Wretch 32 – WelcheMusic.com

Ed Sheeran Album Tops Billboard Folk Chart

The Ed Sheeran album “+” vaults into No.1 on this week’s Billboard Folk Albums chart. I wrote about it just ahead of its UK release at the end of last August. The singer knocks Brandi Carlile’s set “Bear Creek” off the top after one single week. It’s interesting to note that another entry bows at No.2 – The Tallest Man On Earth’s “There’s No Leaving Now.”

The Ed Sheeran album currently sits at several different Billboard tallies, such as the Billboard 200 (No.5), Rock Albums (No.2) and Digital Albums (No.2). His debut hit ‘The A Team’ is also charting on several tallies as well.

WelcheMusic.com wrote about the track in an earlier blog post, revealing that the track was actually written after a last minute performance for homeless people. The lyrics are about a heroin addicted prostitute.

Ed Sheeran has released the following singles to date (UK peak position in brackets).

‘The A Team’ (3)

‘You Need Me, I Don’t Need You’ (4)

‘Lego House’ (5)

‘Drunk’ (9)

‘Small Bump’ (25)

The singer has also appeared on tracks with Wiley, Lewi White, The Collective, Wretch 32 and Devlin.

Countdown to Ed Sheeran’s +

Ed Sheeran, the A Team Singer — Ed Sheeran, the A Team singer

CHART REFLECTION. Ed Sheeran will release + this September. Including ‘The A Team’ and the latest hit ‘You Need Me, I Don’t Need You,’ the set includes twelve songs. WelcheMusic covered Sheeran’s latest single in a previous blog post. ‘You Need Me, I Don’t Need You’ was announced at the Glastonbury Festival 2011 and was first played on Zane Lowe’s BBC Radio 1 show this July.

‘You Need Me’ Single Released in 2009

The single will finally be released on August 28 and is expected to bow on the UK singles chart next Sunday. ‘You Need Me’ was actually included on an extended play which was released digitally back in 2009. The new version is a re-recording of the track featuring a much heavier beat.

The video is directed by Emile Nava and features the 17 year old Matthew Morgan. A remix featuring Wretch 32 and Devlin will be available as well as remixes made by Loadster and Gemini.

Featured on Lewi White’s Debut Single

This summer, Ed Sheeran has also been featured on the ‘Young Guns’ single featuring Yasmin, Griminal and Devlin. The hip hop/rap track peaked at No.86 on the UK singles tally, while peaking at No.10 on the indie list. ‘Young Guns’ was the debut single by Lewi White, a British producer.

Charity Single

Via Gogo announced yesterday that Ed Sheeran is among the acts doing a cover of Massive Attack’s ‘Teardrop.’ Others includes Gary Barlow, Tulisa Constavlos, Tinchy Stryder, Wretch 32, Chipmunk and Ms Dynamite. The single is set for a November release.

Listen to Ed Sheeran via Spotify:

Read more about Ed Sheeran via WelcheMusic:

Check out Ed Sheeran lyrics here.

Changed the Way You Kiss Me Sets the Example

CHART SPOTLIGHT. There is a great chance that the new-found success of Example will open the doors to an international breakthrough. “Change the Way You Kiss Me” performed very well on yesterday’s UK singles tally, selling 115,046 copies last week. It’s the highest tally for a number one for 10 weeks and the first single off Examples third album according to Music Week. Knocking Pitbull, Ne-Yo, Afrojack & Nayer off the No.1 spot, this is Example’s first ever UK No.1.

Name Actually Reins from Latin Initials

Née Elliot John Gleave, this 28-year old rapper got his name from his initials e.g. – “for example” in Latin. Primarily a UK success story, Example has been featured on various with the likes of Professor Green, Tinchy Stryder, Skream and Wretch 32 whose “Unorthodox” peaked at No.2 only recently.

Example’s 2007 set What We Made made it to No.125 on the UK album tall, including the track “No Sleep for the Wicked” which borrows heavily from Kylie Minogue’s “Confide in Me.”

First Album Produced No Hits

The album didn’t produce any hit singles, despite “I Don’t Want To,” “So Many Roads” and “Me & Mandy” were released.

His breakthrough hit came in2009 when “Watch the Sun Come Up” peaked at No.19. It was followed by the No.6 hit “Won’t Go Quietly” and the No.3 smash “Kickstarts.” Both were released in 2010. “Changed the Way You Kiss Me” is the first single off the upcoming set Playing in the Shadows. The next single is expected to be “Scream My Name” featuring Dev (of “Like a G6” fame).

According to his own blog Try This For Example, the rapper is set to embark on a tour this fall. Rumors say that he belives Cee-Lo Green to be the coolest guy!

Listen to Example:

Changed the Way You Kiss Me (Steve Smart & West Funk Extended Mix) – via Electronic-Box
Wretch 32 – Unorthodox feat. Example – Radio Edit– via Spotify
Example – Hooligans – Radio Edit – via Spotify

Wretch 32’s Unorthodox Hit

CHART SPOTLIGHT. Expect Wretch 32 to raise the chart next Sunday as it is the top playing airplay hit ahead of release. The track “Unorthodox” features Example as a guest vocalist and is the latest grime track to hit airwaves. Née Jermaine Scott, Wretch 32 is a 26-year old rapper from Tottenham.

Last December, he was shortlisted for BBC’s Sound of 2011 poll and MTV also named Wretch 32 a nominee for MTV Brand New 2011.

His previous hit “Traktor” (featuring L) peaked at No.5 in the UK. Wretch 32 has also recorded tracks with Chipmunk, Baby Blue and Maverick Sabre throughout his career.