Dear Ed Sheeran,

My cousin is a huge fan.  She is in your target demographic. I am a fan of a few of your songs* but don't be too concerned as I am a few years beyond your target demographic. So way to go! The other day my cousin and I were hanging and she was absolutely flabbergasted that I hadn't listened to your new album in its entirety yet. Something she felt she had to rectify by playing 30 seconds of each song--which drives me crazy, but we won't tell her that. I digress. When she got to "Thinking Out Loud" which is a sweet little song, I immediately said that you were using the same chord progression as "Let's Get it On."



The similarities are almost as striking as the great George's "My Sweet Lord" to The Chiffons'  "He's So Fine." There's no criticism here- if it works, it works. I bring up my cousin and your target demographic because I wouldn't be surprised if the vast majority of them hadn't heard "Let's Get it On." If I may, I'd suggest you do a little mash-up while you're on the road. Not just to expose your generation to a true classic, but also to make you seem so clever, because what are mash-ups but a way to show off? (And not that you're not doing well enough with the ladies already, but just think of how you will exponentially up the sexy time factor.)



Marvin Gaye will give you more street cred. And as far as ginger brits who rap a little too frequently, you're doing better than expected on that front, but more is more as far as street cred goes. Just don't go all the way to face tattoo. That is too much street cred.

Anyway, keep up the goodwork!
Molly


*i.e. "Kiss Me" & "All of the Stars"**
**I guess that is technically just a couple, not a few, but a few sounds more complimentary, don't you think? But I thought you were utterly charming on that one episode of Never Mind The Buzzcocks I watched because Richard Ayoade was on it. You and Noel Fielding were hilarious together.