Ed Sheeran has confirmed release details for new album Play.
Sheeran’s eighth studio album will be released by Gingerbread Man Records and Atlantic on September 12. The album is already available to pre-order, which should help it build up a considerable week one total (and alert other labels and artists about a release date to avoid).
To coincide with the album announcement, Sheeran has released a new single, Old Phone. The track has been produced by Blake Slatkin and Swedish/Iranian producer Ilya Salmanzadeh (Ariana Grande, Charli XCX, Ellie Goudling, Sam Smith).
It marks the end of the Mathematics phase of Sheeran’s recording career, though the + - = Divide x – Tour Collection compilation remains in the Top 10 and peaked at No.1 earlier this year. The album was No.3 overall in Q1.
Sheeran is “exploring new musical ground through collaboration with producers and musicians from around the world”, according to the album announcement.
The Play album has been inspired by Indian and Persian musical cultures and their connections to the Irish folk tradition Sheeran grew up with, through shared scales, rhythms and melodies.
On more familiar ground, the album includes a series of ballads and acoustic-driven songs.
“The result is a collection that plays with both the familiar and the new, creating a bold, pop-driven sound that only Ed Sheeran could deliver a vibrant showcase of his artistry that feels both exciting and transformative, and promises to be one of the defining albums of the year,” added the announcement.
It follows the more low-key campaign for the release of 2023 folk album Autumn Variations via his own label, Gingerbread Man.
Lead single Azizam is currently in the Top 3 and has consumption so far of 104,124 units (Official Charts Company).
FOLLOW 
