Ed Sheeran’s Tear-Jerker Songs: Best Cry-Worthy and Popular Tracks Ranking [2025]

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Ed Sheeran – Photograph (Official Music Video)

As the title “Photograph” suggests, it evokes the image of an album filled with family photos, carefully tucked away deep in the house.

It’s a warm song that tells you, “Your place to come home to is right here.”

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Ed Sheeran – Happier (Official Music Video)

Despite having a title that means “happier than ~,” the fact that the song ends up being about a breakup feels distinctly British to me.

It’s a track by Ed Sheeran—one of the greatest singer-songwriters of our time—featured on his 2018 album ÷.

The lyrics, carried by a characteristically beautiful Ed melody, portray raw lingering attachment and regret toward an ex.

The line “You look happier than before” is especially heartrending, isn’t it? Perhaps it’s a sentiment one can eventually overcome, but humans often can’t neatly rationalize such feelings.

The music video, featuring puppet figures, also has a melancholic and suggestive tone, so be sure to check that out as well.

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Ed Sheeran – Castle On The Hill [Official Music Video]

A moving masterpiece filled with love for his hometown and memories of youth has been delivered by UK artist Ed Sheeran.

From a childhood bone-breaking accident to his first love at age 15, this warm work is packed with nostalgia.

Released in January 2017 as a lead single from the album ÷, and featured in the animated films Ferdinand and How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World, the song is written as a love letter to his hometown of Framlingham.

Now an adult, he gently portrays his childhood friends each walking their own path, singing of the flow of changing time and feelings that remain unchanged, carried by a powerful melody.

It’s a gem of a track that resonates with the universal sentiment of having a place or person you want to recall when you feel uncertain or lost.

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Ed Sheeran – Thinking Out Loud (Official Music Video)

This song, which sings about the wish to be taken to the one you love, naturally draws a lot of attention for its moving lyrics.

It’s also famous as a classic love song and is well known for being used in wedding productions.

Many people have surely been moved by its message.

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Ed Sheeran – Eyes Closed [Official Video]

A heart-stirring ballad that sings of longing for a beloved person who has been lost.

The gentle vocals seep into the heart, beautifully expressing the pain of loss that anyone can relate to.

Released in March 2023, the song was unveiled as the lead single from the album Subtract and achieved success on charts around the world.

Born from the experience of losing a friend, the lyrics are imbued with deep sorrow and nostalgia, offering comfort to listeners.

It’s a song I especially recommend to anyone who has lost someone dear or continues to hold someone in their heart.

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Ed Sheeran – Small Bump [Official Music Video]

About fifty years after the Kinks’ debut, an artist who exudes quintessential Britishness finally emerged and became a worldwide sensation: Ed Sheeran.

This is what’s wonderful about music—it connects across eras.

While the song carries a sense of sorrow, it is above all a magnificent piece.

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Ed Sheeran – Shape of You (Official Music Video)

It’s a love song of such high quality that it brings tears to your eyes, its perfection underscored by its massive worldwide hit status.

The vocals, which vividly conjure beautiful scenes and propelled Ed Sheeran to fame, are a defining feature, and combined with a track reminiscent of folk instruments, the result is a grand and sweeping impression.