Ed Sheeran always seems to be riding high, topping charts, scooping platinum records and selling out stadiums, but ‘Play’ shows that he’s still able to adapt to changing surroundings. Following the mixed reception afforded to his last couple of LPs, it is his attempt at a gamechanger, seeking to offer a slice of individuality while pulling from some wide-reaching influences.
Having relied on the indie cred of sole producer Aaron Dessner for 2023’s ‘Autumn Variations’, here Sheeran returns to the collaborative approach of old, with Savan Kotecha (Ariana Grande, Demi Lovato), Cirkut (Lady Gaga, Kesha) and Andrew Watt (Ozzy Osbourne, The Rolling Stones) all contributing across ‘Play’.
Opening is an impressive way to start — a not-so-subtle nod to the sound of his debut, it showcases his underrated, skilful rapping while highlighting painful moments in the spotlight.
Sapphire and Azizam, meanwhile, are infectious, romantic odes to his wife, where Sheeran’s appetite for experimentation works to his advantage.
Old Phone is the pick of the bunch. It’s Sheeran at his most vulnerable, its roots in a recovered handset he picked through during his recent Thinking Out Loud trial, leading to musings on the passing of time and the trials and tribulations of his personal life. “Conversations with my dead friends / Messages from all my exes / I kinda think that this was best left / In the past where it belongs,” he sings.
That’s the good, but ‘Play’ is not without its faults. Symmetry would be mediocre if not for its irritating melody, while the Europop-inspired Don’t Look Down is haphazardly placed towards the back end of the record, lacking substance at a point when things should be reaching a crescendo. Heaven, the actual closer, fades into the crowd. In fact, that’s the real issue here — for all that Sheeran is clearly in his own league as a songwriter, he can’t escape his own lane.
Ed Sheeran Upcoming Tour Dates are as follows:
Mon December 01 2025 - PARIS Zenith (France)
Wed December 03 2025 - MUNICH Olympiahalle (Germany)
Fri December 05 2025 - COVENTRY Coventry Building Society Arena
Sun December 07 2025 - MANCHESTER Co-op Live
Tue December 09 2025 - DUBLIN 3Arena
Fri January 16 2026 - PENROSE Go Media Stadium
Sat January 17 2026 - PENROSE Go Media Stadium
Wed January 21 2026 - WELLINGTON Wellington Regional Stadium
Sat January 24 2026 - CHRISTCHURCH Apollo Projects Stadium
Sun January 25 2026 - CHRISTCHURCH Apollo Projects Stadium
Sat January 31 2026 - PERTH Optus Stadium
Sun February 01 2026 - PERTH Optus Stadium
Fri February 13 2026 - SYDNEY Accor Stadium
Sat February 14 2026 - SYDNEY Accor Stadium
Sun February 15 2026 - SYDNEY Accor Stadium
Fri February 20 2026 - BRISBANE Suncorp Stadium
Sat February 21 2026 - BRISBANE Suncorp Stadium
Sun February 22 2026 - BRISBANE Suncorp Stadium
Thu February 26 2026 - MELBOURNE Marvel Stadium
Fri February 27 2026 - MELBOURNE Marvel Stadium
Sat February 28 2026 - MELBOURNE Marvel Stadium
Thu March 05 2026 - ADELAIDE Adelaide Oval
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