"Every piece you read about Ed Sheeran will make sure to hit two key branding points. 1) He is hugely successful. Like, multiplatinum in an era where people don't go multiplatinum any more successful. 2) He is a very nice guy.”

"The Ed Sheeran Nice Guy Brand promises the consumer that the lovelorn troubadour is sensitive, nerdy… and won't break your heart like those other boys. But one listen to X reveals that he's not as far away from the macho types that unapologetically trash hotel rooms as he'd like you to think.”

They point to his lyrics in “The Man” which are incredibly telling (emphasis added):

That’s right: Playboy. You might be thinking, “Pot, kettle, black.” But how black does the kettle have to be for this pot, of all pots, to call it out?!

"Most women have probably encountered the otherworldly scorn of a male underdog.” YUP.

"In Ed Sheeran’s case, he’ll write reductive revenge songs that are low-key misogynistic while slurring in interviews about all the women who’ve been kind enough to fuck him.”

"The rampant misogyny of “Don’t,” however, is plain in the lyrics. The first verse glorifies him calling a girl he just met “another mistake” and then goes into a long rant about being confused about her intentions, all because he can’t figure out whether she wants to fuck him or just be friends. (There’s no attempt to think that perhaps she wants to do both—or that a woman’s desires can change over time.)"

"Let’s now consider Justin Bieber’s cheekily titled “Love Yourself,” cowritten by Sheeran. Before being approved for radio play, the song was originally titled “Fuck Yourself,” and Sheeran has admitted that it’s an angry letter to a girl who dumped him.”

"You may be a guy who likes to up your allure by making it known how easy it is for you to reject women, but honestly, most of us just remember you as the guy who sharted on stage.”

What a lead: "An unsurprisingly sexist album sure to make millions”

"I don’t tend to write and submit negative reviews for The Ontarion’s Arts and Culture section. I say to myself and to any writer who writes critically of acts (especially local acts), that we are emphatically not Pitchfork. We do not need to tear artists down for perceived flaws (art is, after all, subjective) because it is mean and, above all, may prevent someone from creating something out of fear of negativity.”

BUT even with all that, they felt the need to go on:

"What is truly, insipidly hideous about Divide is the rampant misogyny in several songs that Sheeran sing-shouts.”

“It becomes more heated as he navigates the slippery slope from being kind of a jerky ex, to a downright obsessive asshole."

“He levels his criticism at his ex, who probably broke up with him because he’s the kind of terrifying “nice guy” that girls warn each other about.”

I don’t want to post all 15 of the ones the list, and a lot of repeats of the issues above and below, but some highlights:

“Have you ever heard one of Ed’s songs and thought, “Wow, that sounds familiar!” the entire time it played? You wouldn’t be alone. Just like Taylor Swift was accused of stealing Shake it Off, Ed has had his fair share of plagiarism accusations.”

When he shared his opinions on women wearing makeup and taking time to get ready to go out: "No one asked for his opinion on it either time.”

"Instead of just being proud of himself for losing some weight, Ed decided to take it a step farther. In his self-congratulating tweet, he let the world know that apparently only women are concerned with their image and that being proud of himself made him sound like one."

“But the problem with "I Don't Care" is that it wants the listener to think this romance is ideal. The idea of placing partners on a pedestal is a tired trope that contributes to a toxic dynamic in romantic relationships. Sheeran is once again putting his self-worth on his partner, continuing to perpetuate the idea that a woman's affection is something to earn in order to improve one's standing in the world. Sheeran presents this dynamic as ideal by justifying the narrative that everyone has a soul mate who is going to sweep them off their feet and take their issues away. While that seems particularly critical of what is surely meant to be a harmless love song, you have to keep in mind who exalted Sheeran to fame: lonely teenagers.”

“Sheeran probably believes "I Don't Care" is an embodiment of every teenager's fairy tale, but he's perpetuating the idea that the ideal partner should accept the other's insecurities without explanation or context. For a fleeting moment, the idea of this all-consuming, possessive love sounds intoxicating, but who actually wants a partner unable to stand on their own two feet and be their own person?“

You really just have to read them yourself.

This one is just so chalk full of “gems”:

"It's my birthday, and at one point he grabs my phone, takes a selfie of us and posts to my Instagram, writing 'It's my birthday bitches #london #hashtag #believe #achieve #inspiration.’”

"Early last year, Sheeran and Cherry were touring a volcano in Iceland, when Sheeran ignored a guide's directions to not stray from a path. As he approached a bubbling geyser, the thin crust of earth started to collapse beneath him, sending both feet into nearly 200-degree water.”

It might be learned: "His father still doesn't take any shit: Sheeran tells a story about him lighting a cigarette at a recent Warner Bros. party. 'Someone said, 'Sir, you can't smoke here.' And he said, 'I am Mr. Warner,' and they left him alone.’”

"Offstage, this was his most romantically prolific period. He says he hooked up with some of Swift's famous friends. "Taylor's world is celebrity," says Sheeran. "I was this 22-year-old awkward British kid going on tour with the biggest artist in America, who has all these famous mates. It was very easy. … I would often find myself in situations just kind of waking up and looking over and being like, 'How the fuck did that happen?’ “

"The second date was a birthday party for Adele's manager. Sheeran "tested" Cherry by leaving her alone for a few hours.” Testing your friends, family, and romantic partners is healthy!! /s

"On the flip side, the tone of these stories also hints at a slightly darker side to Sheeran, one whose unpolished edge is the mark of a passive-aggressive lout rather than a charming rogue.”

"In 2017, being a male pop star who purports to be sensitive — or who wields sensitivity as a selling point — means having to defend lyrics that don't necessarily fit a good-guy image. Sentiments perceived as sexist and misogynist will be called out, and don't fly like they might have in the days before social media.” (emphasis added- this is probably why I’d say I personally prefer Bieber to Sheeran, the hypocrisy is just so frustrating)

Alternative read on this entire article: "GIVE ME ATTENTION BECAUSE I’M SPECIAL AND I DESERVE IT.”

Your unsolicited opinion about what a woman should or should not do is duly noted, Ed.

"When we attack men like Ed Sheeran for expressing their emotions – even if they do do that in a problematic way – it borders on misandrism, not feminism." I could not roll my eyes harder. Expressing emotions in problematic ways is not excused because aT LeAsT tHeY’rE eXpReSsiNg ThEm!

"Plus, there are plenty of songs that actually do objectify women. Remember Blurred Lines?” I might have also vomited in my mouth a little bit. What a lame excuse. I guess we can only criticize slightly more casual sexism after we’ve rid ourselves of more overt forms of misogyny?? Can’t chew gum while we walk, I suppose!