"How Would You Feel (Paean)"
Promotional single by Ed Sheeran
from the album ÷
Released17 February 2017 (2017-02-17)
Recorded2016
Genre
Length4:40
Label
Songwriter(s)Ed Sheeran
Producer(s)Ed Sheeran

"How Would You Feel (Paean)" is a song by English singer-songwriter Ed Sheeran. It was released on the 17 February 2017 as the first promotional single from his third studio album ÷ (2017) as well as the eleventh track.[1] Upon release it charted at number 2 on the UK Singles Chart. It has also made the top 10 in six other countries.

Background and release

"How Would You Feel (Paean)" was written by Sheeran while his girlfriend, Cherry Seaborn was on her way to the airport to fly back home after a visit. He wrote the song, recorded on his iPhone and sent it to her in an email. He said that it was written basically just to say to her, "It's really good, I feel happy, how do you feel?"[2] Sheeran admitted that the song nearly didn't make it onto the album, however, because he had forgotten that he had written it. In an interview on On Air with Ryan Seacrest, he said, "I finished the album and I was going through notes and I said to my girlfriend, 'What's your favourite song on the album?' She said, 'You've forgotten it existed and I have it in my e-mail because I'm the only one you sent it to.' So she picked it out from like, a year-and-a-half ago and I ended up recording it."[3]

A guitar solo is played by John Mayer in the song.[4] According to Sheeran, he had initially played the guitar solo himself, but on listening to his recording, thought that it sounded like a "poor man's John Mayer". As he knew Mayer, he contacted him to play the solo.[2]

Sheeran released "How Would You Feel (Paean)" to mark his 26th birthday,[5] although he insisted that it was not an official single.[1]

Critical reception

Cécile Howard of The Edge gave the song 3 stars out of 5 and said, "Not introducing anything new, 'How Would You Feel (Paean)' brings back exactly what the fans' wanted and expected with somewhat of a superficial aftertaste."[6] Taylor Weatherby of Billboard described the song as the one with the "best guitar solo" of the album, writing that Sheeran "pulls out a John Mayer-esque solo about two-thirds of the way through this song that really establishes him as a master of his craft".[7]

Charts

Certifications

Region CertificationCertified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[35] 2× Platinum 140,000‡
Canada (Music Canada)[36] Platinum 80,000‡
Denmark (IFPI Danmark)[37] Platinum 90,000‡
Italy (FIMI)[38] Gold 25,000‡
New Zealand (RMNZ)[39] Gold 15,000‡
Poland (ZPAV)[40] Platinum 50,000‡
Portugal (AFP)[41] Gold 5,000‡
United Kingdom (BPI)[42] Platinum 600,000‡
United States (RIAA)[43] Gold 500,000‡

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

See also

References

  1. 1 2 Starkey, Adam (17 February 2017). "Ed Sheeran new song track How Would You Feel (Paean) is here and it's classic Ed". Metro. DMG Media. Retrieved 8 March 2017.
  2. 1 2 Zane Lowe (3 February 2017). Zane Lowe and Ed Sheeran, Pt 2. iTunes. Event occurs at 44:08–46:25.
  3. ↑ Mench, Chris (17 February 2017). "Ed Sheeran Almost Forgot About His New Song "How Would You Feel (Paean)"". Genius. Retrieved 30 June 2017.
  4. ↑ Ed Sheeran [@edsheeran] (February 17, 2017). "HELP ME PLEASE. A MAN NEEDS HIS NUGGS" (Tweet). Retrieved 30 June 2017 – via Twitter.
  5. ↑ Levine, Nick (17 February 2017). "Listen to Ed Sheeran's new song 'How Would You Feel (Paean)'". NME. Retrieved 13 March 2017.
  6. ↑ Howard, Cécile (23 February 2017). "Review: Ed Sheeran – "How Would You Feel (Paean)"". The Edge. Retrieved 13 March 2017.
  7. ↑ Weatherby, Taylor (3 March 2017). "Ed Sheeran's 'Divide': Superlatives for All 16 Tracks on the Album". Billboard. Retrieved 4 July 2017.
  8. ↑ "Ed Sheeran – How Would You Feel (Paean)". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved 8 March 2017.
  9. ↑ "Ed Sheeran – How Would You Feel (Paean)" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved 8 March 2017.
  10. ↑ "Ed Sheeran – How Would You Feel (Paean)" (in Dutch). Ultratip. Retrieved 1 April 2017.
  11. ↑ "Ed Sheeran – How Would You Feel (Paean)" (in French). Ultratip. Retrieved 1 April 2017.
  12. ↑ "Ed Sheeran Chart History (Canadian Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved 8 March 2017.
  13. ↑ "ČNS IFPI" (in Czech). Hitparáda – Digital Top 100 Oficiální. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: Change the chart to CZ – SINGLES DIGITAL – TOP 100 and insert 201710 into search. Retrieved 13 April 2017.
  14. ↑ "Ed Sheeran – How Would You Feel (Paean)". Tracklisten. Retrieved 8 March 2017.
  15. ↑ "Euro Digital Songs". Billboard. Retrieved 8 March 2017.
  16. ↑ "Le Top de la semaine : Top Singles - SNEP (Week 10, 2017)" (in French). Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique. Retrieved 13 April 2017.
  17. ↑ "Ed Sheeran – How Would You Feel (Paean)" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved 8 March 2017.
  18. ↑ "Archívum – Slágerlisták – MAHASZ" (in Hungarian). Stream Top 40 slágerlista. Magyar Hanglemezkiadók Szövetsége. Retrieved 13 April 2017.
  19. ↑ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – How Would You Feel (Paean)". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 8 March 2017.
  20. ↑ "Ed Sheeran – How Would You Feel (Paean)". Top Digital Download. Retrieved 11 March 2017.
  21. ↑ "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 11, 2017" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 17 March 2017.
  22. ↑ "Ed Sheeran – How Would You Feel (Paean)" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 11 March 2017.
  23. ↑ "Ed Sheeran – How Would You Feel (Paean)". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved 8 March 2017.
  24. ↑ "Ed Sheeran – How Would You Feel (Paean)". VG-lista. Retrieved 13 April 2017.
  25. ↑ "Week of October 23, 2017". Billboard Philippines. Retrieved 2 November 2017.
  26. ↑ "Ed Sheeran – How Would You Feel (Paean)". AFP Top 100 Singles. Retrieved 13 April 2017.
  27. ↑ "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 8 March 2017.
  28. ↑ "ČNS IFPI" (in Slovak). Hitparáda – Singles Digital Top 100 Oficiálna. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: Select SINGLES DIGITAL - TOP 100 and insert 201708 into search. Retrieved 8 March 2017.
  29. ↑ "Ed Sheeran – How Would You Feel (Paean)" Canciones Top 50. Retrieved 8 March 2017.
  30. ↑ "Ed Sheeran – How Would You Feel (Paean)". Singles Top 100. Retrieved 11 March 2017.
  31. ↑ "Ed Sheeran – How Would You Feel (Paean)". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved 8 March 2017.
  32. ↑ "Ed Sheeran: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 8 March 2017.
  33. ↑ "Ed Sheeran Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved 8 March 2017.
  34. ↑ "End of Year Singles Chart Top 100 – 2017". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 10 January 2018.
  35. ↑ "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2019 Singles" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved October 13, 2021.
  36. ↑ "Canadian single certifications – Ed Sheeran – How Would You Feel (Paean)". Music Canada. Retrieved 28 March 2018.
  37. ↑ "Danish single certifications – Ed Sheeran – How Would You Feel (Paean)". IFPI Danmark. Retrieved 23 May 2023.
  38. ↑ "Italian single certifications – Ed Sheeran – How Would You Feel (Paean" (in Italian). Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana. Retrieved 16 October 2017. Select "2017" in the "Anno" drop-down menu. Select "How Would You Feel (Paean" in the "Filtra" field. Select "Singoli" under "Sezione".
  39. ↑ "New Zealand single certifications – Ed Sheeran – How Would You Feel (Paean)". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved 14 April 2017.
  40. ↑ "Wyróżnienia – Platynowe płyty CD - Archiwum - Przyznane w 2021 roku" (in Polish). Polish Society of the Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 9 September 2021.
  41. ↑ "Portuguese single certifications – Ed Sheeran – How Would You Feel" (PDF) (in Portuguese). Associação Fonográfica Portuguesa. Retrieved July 3, 2020.
  42. ↑ "British single certifications – Ed Sheeran – How Would You Feel (Paean)". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 18 March 2017.
  43. ↑ "American single certifications – Ed Sheeran – How Would You Feel (Paean)". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved 17 September 2018.
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