Ed Sheeran says there shouldn’t be music critics in the age of streaming

As one of the most streamed artists of his time, Ed Sheeran is a hit maker, with songs even queued to be released after his death (whenever that may be). In his latest Rolling Stones interview for the cover story, the artist tells fans more about his battle with depression, his new album, and personal opinions on the changing music industry.

Despite his huge success, he was turned down by Jay Z for adding a rap verse to his hit “Shape of You”.

“We were in touch,” tells the star. “I sent him the song, and he said, ‘I don’t think the song needs a rap verse.’ He was probably right. He’s got a very, very good ear. He usually gets things right. It was a very natural, respectful pass.”

Ed Sheeran’s music trend beliefs

“Why do you need to read a review? Listen to it. It’s freely available! Make up your own mind.” Sheeran tells fans.

“I would never read an album review and go, ‘I’m not gonna listen to that now.’” adds the artist.

“I think there’s two genres. It’s good and bad,” he said. “And I don’t think kids believe in genres anymore, either.”

Sheeran added, “Now it’s just playlists, and kids are like, well, I like this song by this artist, and I like this song by that artist. And it might be a Skrillex song next to a Doja Cat song next to a Kendrick Lamar song.”

What’s next for Sheeran?

The ‘Shape of You’ singer has several up-and-coming projects this year. On May 5, he will release his sixth studio album ‘-’ pronounced, “subtract.”

This will be his final entry in his series of albums titled with mathematical symbols. The album announcement was accompanied by two new portraits from famous photographer Annie Leibovitz.

The album is set to have 14 tracks both written and recorded with Aaron Dessner, a member of the American rock band ‘The National,’ who has previously collaborated with Taylor Swift.

The upcoming album is available for pre-sale and pre-order right now. The full tracklist and album trailer were released by Sheeran on his Youtube channel at the beginning of the month.

Just a couple of days before the album’s release on May 3, Sheeran’s upcoming Disney+ documentary ‘Ed Sheeran: The Sum of It All’ will premiere on Disney+.