Take Me Back to London
{{Short description|2019 single by Ed Sheeran featuring Stormzy}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2024}}
{{Infobox song
| name = Take Me Back to London
| cover = Take Me Back to London.jpg
| alt =
| type = single
| artist = Ed Sheeran featuring Stormzy
| album = No.6 Collaborations Project
| released = {{start date|2019|8|9|df=yes}}
| recorded =
| studio =
| genre = Grime
| length = 3:09
| label = *Asylum
| writer = *Ed Sheeran
| producer = *Skrillex
| misc = {{Extra chronology
| artist = Ed Sheeran
| type = single
| prev_title = Antisocial / South of the Border
| prev_year = 2019
| year = 2019
| title = Take Me Back to London
| next_title = Own It
| next_year = 2019
}}{{Extra chronology
| artist = Stormzy
| type = single
| prev_title = Crown
| prev_year = 2019
| year = 2019
| title = Take Me Back to London
| next_title = Sounds of the Skeng
| next_year = 2019
}}
{{External music video|header=Lyric video|type=Single|{{YouTube|ehQcuKhO5n0|"Take Me Back to London"}}
}}
}}
"Take Me Back to London" is a song by British singer-songwriter Ed Sheeran featuring British rapper Stormzy. It was released through Asylum and Atlantic Records as the final single from the former's compilation album No.6 Collaborations Project (2019).
The song was written by Sheeran, Shellback, Karl Sandberg, Frederik Gibson and Michael Omari Jr., with production from Skrillex, Kenny Beats and Fred. The song reached number one on the UK Singles Chart following the release of its remix.
Background and composition
Sheeran and Stormzy previously performed together at the 2017 Brit Awards. "Take Me Back to London" was announced as part of the tracklist for No.6 Collaborations Project (2019).{{cite web |last=Stolworthy |first=Jacob |title=Ed Sheeran praised for Stormzy track on new album No 6 Collaborations Project |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/news/ed-sheeran-stormzy-song-new-album-tracklist-stream-no-6-collaborations-project-a9001631.html |website=The Independent |access-date=31 January 2021|date=12 July 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210128213509/https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/news/ed-sheeran-stormzy-song-new-album-tracklist-stream-no-6-collaborations-project-a9001631.html|archive-date=28 January 2021|url-status=live}}
"Take Me Back to London" is a grime song. According to HotNewHipHop's Aron A., Sheeran "shows off his bars on the record while swapping verses with Stormzy".{{cite web |last=A. |first=Aron |title=Ed Sheeran Heads Back To The Trap With Stormzy On 'Take Me Back To London' |url=https://www.hotnewhiphop.com/ed-sheeran-heads-back-to-the-trap-with-stormzy-on-take-me-back-to-london-new-song.1983766.html |website=HotNewHipHop |access-date=26 July 2019 |date=13 July 2019}} The song sees Sheeran "brag" about the gross of his ÷ Tour.{{cite web |last=Stolworthy |first=Jacob |title=Ed Sheeran crowbars huge humblebrag into new collaboration with Stormzy |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/news/ed-sheeran-take-me-back-to-london-lyrics-stormzy-song-new-album-divide-tour-a9001636.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220526/https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/news/ed-sheeran-take-me-back-to-london-lyrics-stormzy-song-new-album-divide-tour-a9001636.html |archive-date=26 May 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |website=The Independent |access-date=26 July 2019 |date=12 July 2019}}
Critical reception
Time's Raisa Bruner wrote that the trap beat on "Take Me Back to London" gets "Sheeran’s melodic touch, with Stormzy jumping in from the start to boost the energy with his signature vibrancy".{{cite web |last=Bruner |first=Raisa |title=From Banks' Cathartic 'Godless' to Ed Sheeran and Stormzy's Collaboration, These Are the 5 Songs You Need to Listen to This Weekend |url=https://time.com/5623547/banks-ed-sheeran-stormzy/ |website=Time |access-date=12 July 2019 |date=26 July 2019}} Jon Caramanica of The New York Times wrote that Stormzy "does an admirable job of rapping ferociously but politely enough to not upstage the host", criticising the line "It’s that time, big Mike and Teddy are on grime".{{cite web |author=Caramanica, Jon |title=Ed Sheeran's 'Collaborations': So Many Guests, So Many Questions |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/07/17/arts/music/ed-sheeran-no6-collaborations-project-review.html |website=The New York Times |access-date=26 July 2019 |date=17 July 2019}}
Commercial performance
"Take Me Back to London" achieved success in the United Kingdom, where it debuted at number three and later reached number one on the UK Singles Chart, becoming the third single from No.6 Collaborations Project to reach the summit of the chart. It was Sheeran's eighth and Stormzy's second number one in the UK.{{cite web |last=Savage |first=Mark |title=Ed Sheeran goes to numbers one, three and four |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-49043898 |website=BBC News |access-date=26 July 2019 |date=19 July 2019}}
Charts
{{col-begin}}
{{col-2}}
=Weekly charts=
| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center" |
| scope="col"| Chart (2019)
! scope="col"| Peak |
|---|
| {{single chart|Australia|29|artist=Ed Sheeran feat. Stormzy|song=Take Me Back to London|rowheader=true|accessdate=26 July 2019}} |
| {{single chart|Flanders Tip|27|artist=Ed Sheeran feat. Stormzy|song=Take Me Back to London|rowheader=true|accessdate=28 September 2019}} |
| {{single chart|Flanders Urban|22|artist=Ed Sheeran feat. Stormzy|song=Take Me Back to London|rowheader=true|accessdate=21 September 2019}} |
| {{single chart|Canada|59|artist=Ed Sheeran|rowheader=true|accessdate=26 July 2019}} |
| {{single chart|Czechdigital|21|year=2019|week=29|rowheader=true|accessdate=24 July 2019}} |
| {{single chart|Denmark|26|artist=Ed Sheeran feat. Stormzy|song=Take Me Back to London|rowheader=true|accessdate=26 July 2019}} |
| {{single chart|Germany|68|songid=1890537|artist=Ed Sheeran featuring Stormzy|song=Take Me Back to London|rowheader=true|accessdate=26 July 2019}} |
| {{single chart|Hungarystream|38|year=2019|week=29|rowheader=true|accessdate=26 July 2019}} |
| {{single chart|Ireland3|7|artist=Ed Sheeran|rowheader=true|accessdate=31 August 2019}} |
| scope="row"| Latvia (LAIPA){{cite web|url=https://www.parmuziku.lv/muzikas-zinas/latvija/muzikas-paterina-tops-29-nedela-8054|title=Mūzikas Patēriņa Tops/ 29. nedēļa|language=Latvian|publisher=LAIPA|access-date=28 November 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191010115041/https://www.parmuziku.lv/muzikas-zinas/latvija/muzikas-paterina-tops-29-nedela-8054|archive-date=10 October 2019}}
| 22 |
| scope="row"| Lithuania (AGATA){{cite web|url=https://www.agata.lt/lt/naujienos/savaites-klausomiausi-w16-2-2-2-2-2-3-2-2-2-2-2-2/|title=Savaitės klausomiausi (TOP 100)|language=Lithuanian|publisher=AGATA|date=22 July 2019|access-date=2 December 2019}}
| 79 |
| {{single chart|Dutch100|69|artist=Ed Sheeran feat. Stormzy|song=Take Me Back to London|rowheader=true|accessdate=19 July 2019}} |
| {{single chart|New Zealand|29|artist=Ed Sheeran feat. Stormzy|song=Take Me Back to London|rowheader=true|accessdate=27 July 2019}} |
| scope="row"| Romania (Airplay 100){{cite web|url=http://www.kissfm.ro/podcasturi/6610|title=Airplay 100 – 17 noiembrie 2019|publisher=Kiss FM|language=Romanian|access-date=4 December 2019|date=1 December 2019}}
| 73 |
| {{single chart|Scotland|8|date=20190906|rowheader=true|accessdate=7 September 2019}} |
| {{single chart|Slovakdigital2|17|year=2019|week=29|rowheader=true|accessdate=24 July 2019}} |
| {{single chart|Sweden|44|artist=Ed Sheeran feat. Stormzy|song=Take Me Back to London|rowheader=true|accessdate=26 July 2019}} |
| {{single chart|UK|1|date=20190830|rowheader=true|accessdate=31 August 2019|refname=UK}} |
| {{single chart|Billboardbubbling100|16|artist=Ed Sheeran|rowheader=true|accessdate=26 July 2019}} |
| scope="row"| US Rolling Stone Top 100{{cite web|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/charts/songs/2019-07-12/|title=Top 100 Songs|work=Rolling Stone|date=12 July 2019|access-date=9 January 2020|archive-date=26 July 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190726042156/https://www.rollingstone.com/charts/songs/2019-07-12/|url-status=dead}}
| 62 |
{{col-2}}
=Year-end charts=
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center" |
| scope="col"| Chart (2019)
! scope="col"| Position |
|---|
| scope="row"| UK Singles (Official Charts Company){{cite web|url=https://www.officialcharts.com/chart-news/the-official-top-40-biggest-songs-of-2019__28072/|title=The Official Top 40 biggest songs of 2019|publisher=Official Charts Company|last=Copsey|first=Rob|date=1 January 2020|access-date=1 January 2020}}
| 23 |
{{col-end}}
Certifications
{{Certification Table Top}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=Canada|artist=Ed Sheeran|title=Take Me Back to London (ft. Stormzy)|award=Platinum|type=single|relyear=2019|certyear=2023|access-date=11 June 2023}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=Denmark|title=Take Me Back to London|artist=Ed Sheeran|award=Gold|type=single|relyear=2019|certyear=2021|id=9973|access-date=1 October 2021}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=New Zealand|artist=Ed Sheeran feat. Stormzy|title=Take Me Back to London|award=Platinum|type=single|relyear=2019|certyear=2023|source=radioscope|access-date=28 December 2024}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=Poland|artist=Ed Sheeran|title=Take Me Back to London|award=Gold|type=single|relyear=2019|certyear=2021|certmonth=8|access-date=9 September 2021}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=United Kingdom|title=Take Me Back To London|artist=Ed Sheeran Ft Stormzy|type=single|award=Platinum|number=3|relyear=2019|certyear=2024|date=5 October 2024|id=15856-5039-1|refname="bpi"}}
{{Certification Table Bottom|streaming=true|nosales=true | noshipments=true}}
Release history
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" |
| Region
! Date ! Format ! Label ! {{abbr|Ref.|Reference}} |
|---|
| scope="row"| United Kingdom
| 9 August 2019 | {{hlist|Atlantic|Asylum}} |
Remix
{{Infobox song
| name = Take Me Back to London (Sir Spyro Remix)
| cover = Take Me Back to London.png
| type = remix single
| artist = Ed Sheeran featuring Stormzy, Jaykae and Aitch
| album = No.6 Collaborations Project
| released = 23 August 2019
| length = 3:51
| recorded =
| studio =
| genre =
| label = *Asylum
| writer = *Ed Sheeran
| producer = *Sir Spyro
| misc = {{Extra chronology
| artist = Jaykae singles
| type = song
| prev_title = {{noitalic|"Chat"}}
| prev_year = 2019
| title = {{noitalic|"Take Me Back to London (Sir Spyro Remix)"}}
| year = 2019
| next_title = Faded
| next_year = 2019
}}{{Extra chronology
| artist = Aitch singles
| type = song
| prev_title = {{noitalic|"AitcH20 Freestyle"}}
| prev_year = 2019
| title = {{noitalic|"Take Me Back to London (Sir Spyro Remix)"}}
| year = 2019
| next_title = {{noitalic|"Kilos"}}
| next_year = 2019
}}
{{External music video|type=song|{{YouTube|XJQy_R9CYR4|"Take Me Back to London (Sir Spyro Remix)"}}}}
}}
"Take Me Back to London (Sir Spyro Remix)", featuring English rappers Stormzy, Jaykae and Aitch was released as a single on 23 August 2019.{{cite web |last=Renshaw |first=David |title=Ed Sheeran and Stormzy's 'Take Me Back To London' video is a whistle-stop tour of England |url=https://www.thefader.com/2019/08/23/ed-sheeran-stormzy-take-me-back-to-london-video |website=The Fader |access-date=23 August 2019 |date=23 August 2019}}
= Music video =
A music video for the Sir Spyro remix was shot between Manchester, Birmingham and London by director KC Locke. It opens with images of Sheeran and Stormzy ripping the countryside in a Rolls-Royce Cullinan while wearing matching tracksuits and getting measured for bespoke suits. Jaykae and Aitch soon join them to watch some motorcycle burnouts. Along the way, there is plenty of quintessentially British activity, including a spot of tea, late-night post-pub grubbing and copious pints chugged.{{cite web|last=Kaufman|first=Gil|url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/pop/8528170/ed-sheeran-remixes-take-me-back-to-london|title=Listen to Ed Sheeran's Remixes of 'Take Me Back to London' Featuring Stormzy, Jaykae & Aitch|website=Billboard|date=23 August 2019|access-date=23 August 2019}}
= Track listing =
{{Track listing
|headline = Digital download{{cite web|url=https://music.apple.com/us/album/take-me-back-to-london-remix-feat-stormzy-jaykae-aitch/1477347903|title=Take Me Back to London (Remix) [feat. Stormzy, Jaykae & Aitch] - Single|website=iTunes|access-date=23 August 2019}} and streaming{{cite web|url=https://open.spotify.com/album/71znMnnyOF4NIe4UpTYbw7|title=Take Me Back to London (Remix) [feat. Stormzy, Jaykae & Aitch] - Single|website=Spotify|access-date=23 August 2019}}
|title1 = Take Me Back to London
|note1 = Remix) (featuring Stormzy, Jaykae and Aitch
|length1 = 3:52
|title2 = Take Me Back to London
|note2 = Sir Spyro Remix) (featuring Stormzy, Jaykae and Aitch
|length2 = 3:51
}}
=Release history=
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders"
! scope="col"| Region ! scope="col"| Date ! scope="col"| Format ! scope="col"| Version ! scope="col"| Label ! scope="col"| {{abbr|Ref.|References}} |
| scope="row"| Various
| 23 August 2019 | {{hlist|Digital download|streaming}} | Original + Sir Spyro remix | rowspan="2"|{{hlist|Atlantic|Asylum}} |
|---|
| scope="row"|United Kingdom
| 13 September 2019 | Sir Spyro remix |
References
{{Reflist}}
{{Ed Sheeran songs}}
{{Stormzy}}
{{Authority control}}
Category:Asylum Records singles
Category:Atlantic Records singles
Category:Song recordings produced by Fred Again
Category:Song recordings produced by Kenny Beats
Category:Song recordings produced by Skrillex
Category:Songs written by Ed Sheeran
Category:Songs written by Fred Again
Category:Songs written by Max Martin
Category:Songs written by Shellback (record producer)
Category:Songs written by Stormzy