Ed Sheeran – + (Deluxe Version)
British pop wasn’t short of acoustic troubadours upon Ed Sheeran's emergence. Two things immediately elevate him above the pack on this debut though. First, there’s the heart-tugging gorgeousness of straightforward ballads “Kiss Me” and “Lego House”. Secondly, he also rewires folk-pop with hip-hop, delivering infectious rhythms and convincing lyrical flows on “The City” and “You Need Me, I Don’t Need You”, a punchy middle finger to music industry skeptics who once doubted his immense talent.