Did Justin Bieber or Ed Sheeran Write 'Love Yourself'? Separating Songwriting Facts from Pop Myths

What is the story behind Did Justin Bieber or Ed Sheeran Write 'Love Yourself'? Separating Songwriting Facts from Pop Myths? Get the answers in this feature article.

The core melody of "Love Yourself" started in early 2015 during writing sessions for Ed Sheeran's third studio album. Sheeran had composed a basic progression centered around an unsparing breakup story. In early drafts, the biting hook featured a considerably ruder phrase than the one that eventually made the radio edit. Sheeran hit an artistic wall with the track. As he later confirmed in an interview with Billboard, the arrangement felt out of place among the lush folk-pop and arena anthems he was designing for his own upcoming tracklist.

The song would have stayed parked on an external hard drive if producer Benjamin Levin, professionally known as Benny Blanco, had not stepped in. Blanco, who had worked extensively with both Sheeran on hits like "Don't" and Bieber on previous recording cycles, recognized the demo's commercial potential. He saw an opening where Sheeran saw a dead end.

Bieber was assembling material for what would become his pivotal 2015 LP, the Purpose album. Managed by Scooter Braun and released through Def Jam Recordings, the project needed to rehabilitate Bieber's public image and transition his catalog into mature adult contemporary pop. Blanco played the rough sketch for Bieber, who immediately connected with the underlying cynicism of the lyrics. Rather than taking an outright passive handover, Bieber stepped into the studio with Blanco to overhaul the vocal structure.