Is Ed Sheeran the greatest music artist of all time?

You sound like you've only listened to 20 songs in your life. Your comment is an insult to the actual greats.

I don’t know, guys. I’m sensing a lot of negativity and defensiveness, but no actual arguments against the claim. OP might be on to something.

Tbf to Ed sheeran he can write a song. If the likes of westlife didn't have "the machine" behind them they would be nothing, but if Ed sheeran didn't have the machine behind him I think he would still have a following as a decent singer/songwriter.

I'm not a fan but I can appreciate that he has some talent, unlike a lot of people off the pop conveyor belt. I think history will be kind to him as a pop great and seems a sound enough fella to boot

Ed Sheeran was used as a joke character in a movie about the Beatles, his role was to serve as a humorous contrast to the real musical idols of the film. It worked because everybody accepted him in that role, he was indeed famous but not respected enough to ever seriously be compared to the Beatles, while a real superstar might actually have begged the question.

Ed Sheeran, bit part actor, best known for supporting role in a rom com.

Imagine being this sheltered from "culture".

Had Ed been around 20+ years ago, he wouldn't have gotten beyond playing gigs in pubs because the singer-songwritery types were ten-a-penny. Now, popular music seems to be veering in other directions, but the "niche" for singer-songwriter demand is still reasonably large - the supply is just a lot less. Ed got lucky - as can be said for most people who "make it".

I preferred his earlier stuff...

No he's maybe in the top 100, he sells alot of cds, downloads, or streams, in 50 years time people will remember the beatles, ABBA, Taylor swift, Beyonce, Madonna, elvis presley, dolly Parton, Neil Young, Adele, joni Mitchell, enimem, sting, David Bowie, Tina Turner, guns and roses, Simon and garfunkle, Kate Bush. Elton John Etc etc he writes mostly love sings with clever lyrics and fairly basic tunes

Just because you sell millions of cds or get millions of streams does not mean you are a great musician or a great songwriter quality is not always a sign of greatness

No one else writes like joni Mitchell or Kate Bush theres not many songwriters that write songs that are interesting and reflect real life and their experiences and are more than basic love songs

I think his songs are fairly basic and simple love songs and will be forgotten in 10 years i think he got lucky and his songs are fairly simple to understand with fairly basic melody's and singer songwriters have an advantage over 90 per cent of singers who hope they might get a chance to sing a hit sing

Coming from the UK is an advantage if you want to get promoted by music company's and appear on tv shows etc

There's always singers whose albums are reviewed in the guardian music column this a great album great original singer with amazing talent etc no one buys the album they are never heard from again

every day there's 1000s of new songs released on soundcloud everyday it takes abit of luck to make a impact and become popular or even get the chance for the public to listen to your music

Millions of people watch TV shows reality TV soap operas which are mediocre and meaningless in terms of artistic merit most of the singers on the xfactor were awful or else average there were maybe 5 good singers on it and it was on tv for years , one direction have some talent and singing ability

Just because something is popular does not make it good or important many popular singers from the 60s and 70s are now forgotten I think he has a talent for writing good lyrics and making songs that are bland and appeal to young women and his voice is OK

No, he is not.

At one point I was convinced I had never heard any Ed Sheeran: it turned out that I had, but it went straight in one ear and out the other. He’s a busker, and I hate buskers. I think they are death to music. I’m trying to learn some guitar, but refuse to play in standard tuning, so I can’t do the “cowboy chords” and am less likely to do busker-ish things.

Greatest business man maybe , there’s not a lot in the music , if an older musician released the same music they’d be laughed at

Exactly. He's pretty much a modern day Nik Kershaw

• Tom Waits - Middle class fake beatnik making money from romanticising poverty.
• Nick Cave - Only major accomplishment was giving Kylie Minogue some street-cred with the Goths.
• Leonard Cohen - didn't even sing the best version of his only good song.
• Peter Gabriel - only major accomplishment was a plasticine video.

Sheeran has an authenticity that blows all of these out of the water. He's just unfortunate that he embodies 3 things that Boards users hate: red hair, success and appearances on The Late Late Show.

nik Kershaw is like dream theatre compared to Ed

Maybe keep thinking?

He is ok...nice background music or something for an advert...but that's about it imo

Dude's got a tomato ketchup named after him:

I don't think The Beatles have a single condiment to their name, despite Lennon saying "Cranberry Sauce" twice at the end of Strawberry Fields Forever. Neither Heinz, Chef or Chivers picked up on it at all. Nor indeed Keelings for the strawberries. God loves a trier, but that was embarrassing.

In all fairness, Oasis got a soft drink named after them, but it's not very nice.

Jaysus...

Don't get me started on him. His stuff is rubbish.