Visiting Hours (song)

Last updated

"Visiting Hours"
Ed Sheeran - Visiting Hours.png
Promotional single by Ed Sheeran
from the album =
Released19 August 2021 (2021-08-19)
Genre Folk-pop
Length3:35
Label
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
  • Ed Sheeran
  • Johnny McDaid
Music Video
"Visiting Hours" on YouTube

"Visiting Hours" is a song by English singer-songwriter Ed Sheeran. It was released on 19 August 2021 as the promotional single from his fifth studio album, = , the same day he announced the album. The song was produced by Sheeran and Johnny McDaid. [1]

Contents

Background and release

On 2 March 2021, Australian music promoter Michael Gudinski died at the age of 68. Sheeran first performed "Visiting Hours" at Gudinski's funeral on 24 March 2021 as a tribute to him in Australia, delivering an emotional performance. [2] Gudinski's close friends and fellow musicians, Kylie Minogue and Jimmy Barnes, as well as comedian Jimmy Carr, provide backing vocals on the song. He finished the song during his two weeks of mandatory quarantine because of COVID-19 rules due to his decision to travel to Australia. On 19 August 2021, Sheeran released the song as a promotional single and announced the album. [3] A live performance video, which was filmed in St. Stephen's Church in Hampstead, London, was also released with the song. [4] Sheeran stated that he "finished writing this song going through proper grief for the first time, and for me its one of the most important songs on =". [5]

Lyrics

Lyrically, "Visiting Hours" is an ode to the late Michael Gudinski, an Australian music promoter. In the first verse, Sheeran makes a reference to his daughter, Lyra Seaborn Sheeran, wishing that Gudinski had got to meet her: "I wish that Heaven had visiting hours / So I could just show up and bring the news / That she's getting older and I wish that you'd met her / The things that she'll learn from me, I got them all from you". [6]

Credits and personnel

Credits adapted from Tidal. [7]

Charts

Chart performance for "Visiting Hours"
Chart (2021)Peak
position
Australia (ARIA) [8] 3
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40) [9] 28
Canada (Canadian Hot 100) [10] 31
Canada AC ( Billboard ) [11] 40
Czech Republic (Singles Digitál Top 100) [12] 51
Denmark (Tracklisten) [13] 16
Euro Digital Song Sales ( Billboard ) [14] 2
France (SNEP) [15] 169
Germany (GfK) [16] 46
Global 200 ( Billboard ) [17] 21
Ireland (IRMA) [18] 8
Italy (FIMI) [19] 68
Lithuania (AGATA) [20] 44
Netherlands (Single Top 100) [21] 52
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ) [22] 11
Norway (VG-lista) [23] 9
Portugal (AFP) [24] 86
Singapore (RIAS) [25] 24
Slovakia (Singles Digitál Top 100) [26] 33
South Africa (TOSAC) [27] 26
South Korea (Gaon) [28] 183
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan) [29] 16
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade) [30] 8
UK Singles (OCC) [31] 5
US Billboard Hot 100 [32] 75

Certifications

Certifications for "Visiting Hours"
RegionCertification Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA) [33] Gold35,000
Canada (Music Canada) [34] Platinum80,000
Denmark (IFPI Danmark) [35] Gold45,000
Italy (FIMI) [36] Gold50,000
United Kingdom (BPI) [37] Platinum600,000

Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

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References

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  5. Sheeran, Ed (19 August 2021). "Filmed a live version of visiting hours in St Stephens Church, Hampstead. I finished writing this song going through proper grief for the first time, and for me its one of the most important songs on =. Thank you to @kylieminogue and @jimmybarnesofficial for sharing their talent on the backing vocals of the recorded version of this song. It's an honour to sing with you. I hope you love it, it's out on all platforms now, and preorder the album, link in bio x". Archived from the original on 24 December 2021. Retrieved 19 August 2021 via Ed Sheeran (@teddysphotos) on Instagram.
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