Rod Stewart Says Ed Sheeran’s Music Won’t Stand the Test of Time

Turns out, Rod Stewart is not an Ed Sheeran fan.

In a new interview with The Times, the 79-year-old star revealed which young artists he believed would stand the test of time. “You mean like ‘Maggie May’? Songs that will be played in 50 years?” Stewart asked, before continuing, “I like whatshisname. Oh f—ing great, Rod. Well done. He’s British, really talented and his songs will be around.”

When the interviewer suggested that Sheeran is the person whose name he forgot, Stewart denied. “No, not Ed, I don’t know any of his songs, old ginger bollocks.“

Ultimately, Stewart was thinking of “Barcelona” singer George Ezra. “Yes! I think he writes really tremendous songs,” he said of Ezra. “He’ll be around for quite a while.”

Last year, Sheeran released his latest album Autumn Variations. Produced by the National’s Aaron Dessner, Autumn Variations extended Sheeran’s perfect albums chart records in the U.K. and Australia to seven, all consecutive (including two in 2023). 

In the United States, the set gave Sheeran his sixth No. 1 on Billboard’s Top Album Sales Chart. 

Sheeran has wrapped his The Mathematics Tour for 2023, a run that saw the Englishman smash attendance records on multiple continents, including East Rutherford’s MetLife Stadium and the Melbourne Cricket Ground (twice). The Asia leg of his trek kicked off in January.