Ed Sheeran Release “Old Phone” and Reveals His Upcoming Album

Ed Sheeran’s most recent track, “Old Phone,” is being released in anticipation of the upcoming release of his album Play.

Ed Sheeran New album Release Date

Ed Sheeran has announced his upcoming eighth album “Play,” arriving Sept. 12 via Gingerbread Records/Atlantic Records.

Ed Sheeran Reveals Emotional Inspiration Behind Upcoming Album ‘Play

Sheeran opened up about the inspiration behind Play in an Instagram post where he admitted the “album that was made as a direct response to the darkest period of my life,” which prompted him to “to create joy and technicolour, and explore cultures in the countries I was touring” while creating the record.

“I made this record all over the world, finished it in Goa, India, and had some of the most fun, explorative creative days of my life,” he wrote. “It’s a real rollercoaster of emotions from start to finish, 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.”

“Azizam,” the first single, combines pop and Persian influences

Sheeran released “Azizam,” the album’s lead track, over a month before he made his announcement. It was produced by Ilyah Salmanzadeh, who has collaborated with artists including Ariana Grande, Charli xcx, and Tate Mcrae. The producer “suggested trying out making music inspired by his Persian heritage and culture,” which gave Sheeran the concept for the new song, he posted on Instagram. “Azizam” is an affectionate word that translates to “my dear.”

Upcoming Album Play – Tracklist, Singles & Chart History

Both “Azizam” and “Old Phone” are included in Play’s tracklist, which has 13 tracks with no known features.

Autumn Variations, the singer-songwriter’s most recent album, was released in 2023 and peaked at number four on Billboard’s 200 Albums chart.