Thinking Out Loud

The story behind *Thinking Out Loud* is woven with the intimacy of a conversation and the warmth of a melody that evokes memories. It was conceived in the early hours of February 4, 2014, in Ed Sheeran's kitchen, alongside singer-songwriter Amy Wadge. What began as a casual visit to relax ended up transforming into a creative whirlwind of just 20 minutes. The spark arose when Wadge, while Sheeran was showering, played some chords on the guitar. The melody, which Sheeran described as "very Van Morrison-esque," immediately captured his attention, prompting him to revisit the idea after dinner. The lyrics, according to Wadge, were born from reflections on "eternal love" and the circumstances surrounding them at the time. Sheeran has also pointed out that his then-girlfriend, Athina Andrelos, was a key inspiration, capturing the happiness of a relationship at its peak. He even thought of his grandparents, imagining love enduring into old age, which is reflected in the line "'til we're 70". The initial idea for the chorus, "I'm singing out now," evolved into the title we know. Immediately after its creation, Sheeran recorded a preliminary version on his phone, eager to include it on his second studio album, *×*.

The official recording of *Thinking Out Loud* took place the following day at Sticky Studios, in the small town of Windlesham, Surrey. It was the last piece to be added to the album *×*, which was already nearly complete. The production was handled by Jake Gosling, a regular collaborator of Sheeran. The track, classified as a blue-eyed soul ballad, was released as the album's third single in the United States on August 8, 2014. Its impact was considerable: in the UK, it remained in the top 40 for 19 weeks, reaching number one in early November 2014, his second number one there. The song also topped the charts in Australia, Ireland, New Zealand, Denmark, the Netherlands, the Philippines, Thailand, Slovakia, and South Africa. In North America, it reached number two on both the US Billboard Hot 100 and the Canadian Hot 100. In June 2015, it became the first single to spend a full year within the British top 40, and in September of the same year, it achieved triple platinum certification in the UK. By October 2015, it had surpassed 500 million streams on Spotify, solidifying its status as one of the most listened-to songs. At the 58th Annual Grammy Awards, *Thinking Out Loud* was nominated for Record of the Year, Song of the Year, and Best Pop Solo Performance, winning the latter two awards.