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Song story

Shape of You

"Shape of You" is a song by Ed Sheeran. The catalog lists 2017-01-06; this may be an album or version date.

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Catalog dateJan 6, 2017

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The numbers behind the music

Earnings, value, and rights.

Explore available streaming estimates, open the catalog valuation when you choose, and see which recording credits are documented.

Deterministic forecast

Spotify royalty estimates

Gross to rightsholders

All time

$15,250,000

Rounded forecast · nearest $1,000

estimated Spotify gross royalties to rightsholders

Inputs and assumptions
As of
Sep 7, 2026
Source
Chartmetric
Formula version
artistsphere_spotify_gross_preview_v1

Each figure multiplies an identity-matched Chartmetric Spotify stream count by a deterministic $0.003 modeled gross rightsholder rate. The estimate is gross to rightsholders before contractual splits, fees, recoupment, and taxes; it is not artist take-home pay.

These estimates represent gross royalties to rightsholders before contractual splits, fees, recoupment, and taxes. They do not represent artist take-home pay.

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Explore the modeled all-platform range, estimated revenue sources, and illustrative recording and composition rights splits. These are estimated gross royalties to rightsholders, not artist take-home pay.

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How Ed Sheeran’s “Shape of You” was written, recorded and credited

Created during a session intended to produce songs for other artists, the marimba-driven track became a defining single from Sheeran’s ÷ era—and acquired an unusually complex credit history.

A two-song return

Ed Sheeran released “Shape of You” on January 6, 2017, alongside “Castle on the Hill.” The two tracks introduced his third studio album, ÷, which followed on March 3. “Shape of You” appears as the album’s fourth track.

Sources: qobuz.com

Written for someone else—at first

Sheeran, Johnny McDaid and Steve Mac, whose legal name is Steven McCutcheon, wrote the song at Mac’s Rokstone Studios on October 12, 2016. The session began with the intention of writing material for other performers. A four-bar marimba figure was created with a Logic virtual instrument and looped as the trio developed the song. That evening, Sheeran played the demo to Atlantic Records executives as a possible song for another artist, with Rihanna mentioned as a potential recipient; the executives encouraged him to record it himself.

Sources: judiciary.uk, musicbusinessworldwide.com

The finished recording

Steve Mac produced the recording and played keyboards, while Sheeran is credited with lead and backing vocals, guitar, percussion and co-production. Chris Laws played drums and engineered the track with Dann Pursey and Joe Rubel. Mark “Spike” Stent mixed it, assisted by Geoff Swan and Michael Freeman; Stuart Hawkes mastered it. Geo Gabriel, Travis Cole and Wayne Hernandez supplied additional backing vocals.

Sources: qobuz.com, musicbrainz.org

Why six songwriters are credited

The current songwriting credits name Sheeran, Mac, McDaid, Kandi Burruss, Kevin Briggs and Tameka Cottle. During production, an early version intentionally referred to TLC and incorporated part of the melody from TLC’s “No Scrubs,” written by Burruss, Briggs and Cottle. Although Sheeran changed that passage before release, the copyright owners complained after the single appeared. Clearance was subsequently obtained and the three “No Scrubs” writers received credit.

Sources: judiciary.uk, qobuz.com

Documented credits

Artist; lead and backing vocals; guitar; percussion; co-producer
Ed Sheeran
Songwriters
Ed Sheeran, Steve Mac, Johnny McDaid, Kandi Burruss, Kevin Briggs, Tameka Cottle
Producer; keyboards
Steve Mac
Drums; engineering
Chris Laws
Engineering
Dann Pursey, Joe Rubel
Backing vocals
Geo Gabriel, Travis Cole, Wayne Hernandez
Mixing
Mark “Spike” Stent
Assistant mixing
Geoff Swan, Michael Freeman
Research sources
Last researched 2026-09-21.

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Selected TikTok examples

Popular videos featuring Shape of You.

Sound: Shape of You

@everbloom_ca

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66.9M views

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Sound: Shape of You

@leventgeiger

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41.3M views

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Sound: Shape of You

@habibi_furnitureny

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29.7M views

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Sound: Shape of You

@western_music0

【 Shape of You - Ed Sheeran 】 #shapeofyou #edsheeran

26.9M views

Watch on TikTok ↗

Keep exploring

There is more to Ed Sheeran.

ArtistSphere connects Ed Sheeran with pop, soft rock, folk catalog signals. Start with Shape of You, Perfect, Photograph to explore the music represented here. Continue through verified Spotify, TikTok, Instagram, YouTube links and fan discovery sections.

Visit the artist home →

Ed Sheeran

Perfect

2017
Estimated all-time Spotify gross royalties to rightsholders$12,300,000Explore

Ed Sheeran

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2013
Estimated all-time Spotify gross royalties to rightsholders$10,626,000Explore

Ed Sheeran, Justin Bieber

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Estimated all-time Spotify gross royalties to rightsholders$6,692,000Explore

Ed Sheeran

Happier

Estimated all-time Spotify gross royalties to rightsholders$4,524,000Explore

Ed Sheeran

Happier

2017
Estimated all-time Spotify gross royalties to rightsholders$4,524,000Explore

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