About Ed Sheeran (And Other Veteran Artists)

The knives have been out for Ed Sheeran for a long time. He barely got to enjoy a few years of hits before becoming a critics’ punching bag. In 2018, the Grammys made a statement by overlooking “Shape of You” for Record of the Year to nominate “The Story of O.J.” by Jay-Z. Like Taylor Swift, there were already questions about Sheeran’s place at CHR by the time of his duets album in 2019. Those were silenced for a while in 2021 when pop radio most needed hits and he unleashed “Bad Habits” and “Shivers” in close succession.