Ed Sheeran to release eighth studio album

British pop star Ed Sheeran is set to release his highly anticipated new album, Play, this Friday, coinciding with the announcement of an upcoming United States tour. The 34-year-old singer-songwriter, known for his heartfelt lyrics and distinctive acoustic style, has enjoyed more than a decade of global success with chart-topping hits such as Shape of You and Perfect.

Play marks Sheeran’s eighth studio album, following his 2023 release Autumn Variations. In a statement about the new record, Sheeran revealed that it was created “as a direct response to the darkest period of my life,” explaining that his goal was to “create joy and technicolour” through the music. The album was recorded across multiple countries before being completed in the Indian coastal state of Goa, a place Sheeran has described as spiritually inspiring.

Sheeran’s ability to fuse pop, folk, and other musical genres has made him one of the most successful artists of his generation. He is currently the sixth most-streamed artist on Spotify, with Shape of You ranking among the platform’s most-listened-to tracks of all time. His musical output has often followed thematic arcs, with earlier albums named after mathematical symbols (Plus, Multiply, Divide, Subtract, and Equals). Speaking on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon earlier this year, Sheeran teased that his next four projects will be titled Pause, Rewind, Fast-Forward, and Stop, continuing his tradition of conceptual album names.

Alongside the new release, Sheeran announced that he and his family will temporarily relocate to the United States during his upcoming tour. This sparked speculation that he was permanently leaving the UK, which he later dismissed in an Instagram post. “I’m not moving,” he clarified, adding that he was simply relocating to the continent he was touring. “Don’t wanna commute from London to San Diego obvz,” he joked. He also stressed, “this isn’t a tax thing,” reassuring fans that he will “always pay tax in UK.”

Sheeran’s tour schedule will kick off with a performance at the iHeartRadio Music Festival in Las Vegas on September 20. From there, he will embark on a global run that takes him through Europe, New Zealand, and Australia from December 2025 through March 2026, promising fans worldwide a fresh chance to experience his music live.