By Briana Williams–

Ed Sheeran is known for creating romantic ballads with dense lyrics and this continues to be the trend for his third album, “÷.” Released on March 3, the album quickly broke records and went platinum.

His last album, “×,” was successful in its own right, but “÷” is new territory for Sheeran. The already mature artist has grown tremendously since his 2014 album.

While love and all things romance is the continuous trend for Sheeran, he continues to find new ways to sing about an old topic.

The album opens up with “Eraser,” a fun and easy start to album that only gets deeper further into the tracks. Sheeran shows off his impressive rapping ability in this first track, with a light-hearted, almost folksy guitar playing alongside him.

While “Eraser” is hardly the best song among the others, it’s a good start for listeners to ease into the rest of the album.

“÷” is filled with fast tempo, ecclectic songs that Sheeran is known for dropping.

His first single from the album, “Shape of You” quickly hit No. 1 for its catchy lyrics and exciting beat. “Castle on a Hill” is also a fun, pop hit with a more familiar Sheeran vibe to it.

Listeners of “×” know that Sheeran can create some pop heavy hits, but that’s never been his sole mantra. Songs like “Galway Girl,” “Nancy Mulligan” and “Bibia Be Ye Ye” let listeners in on Sheeran’s folksy side that isn’t heard much on the radio.

These songs are never going to be mainstream hits, but they are easily some of Sheeran’s best pieces from any of his albums. And, frankly, they’re just fun to listen to.

But where Sheeran can make his listeners tap their feet and dance, he can also make them cry. Soulful vocals and heartfelt lyrics thrive on songs like “Happier,” “Supermarket Flowers” and “Save Myself.” They’re songs that showcase love in ways that most artists simply aren’t doing.

That’s part of the reason “÷” is so great. The album is far away from the endless sea of dense pop and repetitive lyrics that is so popular today.

The deluxe edition of “÷” is just shy of an hour long. If you’ve got an hour to sit and listen to Sheeran’s album in its entirety, I highly recommend it. Not only is it dynamic, poetic and simply beautiful, but it’s a refreshing work of art that stands out from today’s music.