Episode 10 of Chart Attack sees us finally take on the monolithic giant of 21st-century pop that is Ed Sheeran and his enormous record-breaking number 1 ‘Shape Of You’.
We’ll explore just why this odd little extremely catchy pop song became the phenomenon that it was while asking the ultimate pop question: is Ed Sheeran unfairly maligned?
We also try to unpack the way this song and his enormous third album truly changed the way we would look at the charts forever and give an explainer of the extremely complex way the chart is now worked out.
Along the way we’ll say hello to Max Branning and Barry from Eastenders, commiserate the inauguration of Donald Trump and pay our final visit to the street where Kevin Webster has lost his stapler. All that and more on the SERIES FINALE!! of Chart Attack.
Chart Attack is brought to you by Dork. It’s hosted by Abigail Firth and Martyn Young and produced by Patrick Gunning. Chart data is sourced from the Official Charts Company. You can follow us or get in touch across socials @chartattackpod or via the Dork accounts @readdork and @dorkradio. Thank you for listening!
Chart Attack
What makes a number 1? That’s what we’re exploring on Dork’s new podcast Chart Attack, where we jump in our big pop time machine and revisit number ones from the turn of the millennium onwards. Exploring the highs and lows of the 21st century UK chart, we’ll be dissecting cultural milestones, iconic pop stars, telling classic pop stories, and taking a trip down memory lane ourselves. Most importantly, we’ll be asking the crucial pop question: is this a good song?