Taylor Swift and Ed Sheeran's Best Friendship Moments Over the Years

The Enduring Friendship of Taylor Swift and Ed Sheeran: A Timeline of Key Moments

Pop music icons Taylor Swift and Ed Sheeran share a bond that extends beyond collaborations, marked by a decade-long friendship as impactful as their chart-topping duets. Since their initial meeting in 2012 and the release of their first joint track, “Everything Has Changed,” their connection has solidified, becoming a celebrated example of camaraderie in the music industry. This article explores significant moments in Taylor Swift and Ed Sheeran’s friendship, highlighting their collaborations and mutual support.

Their journey began in 2012, coinciding with the debut of “Everything Has Changed” on Swift’s acclaimed Red album. The song, and its accompanying music video released in June 2013 featuring child actors as younger versions of the artists, marked the start of their public collaborations.

A decade later, in February 2022, Swift featured on Sheeran’s song “The Joker And the Queen.” This collaboration created a poignant full-circle experience, with child actors from their initial video reprising their roles as younger Ed and Taylor.

Sheeran emphasized the depth of their bond in a 2017 interview with Rolling Stone, stating, “She would be there if everything ended for me. Taylor is kind of an anomaly in that sense. She’s omnipresent because she’s the most famous woman in the world, so she can’t make the decision to not be in the press. I always stick up for Taylor.”

Key Milestones in Their Friendship:

October 2012

Shortly after releasing “Everything Has Changed,” Swift and Sheeran presented their duet live for the first time at the 2012 Jingle Ball in December.

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March 2013

Sheeran joined Swift as the opening act for the North American leg of her Red tour. During this period, Sheeran addressed circulating rumors of a romantic relationship between himself and Swift.

In an interview with New Zealand’s TVNZ, Sheeran clarified that while he had spent time with Swift in a hotel room until the early hours, it was purely for musical purposes. “I did stay there ’til four and I did leave in the same clothes, but I was playing her my new record. It was strictly that kind of thing,” he explained. “Literally, I went in there and we passed the guitar back and forth and played songs to each other.”

Sheeran humorously added, “The thing that impressed me with the media is that because they wrote about it, my mates believed it. And my mates are texting me being like, ‘Is it true?’ So I said it wasn’t but the fact that people can believe it makes me feel like a bit of a stud, you know?”

August 2013

Swift playfully referenced her infamous 2009 VMAs incident with Kanye West in a personalized message on a jar of jam given to Sheeran for his birthday. “Yo Ed — I’m really 4 you and I’m gonna let u finish but this is the best JAM OF ALL TIME,” the label read.

June 2014

Following speculation that Sheeran’s track “Don’t” alluded to a romantic betrayal involving Swift, he clarified in an interview with Parade Magazine that the song was “about someone who’s well known, but not Taylor.” Reports suggested the track was also linked to Ellie Goulding.

December 2014

Swift and Sheeran were among the high-profile performers at the 2014 Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show. While they performed their individual hits, “Blank Space” and “Thinking Out Loud,” separately, they shared the stage during the event’s finale.

February 2016

Swift enthusiastically celebrated Sheeran’s victory over her for Song of the Year at the 2016 Grammys. Days later, she shared a heartfelt birthday message for her friend on Instagram.

“I don’t think he ever knew how inspired I was by his drive and passion to constantly create new art,” Swift wrote. “But it’s his 25th birthday today, so I’m saying it now. You deserve everything you have, and everything you will continue to achieve, Ed.”

July 2016

Attendees near Swift’s Rhode Island home recorded audio of the close friends performing a duet of Britney Spears’ iconic “… Baby One More Time” at her 2016 Fourth of July celebration.

January 2017

“Taylor was never the popular kid in school. I was never the popular kid in school,” Sheeran reflected on his and Swift’s career trajectories in an interview with British GQ. “Then you get to the point when you become the most popular kid in school — and we both take it a bit too far.”

He elaborated, “She wants to be the biggest female artist in the world and I want to be the biggest male artist in the world. It also comes from always being told that you can’t do something and being like, ‘F–k you. I can.’”

April 2017

Swift penned a tribute to Sheeran in an essay for Time Magazine’s “100 Most Influential People” issue that year.

“A few years ago, in a rare moment of admitting feeling defeated, Ed said to me, ‘I’m never going to win a Grammy.’ ‘Yes, you are,’ I said. ‘You’re going to sweep the whole thing one of these years,’” she recounted. “It was a few weeks later when he met me in a dance-shoe store in London, where I was picking out rehearsal outfits, and said, ‘You have to hear this.’ It was a song he’d just finished called ‘Thinking Out Loud,’ which went on to win Song of the Year at the Grammy Awards in 2016.”

Swift continued, noting that Sheeran is “protected by an impenetrable and ever-present armor of enthusiasm that has helped him endure any setback, letdown or underestimation.”

November 2017

The pair reunited musically on Swift’s sixth studio album, Reputation, for the track “Endgame,” which also featured Future. Echoing their collaboration with “Everything Has Changed,” the friends debuted “Endgame” live at that year’s iHeartRadio Jingle Ball.

Sheeran and Future joined Swift in the music video for the song, released in January 2018.

September 2018

Swift and Sheeran playfully addressed their shared nomination in the same category at that year’s American Music Awards in a humorous Instagram video.

“Taylor, the AMA nominations came out. It’s me, you and Drake,” Sheeran informed Swift. They both responded by predicting the other would win before conceding, “Drake’s going to win.”

Filmed during a joint hike, Swift jokingly questioned Sheeran, “It’s called exercise. Have you ever done cardio? Strumming a guitar doesn’t count.”

July 2019

Following the acquisition of Swift’s masters by Scooter Braun, fans criticized Sheeran for his initial silence on the matter. He ultimately addressed the situation on Instagram in response to a fan’s comment defending him.

“Just because he didn’t post anything it doesn’t mean he is not supporting her, maybe he’s talking with her right now, who knows,” the user commented, to which Sheeran replied, “I have been speaking directly to her, like I always do.”

November 2021

A reimagined version of “Everything Has Changed” appeared on Swift’s re-recorded edition of Red. Sheeran also contributed to the album’s previously unreleased tracks with a song titled “Run.”

February 2022

“Joker And The Queen” was officially released.

August 2023

After the announcement of 1989 (Taylor’s Version), Sheeran responded to fan speculation about whether he and Swift had re-recorded “Endgame” for Reputation (Taylor’s Version).

“No, I haven’t. No. No,” he stated on Andy Cohen’s “Deep & Shallow” Sirius XM podcast, confirming that they will eventually collaborate on the re-recording.

August 2024

Sheeran made a guest appearance alongside Swift during her fourth Eras Tour show at Wembley Stadium in London. For the surprise segment, they delivered a medley of their duets “Everything Has Changed” and “End Game,” in addition to Sheeran’s popular single “Thinking Out Loud.”

April 2025

Sheeran disclosed on an episode of “Call Her Daddy” that he typically meets with Swift approximately “four times a year.”

The “A-Team” performer further explained that their reunions involve “proper sit down, six-hour catch-ups,” which he appreciates. “I think that’s like a really nice way to do it,” he commented.

Reflecting on his fondest memories with Swift, particularly from when he was her opening act on the Red Tour, Sheeran recounted their time living in Nashville and traveling together for concerts, which fostered their close connection.

“We used to fly to and from the gigs together and do all sorts of [stuff],” he remembered. “I literally spent almost every single day with her for about six months.”