"Sing" is a song written and recorded by English singer-songwriter,
Ed Sheeran. It was produced by
Pharrell Williams, who is said to have also provided backing vocals. The song was released by
Asylum Records UK on 7 April 2014 as the
lead single from Sheeran's second studio album, × (2014).[3][4][5] "Sing" became Sheeran's first UK number-one single and also topped the charts in Australia, New Zealand and Ireland. It peaked at number 13 on the US
Billboard Hot 100.
A remix featuring French rapper
Nekfeu was released on 11 August 2014.
Background
"Sing" was written by Sheeran and
Pharrell Williams, and produced by the latter. Williams also provides uncredited background vocals during the chorus.[citation needed] The song has a length of 3 minutes and 55 seconds. The song, which has
pop and
R&B influences and was inspired by
Justin Timberlake, is a departure from the
folk rock sound Sheeran became known for on his previous album, +.[6][7] Sheeran was inspired to model the song after the pop and R&B stylings of Timberlake, stating "It was pretty close to a direct inspiration. I love Justified and FutureSex/LoveSounds, so I took inspiration from those."[8] The lyrics are about "a night out in
Vegas."[9]
"Sing" was released in the United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia and Germany in May 2014.[10] Aside from these nations, "Sing" was released internationally on 7 April 2014, during a
YouTube live chat with Sheeran. "Friends", a track from the EP, entered the
UK Singles Chart at No. 121.
Critical reception
The song received critical acclaim upon release; music critics complimented Sheeran's change of sound, and likened the song to the works of
Justin Timberlake. Time gave the song a very positive review, saying that it is "more of a departure. It fits the times nicely: there's some of fellow Brit,
Sam Smith, in Sheeran's rubbery falsetto, plus some of
Robin Thicke's ubiquitous '
Blurred Lines' in the percussion. But Sheeran's really got his heavy-breathing, hyper-flirtatious sights on another, older target: Justin Timberlake's solo debut, '
Like I Love You'."[3] The chorus riff and falsetto are from "
Miss You" by
The Rolling Stones.
In a positive review, The Guardian said that "while Pharrell's influence is writ large, there's enough of Sheeran there to prevent it coming across as horrible pastiche."[5]The Hollywood Reporter also gave the song a positive review, stating that "Sheeran's fragile voice, as heard on past hits like 'The A Team' and 'Lego House,' has now morphed into a confident croon, unafraid of diving into a deep bag of melismas, boisterous chants and rapid-fire rhymes in order to convince his female subject of his desires."[11]
Chart performance
The song debuted at No. 1 on the
UK Singles Chart and
Irish Singles Chart, giving him his first ever number-one singles in both the United Kingdom and Ireland. The song has sold 670,000 copies in actual sales in the United Kingdom, which together with 66 million in streams give a combine total units of 1,339,000.[12]
"Sing" debuted at No. 1 on the Australian
ARIA Charts in May 2014, making it Sheeran's first ever number-one in the country, and his sixth top ten single in Australia. On the week of 14 April 2014, the song entered the
New Zealand Singles Chart at No. 8, becoming his fourth top 10 single and second top 10 debut in New Zealand.[13] The song has since topped the charts in that country, giving Sheeran his second consecutive number-one single there.[14] In Italy, "Sing" has peaked at No. 2 and spent five total weeks at this position, giving him the higher peak position reached in the country, so far.[15]
In Canada, the track has since peaked at No. 4, giving Sheeran his first ever top 10 hits in the country. "Sing" debuted at No. 15 on the
Billboard Hot 100, giving Sheeran his highest-charting single in the United States, at the time. The single managed to sell 123,000 copies, giving him his second best sales week digitally; the song also managed to net 563,000 streams and earn 28 million in audience impressions, all before its debut week on the Billboard Hot 100.[16] "Sing" has since peaked at No. 13 on the Billboard Hot 100. The song reached the 2 million sales mark in the US in July 2016,[17] and has sold 1,323,000 copies as of January 2015.[18]
Music video
The music video for "Sing" was released exclusively to Sheeran's Facebook page on 22 May 2014, and added to Vevo and YouTube on 23 May, exactly a month before the album was released.[19] It follows a puppet caricature of Sheeran on a night out, during which he gets drunk, steals a mic (from actor Peter Kwong from
Big Trouble in Little China) and sings karaoke, goes to a strip club and picks up Sheeran and Pharrell from a studio in his truck. Throughout the video Sheeran is seen playing his guitar in front of an
optical illusion-esque backdrop.[20][21]
The puppet is currently in Sheeran's safekeeping, but he has "no idea how to work it yet".[22] The puppet was closely modelled on him, down to his clothes and tattoos. Sheeran and Pharrell received the award for
Best Male Video at the
2014 MTV Video Music Awards for the video.[23]
* Sales figures based on certification alone. ^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. ‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. † Streaming-only figures based on certification alone.
^"
ČNS IFPI" (in Czech). Hitparáda – Radio Top 100 Oficiální. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: Change the chart to CZ – RADIO – TOP 100 and insert 201434 into search. Retrieved 15 January 2015.
^"
ČNS IFPI" (in Czech). Hitparáda – Digital Top 100 Oficiální. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: Change the chart to CZ – SINGLES DIGITAL – TOP 100 and insert 201427 into search. Retrieved 8 July 2014.
^"
ČNS IFPI" (in Slovak). Hitparáda – Radio Top 100 Oficiálna. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: insert 201433 into search. Retrieved 15 January 2017.
^"
ČNS IFPI" (in Slovak). Hitparáda – Singles Digital Top 100 Oficiálna. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: Select SINGLES DIGITAL - TOP 100 and insert 201428 into search. Retrieved 15 July 2014.