Happier (Ed Sheeran song)

"Happier" is a song by English singer-songwriter Ed Sheeran. It was included on his third studio album, ÷ (2017).[1] After the album's release, it charted at number 6 on the UK Singles Chart.[2] It was released in Italy on 27 April 2018 as the fifth and final single from the album.

"Happier"
Single by Ed Sheeran
from the album ÷
Released	27 April 2018 (2018-04-27)
Recorded	2016
Length	3:27
Label	Asylum Atlantic
Songwriter(s)	Ed Sheeran Ryan Tedder Benjamin Levin
Producer(s)	Benny Blanco
Ed Sheeran singles chronology
"Perfect Symphony" (2017) "Happier" (2018) "Amo Soltanto Te / This Is The Only Time" (2019)
Music video
"Happier" on YouTube

Composition

The song was written by Sheeran with Ryan Tedder and Benny Blanco. According to Sheeran, the theme of the song is about looking back at an early relationship and, despite being initially angry and bitter at the breakup, later coming to realise that his first love was happier with someone else. He said: "I remember the first girl I was with, that the first and most of the second album was about, that I was with from school. And I remember the guy she was with, meeting him one day and being like, he is so much suited to her than I ever was. Seeing them together, we never looked like that, we were never that couple, we were never that happy. So it was having a kind of epiphany moment, and writing a song that was basically that."[3]

"Happier" was written in the key of C major with a tempo of 90 beats per minute. The song was composed in common time (⁴
₄ time).

Critical reception

Taylor Weatherby of Billboard described it as the "most heartbreaking track" and "perhaps one of the prettiest songs" on the album. She noted the track's melodic similarity to Sam Smith's 2014 songs "Stay with Me" and "Like I Can".[4]

Music video

The official video for "Happier" was released on Ed Sheeran's YouTube account on 27 April 2018. It was directed by Emil Nava, and features a puppet caricature of Sheeran from the music video of his single "Sing" sad about the other is about his balloon girlfriend with another puppet and ends with the balloon girl flying away.[5]

Formats and track listings

Digital download - Acoustic[6]

No.	Title	Length
1.	"Happier" (Acoustic)	3:26

Digital download - Tiësto's AFTR:HRS remix[7]

No.	Title	Length
1.	"Happier" (Tiësto's AFTR:HRS remix)	3:36

Digital download - Cazzette remix[8]

No.	Title	Length
1.	"Happier" (Cazzette remix)	3:27

Digital download - Kasbo remix[9]

No.	Title	Length
1.	"Happier" (Kasbo remix)	4:16

CD single[10]

No.	Title	Length
1.	"Happier"	3:27
2.	"Happier" (acoustic)	3:26

Charts

Weekly charts Chart (2017–18) Peak position Australia (ARIA)[11] 16 Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[12] 20 Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[13] 12 Belgium (Ultratop 50 Wallonia)[14] 4 Brazil International Pop Songs (Crowley Charts)[15] 9 Canada (Canadian Hot 100)[16] 22 Canada AC (Billboard)[17] 27 Canada Hot AC (Billboard)[18] 37 Croatia (HRT)[19] 12 Czech Republic (Rádio Top 100)[20] 10 Czech Republic (Singles Digitál Top 100)[21] 10 Denmark (Tracklisten)[22] 11 France (SNEP)[23] 73 Germany (Official German Charts)[24] 16 Hungary (Rádiós Top 40)[25] 13 Hungary (Stream Top 40)[26] 20 Ireland (IRMA)[27] 5 Italy (FIMI)[28] 31 Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[29] 7 Netherlands (Single Top 100)[30] 11 Norway (VG-lista)[31] 22 Philippines (Philippine Hot 100)[32] 19 Poland (Polish Airplay Top 100)[33] 4 Slovakia (Rádio Top 100)[34] 4 Slovakia (Singles Digitál Top 100)[35] 11 Slovenia (SloTop50)[36] 8 Spain (PROMUSICAE)[37] 43 Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[38] 9 Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[39] 22 UK Singles (Official Charts Company)[40] 6 US Billboard Hot 100[41] 59

Year-end charts Chart (2017) Position Australia (ARIA)[42] 99 Denmark (Tracklisten)[43] 79 Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[44] 58 UK Singles (Official Charts Company)[45] 68 Chart (2018) Position Australia (ARIA)[46] 75 Belgium (Ultratop Flanders)[47] 35 Belgium (Ultratop Wallonia)[48] 11 Denmark (Tracklisten)[49] 63 Hungary (Rádiós Top 40)[50] 57 Israel (Galgalatz)[51] 11 Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[52] 28 Portugal (AFP)[53] 187 Slovenia (SloTop50)[54] 30 Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[55] 81 Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[56] 98 Chart (2019) Position Portugal (AFP)[57] 231

Certifications

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[58]	3× Platinum	210,000
Austria (IFPI Austria)[59]	Gold	15,000^*
Belgium (BEA)[60]	Platinum	40,000^*
Canada (Music Canada)[61]	3× Platinum	240,000
Denmark (IFPI Denmark)[62]	Platinum	90,000
France (SNEP)[63]	Platinum	200,000
Germany (BVMI)[64]	Gold	200,000
Italy (FIMI)[65]	Gold	25,000^*
New Zealand (RMNZ)[66]	Platinum	30,000^*
Portugal (AFP)[67]	Platinum	20,000^^
Sweden (GLF)[68]	Platinum	40,000^*
Switzerland (IFPI Switzerland)[69]	Platinum	20,000^^
United Kingdom (BPI)[70]	Platinum	929,000[71]
United States (RIAA)[72]	Platinum	1,000,000
^*sales figures based on certification alone ^^shipments figures based on certification alone sales+streaming figures based on certification alone

Release history

Country	Date	Format	Version	Label	Ref.
Australia	27 April 2018	Contemporary hit radio	Original	Warner	[73]
Italy					[74]
United Kingdom					[75]
Various	25 May 2018	Digital download	Acoustic	Asylum	[6]
	1 June 2018		Tiësto remix		[7]
	8 June 2018		Cazzette remix		[8]
	27 July 2018		Kasbo remix		[9]
Germany	6 July 2018	CD single	Original	Warner	[10]

References

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