Everything to Know About Ed Sheeran’s New Album ‘Play’

Ed Sheeran is gearing up for one of the most anticipated album releases of this month. Play, the British singer-songwriter’s eighth studio album, arrives tonight, September 12, via Gingerbread Man Records and Atlantic Records. The project marks the beginning of a bold new creative chapter for Sheeran, who is shifting back into big-scale pop after recent acoustic-driven projects.

Play is the first in Sheeran’s planned five-album “symbol series”, each named after an electronic media button. The collection will eventually include Pause, Fast Forward, Rewind, and Stop. But it all begins here. As fans count down the hours until the album’s release, here is everything you need to know about Ed Sheeran’s Play.

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Singles Leading the Way

So far, Sheeran has unveiled four singles that showcase the range of Play.

• “Azizam” (April 4) opened the era with a lush, global-inspired sound.

• “Old Phone” (May 1) leaned on nostalgia, pairing intimate lyrics with sleek production.

• “Sapphire” (June 5) offered shimmering pop energy and became a summer playlist staple.

• “A Little More” (August 7) served as the follow up to his timeless hit “Lego House.”

To mark release day, a fifth single—“Camera”—will also arrive on September 12.

Tracklist

The album features 13 tracks blending Sheeran’s signature storytelling with expansive pop production:

1. Opening

2. Sapphire

3. Azizam

4. Old Phone

5. Symmetry

6. Camera

7. In Other Words

8. A Little More

9. Slowly

10. Don’t Look Down

11. The Vow

12. For Always

13. Heaven

A Return to “Big Pop”

After 2023’s acoustic-driven – (Subtract) and Autumn Variations, Sheeran confirmed that Play is his return to the “big pop” that made him a global force in the 2010s.

What’s Next?

Sheeran has already revealed that Rewind, the second installment in the symbol series, was written alongside Play. He described the two albums as “twin projects,” with Play leaning into excitement and global influence, while Rewind is rooted in nostalgia. Rewind is reportedly close to completion and could arrive within the next 18 months.