Ranking Every Song From Ed Sheeran's "No.6 Collaborations Project"

In the past few weeks, I've ranked Maroon 5's "Red Pill Blues", Taylor Swift's "folklore", and Paramore's "After Laughter". However, this has easily been my most challenging album ranking to date.

Before I dive right into it (see what I did there?), I'd like to confess that I don't listen to many of the featured artists on this album; thus, I'm mainly assessing it through the lens of Sheeran's discography.

And now, as they say in the UK, off we go...

15. BLOW

I sincerely wish I could rationalize my ranking of "BLOW". On this track, Ed Sheeran experiments with the rock genre, which should be extremely exciting. He also features a pair of artists that I admire immensely in Chris Stapleton and Bruno Mars. So what's the issue? Aside from simply being caught off-guard by a new sound, I feel that overwhelming instrumentation somewhat negates the vocals of three phenomenal singers here. Nonetheless, it's honestly an intangible quality that makes this one last. The song just feels too generic. I've played it on loop, hoping it would eventually blow my mind. It hasn't.

14. Feels

The shortest track of this album (at 2 minutes and 30 seconds), "Feels" is a fun, vibey song that never really gives its listeners any feels. It's perfect if you're in need of an island jam that simply doesn't accomplish a whole lot. Young Thug's feature is average at best (obnoxious at worst), and while J Hus produces something more noteworthy, his pronunciation of the word "vitamin" hurts my brain every time. There are many Ed Sheeran songs that generate an excess of emotions -- this just isn't one of them.

13. Take Me Back To London

Something about the vocal syncopation in Sheeran's chorus makes "Take Me Back To London" completely irresistible. Meanwhile, his rhymes remain as faultless as ever. And then there's Stormzy. I understand the appeal in a pair of UK idols joining forces for an ode to the capital of England. However, Stormzy's feature ranks among my least favorites on the album. I'm just not into it. Take me back to Sheeran's featureless studio albums.

12. Remember The Name

Fort Minor listened with heightened intrigue as Sheeran recruited legendary rappers Eminem and 50 Cent for "Remember The Name". The collision of three musical icons could have produced a massive hit here. It didn't. There's nothing wrong with the track, but something has to fall when you're ranking an album filled with versatile artists. As an avid follower of Sheeran's career since his 2011 release of "The A Team", I will say this: I never thought you wouldn't be great, Ed.

11. South of the Border

If only I could express how badly I want to rank this song higher. An innuendo-filled, bilingual summer of 2019 jam, Ed Sheeran and Camila Cabello unite for something truly memorable in "South of the Border". It's difficult to not be impressed by such a multifaceted concept. And then (I can't mince words here) there's the massively intolerable Cardi B. If your skip button is broken, do yourself a favor and turn the volume south of zero when you reach her verse. I won't stop until the angels sing.

10. I Don't Care

Initially, I greeted the lead single from "No.6 Collaborations Project" with open arms. Compared with much of this rap-heavy album, Justin Bieber's feature on "I Don't Care" fits into my genre wheelhouse, which increases its palatability in many ways. All the bad things truly disappear when you throw this track on. Nonetheless, there are only so many times the radio can loop a fun, optimistic tune before it becomes less enjoyable. Ironically, I hardly care where this one ranks anymore.

9. Put It All on Me

I'm ready for your judgement, so "Put It All on Me". Some might argue that this cutesy little pop song is forgettable and doesn't warrant being ranked near the middle of the pack. I respectfully disagree. Sheeran's most influential work isn't solely confined to wedding-appropriate ballads or angsty rap tracks. Yelling "WOO" can be tons of fun too. Furthermore, Ella Mai's feature on this song is easily one of my favorites on the album, which definitely boosts its standing in my mind. The UK continues to provide undeniable young musical talent. Some sh-tuff don't need an explanation.

8. 1000 Nights

In the process of ranking such an eclectic album, I kept looking to give "1000 Nights" the boot, perhaps out of my top 10. I couldn't do it. This track is simply too fun. What else can you expect from A Boogie Wit da Hoodie? Amidst the raging California fires and COVID-19 pandemic, I'd love nothing more than to attend Sheeran's show at a stadium in Atlanta. Or New York. Or London. Different city every day, yeah? That's the type of sh-tuff I still dream of, Meek Mill.

7. Nothing On You

We're moving into Ed Sheeran royalty with my seventh favorite track of this album. How can you rank the musical stylings of such an influential artist? "Nothing On You" is incredibly smooth and laid-back, feeling equally fitting for a road trip or nightclub. Despite four years of Spanish classes in high school, I have no idea what's going on with Paulo Londra in the second verse, but I'm not complaining. I've got everything I need in this tune. Back to you, Dave.

6. Antisocial

For the longest time, this one was an automatic skip for me. I simply couldn't get into it, and now I'm utterly perplexed by that fact. Am I overcompensating with such a high ranking? Perhaps. Nonetheless, "Antisocial" is an undeniable jam for introverts everywhere. I won't claim to be a Travis Scott fan, but his feature on this track is genuinely enjoyable. What an epic collaboration. I won't mess with their energy. Let's move to the top 5. All you cool people, you better leave now...

5. Best Part of Me

And here we are. "Best Part of Me" is a beautiful acoustic track that has no business being on an album filled with high-energy, 21st century crossover hits. Maybe I'm biased to Sheeran's earlier sound and clinging to a sense of nostalgia here, but I definitely feel this song deserves a top 5 ranking based on its own merit (not to mention the immediate lyrical impact upon first -- and each subsequent -- listen). Thanks for introducing me to YEBBA, Ed. I love it. I love it. And I don't even love myself.

4. Beautiful People

"I could use some help getting out of this conversation." Sometimes the most relatable lyrics are improbably simple. By my estimation, it's no coincidence that "Beautiful People" was chosen as the album's opening track and subsequently worked its way onto pop radio. Admittedly, Sheeran's lyrical imagery simply can't remain relatable for the duration of the track, but its vibe is impeccable enough to hide any perceived flaw. On a semi-related note, Khalid exudes coolness without even trying. Everything about this one works to perfection. Perhaps Sheeran said it best: "This song for me is warmth. It just feels cozy."

3. Cross Me

Have I ever listened to Chance the Rapper or PnB Rock outside of this track? No. Do I love everything happening on this track? Yes. My favorite single of the project by far, "Cross Me" is a song that makes listeners want to smash the loop button. It has the "sing-able" rap quality of much of Sheeran's previous work while exploring the R&B genre in a rather unprecedented way. Additionally, I'm not sure I've ever heard "faucet" rhymed with "CrossFit", which certainly deserves an A+ for creativity. If you cross this song, then you cross me.

2. I Don't Want Your Money

The definitive jam of Sheeran's collaboration album, it's hard for me to feel comfortable ranking "I Don't Want Your Money" anywhere below #1, but here we are. Admittedly, I'm partial to similar tracks across his discography (notably "Don't" and "New Man"), but this one is even more intriguing with the inclusion of H.E.R., an artist who's certainly worthy of release radar playlists. Oftentimes it's a good sign when you can memorize a song on the day of its release. I'm always looking back and saying there was a time when I would play this one every single night.

1. Way To Break My Heart

When you form an immediate relationship with a song during your first listen, it becomes difficult to push from atop the hill. Frankly, I knew in the opening seconds of this one (before Sheeran sang "Star sign: Gemini") that it would be my favorite of the album. Somehow, the Skrillex feature actually saves this track from becoming too depressing, but it still hits differently and remains a sentimental favorite amongst Sheeran's eclectic catalog. This song is the "Way To Break My Heart", Ed. It stands alone atop my list, but I promise it did nothing wrong.

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