Ed Sheeran announces new album Play, releases new single 'Old Phone'

Ed Sheeran has announced a new studio album Play, set for release on September 12, 2025, via Gingerbread Man Records and Atlantic Records UK.

The English superstar's upcoming LP will feature collaborations with producers and musicians from around the world, exploring new musical ground while also including a series of stunning ballads and acoustic-driven songs.

The record was partially inspired by Sheeran's exposure to Indian and Persian musical cultures, and the connections he found between these traditions and the Irish folk he grew up with.

"Play was an album that was made as a direct response to the darkest period of my life," said Sheeran. "Coming out of all of that I just wanted to create joy and technicolour, and explore cultures in the countries I was touring."

Sheeran added that he made the record "all over the world" and finished it in Goa, India.

"It’s a real rollercoaster of emotions from start to finish," he said. "It encapsulates everything that I love about music, and the fun in it, but also where I am in life as a human, a partner, a father.

Following the release of 'Azizam' last month, Sheeran has also shared a new single 'Old Phone'.

Produced by Blake Slatkin & Ilya Salmanzadeh, 'Old Phone' narrates the disorienting act of reconnecting with the past, as the singer powers on a phone unused since 2015 and finds messages of people no longer in his life.

Check out the artwork for Play below:

Watch the album trailer for Play below:

You can pre-order Ed Sheeran's upcoming album here.