It’s almost time to press “Play” on Ed Sheeran‘s new album.

The “Azizam” singer has announced that Play, his first album since 2023’s Autumn Variations, is coming out on September 12.

“Play was an album that was made as a direct response to the darkest period of my life,” he wrote in a statement. “Coming out of all of that 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, and had some of the most fun, explorative creative days of my life. 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.”

He continued, “Going into this album campaign I said to myself ‘I just want everything I do to be fun and playful’ – so that’s why we are building pubs for folk jams, doing gigs on open top busses and singing in pink cowboy hats on bars. The older I get the more I just want to enjoy things, and savour the moments that are mad and chaotic. You can preorder play now, many many more playful things to come before it’s out.”

You can listen to first single “Old Phone” above, and check out the Play album cover and tracklist below.

Ed Sheeran’s Play Album Cover Artwork

Ed Sheeran’s Play Tracklist

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”

Play is out 9/12 via Gingerbread Man Records/Atlantic Records. Find more information here.