Ed Sheeran is not your garden variety singer-songwriter: The Englishman plays both a debonair troubadour—as weathered and mature as Van Morrison on the softly rocking "Thinking Out Loud"—and an introspective upstart who raps, beatboxes, and strums his way through "You Need Me, I Don't Need You.” It's a winning combination, especially when paired with Sheeran's flair for vivid, heart-on-sleeve storytelling. And he plays well with others, too, serving as a warm, gentle presence on duets with Taylor Swift and Christina Perri and alongside rappers like Lupe Fiasco and Hoodie Allen.