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Ed Sheeran is officially entering a brand-new era. The chart-topping singer-songwriter has confirmed that his next album, titled Play, will be released on September 12, and fans are already buzzing after he dropped a powerful new single, Old Phone, to mark the announcement.
The project signals the end of Sheeran’s long-running ‘Mathematics’ phase, which included globally successful albums Plus (+), Multiply (x), Divide (÷), Equals (=) and Subtract (-). Instead, Play will kick off a fresh series inspired by media symbols, something Sheeran says he dreamed up when he was just 18 years old.
The idea? A new creative arc featuring Play, Pause, Fast Forward, Rewind, and Stop. And if Old Phone is anything to go by, this new era is set to be just as personal and introspective as his past work, if not more so.
The nostalgia-laced single was inspired by a simple yet emotional moment: powering up an old mobile phone he hadn’t used since 2015. What he found on it sparked the lyrics. Among the data were heartfelt messages from his late friend Jamal Edwards, a tense argument with an ex, and lost conversations with relatives he hadn’t spoken to in years.
Credit: Offical Charts
Sheeran reflects on the raw inspiration behind the track, saying the discovery transported him back to a completely different time in his life, before the mega-fame, before fatherhood, and before many of the personal losses he’s experienced in recent years.
“Old Phone” is already resonating with fans for its stripped-back production and emotional storytelling, echoing some of Sheeran’s most beloved early work.
Play is expected to lean into themes of memory, reflection, and time, giving longtime listeners a glimpse of both who Ed was and who he’s becoming. With the September release now locked in, fans have just a few months to wait for what could be one of the most defining albums of his career.
As always, Sheeran seems ready to bare his soul, but this time, he’s pressing Play on a whole new chapter.
