British singer-songwriter Ed Sheeran has been named as one of Time magazine’s 100 Most Influential People of 2025.
Sheeran, 34, is the star of one of five worldwide covers with an accompanying interview, as well as a tribute written by Hollywood actor Chris Hemsworth and words of praise from producer Benny Blanco.
“Ed Sheeran has an almost supernatural ability to connect,” the Marvel star wrote of Sheeran. “His songs, his voice, his words – they belong to all of us. Whether you’re at home with your headphones on, driving through the countryside, or in a stadium packed with 70,000 people singing at the top of their lungs, his music feels personal.
“He has an instinct for storytelling that makes you feel like he wrote that song just for you, no matter where you’re from or what you’ve been through.”
Speaking to Time, Sheeran revealed that he had changed his priorities, going from what his interviewer described as a hyper-competitive artist dominating the charts and shattering industry records to a musician “finding happiness in playing live music in small venues; in embracing fatherhood; and in leaning into his role as pop’s great facilitator”.
“I think now I’ve explored everything…So it is kind of stripping it back a little bit and finding the joy in creating s***,” the “Azizam” singer said.
“I’ve kind of got to a point of my career where I’m just sort of like, ‘Am I enjoying it?’” rather than, ‘Is it commercially doing well?’”
He addressed his two headline-making legal battles over allegations of plagiarism, most recently in 2023 when he was cleared by a jury of copying Marvin Gaye’s classic “Let’s Get It On” for his hit single “Thinking Out Loud”.
Sheeran had previously implied he would quit music altogether should he lose, comparing the idea that someone could “own” a certain arrangement of music notes to someone owning the colour blue.
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“I don’t see why I would write songs ever again if someone owns the colour blue,” he said, adding of the time since his latest legal victory: “Everyone’s left me the f*** alone – and the freedom really just lifted a weight.”
Sheeran is currently preparing to release his new album, Play, in June, which he finished recording in Goa. “In Western pop music, it can get quite stagnant and same-y and trend-following,” he said. “Whereas in India, I found that it was just their own wave, and it just is rather than trying to fit in things.”
The Grammy-winning musician also spoke about his struggles with grief and sadness, revealing: “One thing I’ve learned about depression is you don’t take a magic pill and it’s suddenly gone…
“But you can have periods of your life where you’re better, and periods of your life where you’re not. It gets less and less painful year on year, but always allow yourself to feel grief. Don’t put it in a box and lock it away.”
Other musicians and actors to feature on this year’s Time 100 list include Irish singer-songwriter Hozier, with a tribute by folk singer Noah Kahan; Severance star Adam Scott; Nobody Wants This actor Kristen Bell and Hollywood actor Scarlett Johansson, with a tribute by her Marvel co-star Chris Evans.
