Ed Sheeran announces new album “Play”, out September 12, and shares emotional new single “Old Phone”.
Multiple-GRAMMY winner and Diamond-certified global superstar Ed Sheeran has announced his highly anticipated new album Play, set for release on September 12 via Gingerbread Man Records/Atlantic Records. Alongside the announcement, Sheeran has shared the first single from the project—“Old Phone”—out now.
Play signals a bold new phase for Sheeran as he closes the chapter on his Mathematics series. The album sees him exploring borderless musical inspirations, shaped by global collaborations and his exposure to Indian, Persian, and Irish musical traditions. The result is a vibrant, genre-crossing collection with both emotional resonance and playful innovation.
Ed explains, “Play was an album that was made as a direct response to the darkest period of my life… I just wanted to create joy and technicolour, and explore cultures in the countries I was touring. I made this record all over the world, finished it in Goa, India… it encapsulates everything that I love about music.” 
The lead single, “Old Phone,” finds Sheeran reflecting on identity, time, and transformation as he powers up a long-unused mobile device from 2015. The track blends stripped-back acoustic elements with emotional storytelling, reminiscent of Sheeran’s earliest work. Produced by Blake Slatkin and Ilya Salmanzadeh, it’s a powerful start to the Play era.
To tease the release, Sheeran launched the @teddysoldphone Instagram account, showcasing never-before-seen photos from the actual phone. He also debuted the track live on The Tonight Show, at his Coachella pub pop-up, and alongside Noah Kahan at Santa’s Pub in Nashville.
Play is available for pre-order now.
