More Than Just Love Songs: The Heart of Friendship in Ed Sheeran’s Music
When we think of Ed Sheeran, our minds usually drift toward acoustic wedding anthems like “Thinking Out Loud,” heart-wrenching ballads like “Photograph,” or high-energy pop hits like “Shape of You.” Sheeran has built an empire on writing the definitive soundtracks for romance, heartbreak, and growing up.
However, hidden among his massive catalog of chart-toppers is a deeply loyal, incredibly heartwarming sub-genre: songs about friendship.
Drawing from his tight-knit childhood crew in Suffolk, his rapid rise alongside fellow musicians, and the enduring bonds that keep him grounded despite global stardom, Sheeran’s friendship anthems remind us that platonic love is just as powerful, messy, and life-changing as romantic love.
1. “Castle on the Hill” (2017) — The Nostalgia of Hometown Roots
While often viewed as a sweeping tribute to his hometown of Framlingham, Suffolk, “Castle on the Hill” is fundamentally a song about the friends who shaped him.
The track plays out like a cinematic coming-of-age movie, with Sheeran reminiscing about underage drinking in the woods, breaking legs, smoking hand-rolled cigarettes, and finding his first love. But the emotional core of the song lies in the lines:
“One friend left to sell a couple hats / And one had to work ’cause he’s got a kid to feed / But another’s droppin’ nics down on the business end / Of a cigarette, and we ain’t met for fourteen months.”
It’s an honest, bittersweet acknowledgment of how life pulls people in different directions. Childhood friends drift into mortgages, parenthood, and new cities, but the invisible thread of shared history remains entirely intact.
2. “Visiting Hours” (2021) — Grief, Legacy, and Mentorship
Friendship isn’t limited to peers who grew up alongside you; it also encompasses the mentors and elders who guide us through life. Released on his album = (Equals), “Visiting Hours” is a deeply moving tribute to his late friend and mentor, Australian music promoter Michael Gudinski.
The song captures the raw vulnerability of losing someone who understood you on a professional and personal level. Sheeran sings about wishing heaven had visiting hours so he could ask for advice on how to raise his daughter, or simply play him his new music. It highlights a mature facet of friendship: the enduring impact of a profound platonic bond that death cannot sever.
3. “Bloodstream” (2014) — The Raw Reality of Loneliness and Support
Not all friendship songs are nostalgic summer anthems. Some, like “Bloodstream” from x (Multiply), delve into the darker, more vulnerable moments of life—and the friends who pull us out of them.
Co-written with members of the band Snow Patrol, the song captures a feeling of isolation, anxiety, and losing one’s grip in a chaotic world. Yet, the underlying narrative reflects the safety net of a loyal circle. It serves as a reminder that true friendship isn’t just about celebrating the highs; it’s about having people who sit with you through the heavy, turbulent lows.
4. “Friends” (2019) — Celebrating the Ultimate Ride-or-Dies
Collaborating with Burna Boy on the No.6 Collaborations Project, “Friends” takes a rhythmic, afrobeats-infused turn to celebrate loyalty, protection, and mutual success.
The track flips the script on fair-weather companions, emphasizing the importance of keeping a small, trusted circle around you as your world expands. It’s an upbeat, confident anthem dedicated to the people who knew you before the fame and treat you exactly the same way afterward.
Why Ed Sheeran’s Friendship Anthems Resonate So Deeply
In an industry obsessed with the intoxicating highs and devastating lows of romance, Ed Sheeran’s dedication to platonic relationships feels refreshing and grounded.
His friendship songs work because they are rooted in autobiographical truth. Sheeran is famous for maintaining a tight-knit group of childhood friends—many of whom still work with him or travel on tour—proving that he practices what he preaches.
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