British pop singer Ed Sheeran returned from his lengthy social media break and released his new album, “Divide” (often shown as ÷), last Friday, March 3. In December 2016, Sheeran commenced a year-long hiatus from his phone, email and social media accounts.
“I’ve had such an amazing ride over the last five years but I find myself seeing the world through a screen and not my eyes,” Sheeran wrote on Instagram. “The third album is on the way and is the best thing I have made thus far.”
News of a new album excited Sheeran’s fans, but the year-long break disappointed them nevertheless.
“I was sad when [Sheeran] announced his break,” Sophomore Sophia Kelgey, long-time fan of Sheeran, said. “Although, I knew he was probably write some really good music.”
After the long wait, Kegley was not disappointed by “Divide.” She enjoyed the heartfelt messages Sheeran made prevalent in his songs.
“His personality and beliefs really show through his songwriting,” Kegley said. “I knew that [the album] was going to be great.”
Sheeran made history less than a day after the album’s release. In the first day, “Divide” shattered the Spotify record of highest number of first-day streams, beating the previous record (29 million streams) with a new record of more than 56 million. Sheeran also obtained the title of most-streamed artist over the course of a single day with 68.7 million plays.
The album contains 16 tracks, varying from upbeat to somber, all of which convey a different story. The album has attracted the attention of many fans who were particularly anxious for its release. Sheeran is known for his storytelling throughout his songs, as well as unique incorporations of different styles.
“I think the album is really interesting because it has happy songs as well as slow songs,” Sophomore Isabella Wilson said. “Also, some of the songs incorporate Irish and Reggae music.”
Two of the tracks, “Shape of You” and “Castle on the Hill,” were released in early January. Adding to the album’s accomplishments, “Shape of You” obtained updated the record for highest amount of one-day streams with 10 million, knocking out the song’s previous tally of almost eight million from January. As if that was not enough, “Shape of You” also remained atop the Hot 100 songs for five (non-consecutive) weeks.
While it certainly was a long year without him, Sheeran’s hard work paid off in the eyes of many. Sheeran received immediate praise from his ever-growing fan base. “Divide” will no doubt keep breaking records, as it hasn’t even been out for a week yet. Knowing that Sheeran released “Plus” (+) and “Multiply” (x) prior to “Divide” (÷), there could be hope for a “Subtract” in the future.
