Long awaited and totally worth it, Ed Sheeran’s new singles have broken the music industry. After taking a year-long hiatus, the beloved singer-songwriter is finally back with two new tracks that have caused quite the stir across the world. The two tracks, “Shape of You” and “Castle on the Hill” have hit number 1 and number 2 on the the iTunes top charts. Sheeran is breaking records and setting new milestones not only for himself but for musicians everywhere.

 “Shape of You,”  a song about being in love with a woman’s body and co-written with Johnny McDaid and Steve Mac, has a caribbean jive and a pulsing beat that’s easy to absentmindedly dance to.

 With lyrics like “and last night you were in my room and now my bed sheets smell like you / everyday discovering something brand new / I’m in love with your body,” this is one very provocative song.

 The singer, leading up to the release of “Castle on the Hill” and “ Shape of You,” took to posting  very cryptic posts on social media. He posted a line of lyrics for both new singles and fans went crazy. He took great joy in teasing fans. 

 “Castle on the Hill” is a very nostalgic and heartwarming song. It’s very easy to see that Sheeran is a bit homesick as he sings about his hometown and all his friends. Reminiscing about all the fun times he had with his friends growing up and how now they’ve all gone their separate ways. Co- written with Benny Blanco, the song has an upbeat sound, slow verses and a catchy chorus, the song is beautifully performed.

At times, Sheeran’s soulful voice becomes raspy and hurts the hearts of all who hear it.

Sheeran croons about his first love, first kiss, first heartbreak and growing up in Framlingham, Suffolk, with lyrics like  “I miss the way you make me feel, and it’s real / we watched the sunset over the castle on the hill” and “had my first kiss on a Friday night, I don’t reckon that I did it right”.

Sheeran has also just recently released the music video for “ Castle on the Hill,” which was well worth the wait. The video, which was filmed in Framlingham, was shot with the help of the students from Sheeran’s old high school. One student in particular shares a close resemblance to Sheeran, which is why the young man portrays Sheeran as a teen.

The video itself adds more nostalgia with flashes of Sheeran being seen driving around and walking on a field, and scenes with the group of teens acting out the lyrics, from going to parties to having a first kiss. The video is perfect for this song, Sheeran could not have done a better job.

Soon after the release of the two singles, Sheeran announced that the new album  “÷ ( Divide)” is set to be released on March 3. While fans were hoping for a sooner release date, they’re just happy that the flame haired singer is producing new music.

The two singles are polar opposites when it comes to sound and meaning. Yet both are heart-stopping tracks. With a new album on the horizon and two new singles, fans are waiting to hear more from Sheeran.