5. "Autumn Leaves"
One of the bonus songs on his first album, "+" (Plus), Autumn Leaves is a slower song where Sheeran's lyrics focus on life, death, and missing people who are no longer in our lives. With emotionally deep lyrics such as "Another tear, another cry / Another place for us to die / It's not complicated," this is one of his best songs lyrically, placing it in the fifth spot on this list.
4. "One"
This song comes off of Sheeran's "x" (Multiply) album. A break-up song, Sheeran sings about drunkenly going to his ex's house and asking her to never leave his side again, since she was "the only one." This song is different from other heartbreak songs that Sheeran has released because of the softer sound and higher-notes that he hits throughout the track. Another song that is moving, One takes the fourth place on this list.
3. "Supermarket Flowers"
Supermarket Flowers is the newest song on this list, and it comes from Sheeran's most recent album, ÷ (Divide). While Sheeran wrote this album, his grandmother's health deteriorated and sadly, she passed away. He wrote this song in response to her death, and it takes the point of view of his mother as she grieves, thinks back on her mother's life, and packs up her things. A heart-wrenching song, Sheeran's passionate and emotional vocals and accurate description of the after-math of the death of a loved one make this song truly beautiful.
2. "You Need Me I Don't Need You (The Live Room Version)"
(To find this version of the song, click here.)
While this tracks does not talk about deep topics such as heartbreak or death, it is still one of his greatest songs to date. Through using just his voice, an acoustic guitar, and a loop pedal, he creates an over 10 minute song that will keep the listener paying close attention the entire time. He raps and beat-boxes about how the music industry will never change him, even when others in the industry may look down on him. Using slightly crude and extremely blunt lyrics to call out the music industry, Sheeran proves that he has the lyrical and musical skills to thrive as a musician and song-writer. The lyrics are witty, the vocals and rap are outstanding, and the guitar to back him up creates a near-perfect song.
1. "Little Lady (ft. Mikill Pane)"
This is Ed's best song, lyrically and musically, hands down. Little Lady was the original version of Sheeran's hit song The A Team. However, many found this first version to be too graphic and shocking, so it was revised and toned down to create his first single. This original song tells the story of a young girl who was forced into the sex trade and how her life plays out. This song is so shocking and saddening because it is reality for thousands of young children in the world, but that is what makes this song amazing. Sheeran has the ability to bring awareness to this issue through music, and uses his platform to bring light to the problems of the sex trade. Little Lady is a tragically beautiful song that brings awareness to serious issues in the world today, making it Ed Sheeran's best work thus far, and possibly ever.
These five songs are, in my opinion, Ed Sheeran's greatest songs. While the majority of his music is wonderful, these songs are a step above his others for various reasons.
