Ed Sheeran is officially closing one of the most successful artist-label partnerships of the modern streaming era. After 15 years with Asylum Records and Warner Music Group, the singer-songwriter announced he has departed the company, describing the decision as a deeply personal shift rather than a fallout.
“I decided to leave Asylum / Warner last month,” Sheeran wrote in a lengthy statement shared online. “This isn’t a ‘disgruntled artist leaves record label’ type situation. This is a boy who started as a teenager on the company with different priorities, to the father of 2 man who exists now, who feels like he needs a shift and change in the way he does things professionally.”
Sheeran also reflected on first meeting Asylum executive Ed Howard at age 18 after a show in Notting Hill, long before global fame arrived. “I honestly didn’t know at the time he worked at a record label,” he recalled. “I thought he was just someone cool who was letting me crash on his sofa.”
That early connection eventually became one of the defining artist-label relationships of the 2010s and 2020s. After signing to Asylum, a Warner Music imprint, Sheeran released his major-label debut + in 2011. Powered by breakthrough singles “The A Team” and “Lego House,” the album launched him from London pub circuits into international stardom while reaching No. 1 in the UK.
Commercial momentum exploded with x in 2014. The project spawned “Thinking Out Loud,” earned Grammy recognition, and became one of the decade’s biggest-selling albums. Three years later, ÷ transformed Sheeran into a streaming-era juggernaut. “Shape of You” spent 12 weeks atop the Billboard Hot 100, while the album debuted at No. 1 in more than 30 territories and shattered first-week streaming records globally.
His Warner tenure also included the blockbuster No.6 Collaborations Project, 2021’s =, 2023’s Subtract and Autumn Variations, and 2025’s Play. Across those releases, Sheeran amassed more than 150 million records sold worldwide, dozens of Top 10 singles, and some of the highest-grossing tours in music history.
Despite the staggering commercial success, Sheeran’s statement repeatedly returned to simplicity and identity. “I am, underneath it all, a singer songwriter who plays pub gigs,” he wrote. “I’ve sorta morphed into this pop star who plays stadiums over 15 years, it’s a super amazing thing to have happened but also a lot to get your head around.”
Rather than framing the departure as an ending, Sheeran emphasized gratitude toward Warner executives and staff worldwide. “I love Ed Howard forever, I love Asylum forever, and the door is always open for the future,” he added. “Excited to see where the next 15 years takes me.”
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