and I'm not a huge fan, it's Ed by a country mile, I can connect to him far more as an artist, he does rather interesting things in most of his songs, they're catchy, I could listen to most of his hits for quite a bit before becoming bored, it helps that there's quite a wide disparity from the party tune of 'Sing' to the stripped-back fireside guitar strumming of 'I See Fire' and he has a very likeable personality, which is definitely important in a pop star even if it shouldn't be the most important thing.

Sam Smith however should stick to singing on dance hits because at the height of irony, the dance songs he's been on show far more personality than anything he's put out as a solo artist (bar Nirvana, I was still excited for his solo stuff from that song). Every single from his debut album has been some form of drippy whiny, dull, meaningless crap. Even Money On My Mind which was good at first I can't listen to now I've truly noticed the terrible lyrics.

I can't even put them in the same league, they're miles apart. As far as popular white male MoR goes, anyway.

Posted by: ErnieJackson Apr 13 2015, 06:39 PM

Soppy radio fodder

Dynamic stuff? I like the sound of that! Any examples?

Posted by: Dobbo Apr 13 2015, 06:55 PM

I hate more of Ed's songs (Sing, Thinking Out Loud & I See Fire compared to only Stay With Me for Sam) but his first album was absolutely brilliant & full of tracks I really loved at the time so he definitely gets my vote (for the time being at least).

Sam has picked well from his album (other than SWM). All his other releases are the only tracks I liked, the rest is pretty dull. La La La remains the best thing either of them has done though so it's actually a pretty close call.

Posted by: torresgirl Apr 13 2015, 07:35 PM

Ed Sheeran by a country mile. The mixture of Sam Smiths music and his "I'm so credible and full of myself"personality is too much for me. His voice is the equivalent to scratching nails down a blackboard.

Posted by: Kuki Sanban Apr 13 2015, 07:38 PM

It's like picking what your favourite is between a dog turn and bird poo.

For the record, I vote neither

Posted by: T Boy Apr 13 2015, 07:47 PM

Why are we even justifying this debate with an answer of our opinion?

Posted by: andibob Apr 13 2015, 08:11 PM

Ed Sheeran. I think he's incredibly talented and comes across as a really lovely guy. Though his music is often slow, he seems to genuinely be having fun doing what he does. I find too many "stars" act like its a chore. He gets quite mediocre reviews but just carries on selling which I really like as sometimes reviewers seem so up their own backsides.

Whilst I don't mind Sam Smith, I find his album very whiny. And the story behind it is a little creepy.

Posted by: Aphrodite Apr 14 2015, 01:10 AM

Easily Ed Sheeran.

Posted by: Atonement Apr 14 2015, 06:39 AM

I hated Ed Sheeran during his first album but bought his second... maybe the same will happen with Sam Smith. For now he's awful.

So I voted for Ed.

Posted by: Šþinniŋğ Åđɑ Apr 14 2015, 10:34 AM

Ed Sheeran >>>>>>>>>>>> Sam Smith
The only "good" Smith song really was La La La

Posted by: Dircadirca Apr 14 2015, 11:25 AM

Oh I'm the first person to answer 'both the same' They're ok and I'd lean towards Sheeran on the basis of despising Sam Smith lately, but then I liked his album just that little bit more than either of Ed's, so I can't really make a definitive choice.

Posted by: *Tim Apr 14 2015, 11:46 AM

Ed is miles ahead for creating Don't so him

Posted by: ErnieJackson Apr 14 2015, 12:08 PM

Yeah I love 'Don't'

Great chorus - cool piano!

Posted by: Atonement Apr 14 2015, 01:34 PM

'Don't' is good yes but the song it samples is much better.

Posted by: ErnieJackson Apr 14 2015, 04:49 PM

I assume you're talking of Lucy Pearl - Don't Mess With My Man? Or maybe Blackstreet -No Diggity?

To be fair, they're both great tracks. I like the way Ed's 'explodes' into the chorus though! Maybe not looking to be as smooth 😉

Posted by: Šþinniŋğ Åđɑ Apr 14 2015, 05:01 PM

No! It's the one that's been preventing the #101's from entering the top 100 for the last 6 months
Ed Sheeran - 'Don't'
19-17-22-26-38-35-23-11-{8}-8-13-17-16-22-25-31-28-22-14-20-26-30-28-30-32-27-18-18-20-29-32-37-35-39-41-40-42-45-48-51-55-61->42

Posted by: mr_aly Apr 14 2015, 06:33 PM

You totally haven't read the post you're referring to...

Posted by: Šþinniŋğ Åđɑ Apr 14 2015, 07:12 PM

In that case I got lost in Ed Sheeran songs

Posted by: JSG Apr 15 2015, 03:54 AM

Sam for me. Ed literally just annoys me and (Unpopular Opinion) I cannot stand his music.

Posted by: Sean. Apr 15 2015, 08:32 PM

Similar to me. Only time I can really listen to his voice is his feature on Christina Perri's track Be My Forever!