What do 2014's top songs tell us? No. 6: Thinking Out Loud - Ed Sheeran

6. Thinking Out Loud – Ed Sheeran

It's been a big year for British singer Ed Sheeran, with both 'Thinking out Loud' and the album 'X', from which the song came, topping the UK charts. Sheeran has described the record as a "walking down the aisle song" and it celebrates the enduring nature of love.

Following in the footsteps of The Beatles' 'When I'm 64', the song looks to the future when youth has passed and dares to hope for a lifelong commitment of unconditional love. Physical disability and dementia are described as obstacles that can be overcome by authentic love.

When my hair's all but gone and my memory fades
And the crowds don't remember my name
When my hands don't play the strings the same way
I know you will still love me the same

Despite the fact that 42 per cent of marriages end in divorce in the UK, marriage rates are on the increase in the Britain (there's a marriage every 2 minutes). Perhaps we all want to believe that someone will love us no matter what?