Researchers link hit Ed Sheeran single to Brexit campaign.

A political research group from the faculty of Humanities & Social Sciences at a top British university have found evidence suggesting hit single “You need me” by singer-song writer Ed Sheeran to have influenced leave voters in pre-referendum brexit campaigns.

” I’m not EU, now that would be disastrous “

The research group, who have previously published studies on the efficacy of data analytics and behavioural microtargeting in political campaigns, discovered the link whilst mapping British popular music alongside a timeline of key political events in the build up to the public referendum of 2016.

The study, inspired by George Orwell’s novella “Animal Farm” and the recurring anthems of his animal society aimed to identify the ‘songs of Brexit’ in a novel piece of research using an advanced computational sociomusicology modelling method known as ACSMM.

Bright will shine the fields of England,

Purer shall its waters be,

Sweeter yet shall blow its breezes

On the day that sets us free.

George Orwell Animal farm – Anthem “Beasts of England”

The research group who have submitted a paper on their methodology, data and findings to a peer reviewed political science and international relations journal claim the correlation to be beyond coincidental, with the ACSMM analysis identifying the Ed Sheeran track ‘you need me’ as an “undeniable Brexit anthem”.

The song which repeats the lyric ‘You need me, man, i don’t need EU‘ a striking 24 times has over 50 Million views on YouTube having premiered on Zane Lowe’s BBC Radio 1 show as the “hottest record in the world”.

Although Ed is known to perform at private events with guests including former prime minister David Cameron, no connection has been made between the singer and the brexit party, with Ed publicly showing his support for the remain campaign in 2018 as a co-signatory alongside Jarvis Cocker and Rita Ora in an open letter to Theresa May on the Brexit threat to the UK music industry.

Whilst the results from the study are yet to be published, we’ve put together a timeline of events leading to the public referendum of 2016 alongside the hit songs debut dates, showing Sheeran to have toured popular British festivals including Glastonbury, iTunes and Reading just months before a public petition signed by 100,000 people calling for a referendum on EU membership was handed into Downing Street.

Whilst the results from the study are yet to be published, We’ve put together a timeline of events showing just how the hit track may have inadvertently spurred the urge to leave, as Sheeran toured popular British festivals including Glastonbury, iTunes and Reading just months before a public petition signed by 100,000 people calling for a referendum on EU membership was handed into Downing Street.

(Further coinciding with the UK Independence (UKIP) party’s early 2010’s mainstream breakthrough into the public sphere of British politics.)

Unsuspecting Ed now carries the weight of a nation on his shoulders as the research group, who wish to remain anonymous, have urged the public to back a change.org petition for the artist to create a new song uniting the people.

How about, “I don’t need you, but i want you”? – Good luck Ed.

Simon Birchwood – Political Journalist TPS

P.S – How will the ACSMM interpret Sheerans most recent track ‘take me back to London’ ft. Stormsea?