New No. 6 Collaborations Project by Ed Sheeran: Album Review

No. 6 Collaborations Project by Ed Sheeran is the artist’s fourth studio album. It was released on July 12th, 2019. Just like its predecessor No. 5 Collaborations Project, this album features a wide range of guest appearances by artists from a vast spectrum of genres. Check out the review by Review Monkey below.

To review this album “No. 6 Collaborations Project”, we are first going to talk about it generally and then also do a track by track mini-analysis of the whole thing. So, let’s get to it! This album was something that I was looking forward to the moment it was announced. The last album we got from the talented Sheeran was about 2 years ago and it was about time we got another one.

Sheeran released I Don’t Care with Justin Bieber first which made me go all “Okay, this was a collab I didn’t know I needed.” Then he released Cross Me featuring Chance the Rapper and PnB Rock and my curiosity was getting the better of me. Then the name and the tracklist were released and it was apparent that the album was full of features, however the features were all cut out which got everyone including me speculating about who else is on this project.

I have to hand it to the guy, he sure knows how to play with our curiosities And then bam, one day, he released the complete list of features and I was totally blown away. These features were not what I expected at all! You would think that Ed Sheeran would collaborate with someone like Taylor Swift for example but man.

You do NOT expect to see Travis Scott on the same album as Ed Sheeran or Eminem and 50 Cent on the same song as Ed freaking Sheeran! I mean, there’s a Skrillex feature in here too! And that is what makes this album different and unique than all of the musical projects out this year.

All of the artists featured in this project are all so different from one another when it comes to their respective genres that this whole thing feels fresh, if nothing else, all the way through. From a beautiful R&B anthem with Khalid to a Spanish banger with Paulo Londra, this album has it all!

What I love the most about this album is how flawlessly Sheeran adapts to all the different genres. If it’s a Hip Hop track, he comes in with his raps and if it’s a slow ballad, he comes in with the amazing vocals. His talent really shows when he very easily embraces all the different types of music.

All that said, for every track I absolutely loved, there is one that I don’t. And that is because music genres are extremely subjective. Everyone has a different taste when it comes to songs so it is obvious that I could dislike a song that other people absolutely adore or vice versa. This is my personal opinion about the whole thing so let’s get to the individual tracks and features!

Track 1: Beautiful People (ft Khalid) from No. 6 Collaborations Project

There is no doubt at this point that the 21 year old Khalid is one of the best emerging talents in the past couple of years. He has established himself very confidently in the mainstream musical world. This was released prior to the actual release of the album was all I have to say is…what else do you expect when two of the most beautiful (unintended) voices in the industry work together? The result is a pop anthem for literally everyone, especially the people who think they don’t mean anything and feel worthless. Ed Sheeran’s got all our backs. A perfect way to start the album!

Track 2: South of the Border (ft Camila Cabello and Cardi B)

Okay, so I wasn’t expecting much from this one since I’m not the biggest Cardi fan and I think Camila’s alright at what she does. So I went in with low expectations but still wanted to hear how this one worked out. And even with low hopes, this really didn’t do much for me or click with me. This was kind of a typical collab and that’s all it really is.

Track 3: Cross Me (ft Chance the Rapper and PnB Rock)

The second single to be released for this project, this song really set the whole “unexpected collaborations’ vibe of the album. I never thought I’d hear PnB Rock on the same track as Ed Sheeran one day and I am glad I did because this one is a certified banger. Sheeran blends his signature sweet lyrics over an upbeat instrumental with PnB Rock assisting him on the hook followed by a classic Chance the Rapper verse, which he absolutely killed, as always!

Track 4: Take Me Back to London (ft Stormzy)

And this is the track where Sheeran really brings it! Taking it back to (again, unintended) the No. 5 Collaboration’s Project, this song takes on Grime so nicely that you can’t help but sit in awe over how flawlessly these two artists jump off of each other’s verses. Sheeran comes in with his raps and Stormzy gives one of the best assists from this album!

Track 5: Best Part of Me (ft Yebba)

Not knowing anything about the featured artist in this track, this was one my least anticipated ones. And I’m alright with me not liking it, at least I had no expectations. That said, I will admit that this is where Sheeran sounds most like himself as it is a Pop Ballad, which he’s a maestro of at this point.

Track 6: I Don’t Care (with Justin Bieber)

Here it is, the first single that was released from this album, when nothing else was revealed about the project. This was a collaboration that just had to happen one day and I was surprised why it had taken so long. It was a collaboration that we all knew would work but we never really thought about just how well it would. Sheeran and Bieber team up for an effortlessly catchy jam that will be played on the radio for the months to come. Definitely a highlight of the album!

Track 7: Antisocial (ft Travis Scott)

My absolute favorite! This joint is just perfect in every way. It is just so good that it feels like it ends too soon and it leaves you craving more. This was the most unexpected collaboration on this whole project. The music Ed Sheeran usually makes is way different than what La Flame makes and it’s astounding how well these two work together! As Travis says in every single song of his, “it’s lit!”.

Track 8: Remember the Name (ft Eminem and 50 Cent)

Not to be confused with the iconic Fort Minor track of the same name. This track was one of my most anticipated ones from this project. Eminem and 50 Cent make one of the most iconic duos in Hip Hop history and seeing them together on one song again was a Hip Hop fanatic’s dream come true! However, my expectations were never met and I was left disappointed. As much as I love Eminem, I feel like nowadays, his verses and raps are getting way too repetitive. We’ve heard it all before, the only thing fresh about this was the hook and 50’s verse. 50 really killed this whole joint.

Track 9: Feels (ft Young Thug and J Hus)

Man, who would’ve thought we’d get Ed with Thugga on a track one day. What a collaboration! A very groovy song that makes it feel like Sheeran and Thug are literally from the same genre of music.

Track 10: Put It All on Me (ft Ella Mai)

I don’t really have anything to say about this one other than that this is a filler track, a skip-able one. You won’t be missing out on much.

Track 11: Nothing on You (ft Paulo Londra and Dave)

Sheeran has already kinda given us his take on the Spanish genre with Barcelona, a cut from his previous album. In this one, he completes that by making a whole song with Spanish artists who bring their own culture and bounce to the album. This one really shows how versatile Sheeran really is.

Track 12: I Don’t Want Your Money (ft H.E.R.)

Every album ever has a couple of songs that are just there for it to be a complete album. This is one of those. It’s alright to be in the album but I personally wouldn’t put this one in my playlist.

Track 13: 1000 Nights (ft Meek Mill and A Boogie wit da Hoodie)

I feel like I’m just repeating myself at this point but this is also a very unexpected trio. But this track is an example of how sometimes, intertwined genres don’t work out. Meek Mill doesn’t bring anything new to the table and Boogie is well…Boogie. There are better Hip Hop tracks in this album than this.

Track 14: Way to Break My Heart (ft Skrillex)

It had been a while since I last listened to a Skrillex song, just because I was tired of him and his Dubstep. It just started to sound like repetitive noise to be so I thought maybe this one would be the same but I had my faith in Sheeran. And I’m glad I did because hot damn. Skrillex doesn’t do his usual Skrillex thing in this track and instead, keeps the vibe slow and mellow, giving Ed plenty of room to sing and make a song that is one of the standouts of this whole thing! Skrillex sounds more mature in this and I love it!

Track 15: Blow (with Bruno Mars and Chris Stapleton)

Remember when I said that this album has songs that I may not like but other people might love? This is one of them. As much as I love Bruno Mars, I didn’t like the overall rock feel of the song at all. It felt forced and felt like something I’ve heard before in a better AC/DC song. I wanted more out of this collab, I didn’t feel anything.

So, yeah, that’s a wrap. Overall, this album was a very fresh listen from start to finish with versatility that made me love Ed Sheeran even more. He really stepped outside his comfort genre throughout this project and I think everyone should listen to it. Because my playlist has many new dope songs in it now.

Review Monkey Approves!

No. 6 Collaborations Project by Ed Sheeran Cover, Tracklist and the Cover for its first Single

Listen to the album here.