Ed Sheeran Shifts Gears with “Drive” for F1® The Album

 MULTIPLE GRAMMY^® AWARD WINNING DIAMOND-CERTIFIED SUPERSTAR ED SHEERAN ENTERS THE RACE WITH “DRIVE” FROM F1^® THE ALBUM .WATCH THE OFFICIAL VIDEO DIRECTED BY CHRIS VILLA HERE 

CO-PRODUCED BY GRAMMY^® WINNERS BLAKE SLATKIN AND JOHN MAYER“DRIVE” FEATURES SHEERAN JOINED BY MAYER ON GUITAR AND DAVE GROHL ON DRUMSSUPERCHARGED COMPANION ALBUM TO APPLE ORIGINAL FILMS’ HIGH-OCTANE,ACTION-PACKED FILM F1^® THE MOVIE FEATURES 17 MASSIVE NEW TRACKS

FROM EXHILARATING LINEUP OF SUPERSTARS, INCLUDING DON TOLIVER, DOJA CAT, ROSÉ, DOM DOLLA, CHRIS STAPLETON, MYKE TOWERS, TATE MCRAE, TIËSTO, SEXYY RED, RODDY RICCH, RAYE, BURNA BOY, MADISON BEER, PEGGY GOU, AND MORE

ALL-NEW SOUNDTRACK CURATED BY THE PRODUCERS OF THEOSCAR^®, GRAMMY^® AND GOLDEN GLOBE^® AWARD-WINNING BARBIE THE ALBUM

F1^® THE MOVIE ONLY IN THEATERS AND IMAX^® + F1^® THE ALBUM EVERYWHERE ON FRIDAY, JUNE 27 

(CREDIT: MARK SURRIDGE)

“One of the most high-profile soundtracks of 2025” – BILLBOARD

“In F1’s soundtrack, Atlantic Records promises a high-rpm joyride for the ages, and they have yet to build a car that can get us to premiere day fast enough” – ROLLING STONE

 

Atlantic Records’ upcoming  F1^®THE ALBUM, the supercharged and star-studded musical companion to Apple Original Films’ high-octane, action-packed film F1^® THE MOVIE, starring Brad Pitt and directed by Joseph Kosinski (Top Gun: Maverick), is speeding towards the finish line with today’s premiere of “Drive” by 4x GRAMMY^® Award-winning, RIAA Diamond-certified global superstar Ed Sheeran, available everywhere now HERE. F1^® THE ALBUM is available now for pre-order HERE and arrives in stores and at all online retailers on Friday, June 27^th in conjunction with the theatrical release of the feature film, distributed worldwide by Warner Bros. Pictures.

 

Produced by GRAMMY^® Award-winner Blake Slatkin (Lil Nas X, Lizzo) and 7x GRAMMY^® Award-winner John Mayer, “Drive” sees Sheeran backed by an all-star combo that includes Mayer on guitar alongside Foo Fighters’ Dave Grohl on drums, legendary bassist Pino Paladino (Eric Clapton, The Who), and keyboardist Rami Jaffee (Foo Fighters, The Wallflowers), with additional keyboards and drum programming by Slatkin. The dynamic new track is joined by an official music video, directed by filmmaker Chris Villa (Post Malone, Morgan Wallen, A$AP Rocky, Young Thug), premiering today on YouTube HERE.

From the label that brought you the award-winning, blockbuster soundtracks Barbie The Album, Twisters: The Album, The Greatest Showman, Suicide Squad and more, F1^® THE ALBUM will feature massive new tracks from an unprecedented lineup of superstar artists, including Ed Sheeran, RAYE, Burna Boy, Madison Beer, Peggy Gou and more. See below for the full tracklisting.

F1^® THE ALBUM was produced and overseen by multi-GRAMMY^® Award Winner, 7x GRAMMY^®  Award nominee, and Atlantic Records West Coast President, Kevin Weaver (Soundtrack Album Producer of Barbie The Album, Twisters: The Album, The Greatest Showman, Suicide Squad, Daisy Jones & The Six, Birds Of Prey) along with Atlantic Records’ EVP and Co-Head of Pop/Rock A&R, Brandon Davis and Atlantic Records’ SVP A&R/Marketing, Joseph Khoury. Named by Rolling Stone as a “soundtrack guru,” Weaver has produced numerous multi-platinum soundtrack projects that have amassed tens of millions of albums sold worldwide. Additional key players involved in the project include Soundtrack Album Executive Producers Joseph Kosinski and Jerry Bruckheimer, and Music Supervisors David Taylor and Jake Voulgarides.

Ed Sheeran is back with a brand-new single, “Sapphire”, dropping this June 5, 2025.

RELEASED ON 5TH JUNE 2025 

LISTEN HERE

  

Download single artwork /  Download photo by Petros Studio  

Ed Sheeran is set to release his new single, “Sapphire” on 5th June 2025 (Listen here).

Following the hedonistic, technicolor pop of “Azizam”and the classic, heartfelt nostalgia of “Old Phone”, Sheeran returns with “Sapphire”—a dazzling anthem of connection and unbridled joy. Radiating with vibrant pop energy and rich cross-cultural influences, the track is poised to make its mark on summer ‘25.

Sheeran’s “Sapphire” is a luminous celebration of love that transcends boundaries. Featuring captivating vocals, intricate South-Asian percussion, backing vocals and sitar by legendary Indian artist Arijit Singh, the song creates a unique tapestry that speaks to the universal language of love. Fans are taken on a sonic journey both intimate and expansive, brought to life by the production talents of Ilya Salmanzadeh, Johnny McDaid, and Savan Kotecha. 

Ed Sheeran says “Sapphire was the first song I finished for Play that made me know where the album was heading. It's why I finished the recording process in Goa surrounded by some of the best musicians in India. It was an incredible creative process. I shot the music video with Liam and Nic across my India tour earlier this year, we wanted to showcase the beauty and breadth of the country and its culture. The final jigsaw piece for me was getting Arijit on the record. It was a journey to get there and such an amazing day of music and family. Me and him have done a full Punjabi version of the song that will come out in the next few weeks, which has a lot more of him on it. This is the album version of the song, and my favourite song on the album. Hope you guys love it. x“

The video for “Sapphire” has been directed by Liam Pethick, features Arijit Singh and a cameo from iconic actor Shah Rukh Khan. It begins with Ed performing the song at dawn on a rooftop, then transitions to a vibrant journey across various locations. Ed's travels take him from the rooftop to serene beaches, riversides, bustling markets, local kitchens and Bollywood backlots. Highlights include meeting up with Arijit for a studio session and motorcycle ride around his hometown, plus a visit to the A.R. Rahman music school, where he performs with local musicians.

Ed Sheeran releases his new album ‘Play’ on 12th September 2025. (Pre-order here) After closing the chapter on his Mathematics series, Ed Sheeran is finally back and stepping boldly into a fresh new phase for 2025.   An artist known for constantly evolving, Sheeran’s latest album, 'Play' finds him exploring new musical ground through collaboration with producers and musicians from around the world, as well as diving deeper into the timeless sounds and themes that have made him one of the world’s best-loved pop artists. Inspired in part by his exposure to Indian and Persian musical cultures—and their surprising connections to the Irish folk tradition he grew up with, through shared scales, rhythms, and melodies—he explored this borderless musical language, giving the album its distinctive, fresh edge.  On more familiar ground, Sheeran also reminds us why he remains the most influential singer-songwriter of his generation, delivering a series of stunning ballads and acoustic-driven songs. The result is a collection that plays with both the familiar and the new, creating a bold, pop-driven sound that only Ed Sheeran could deliver — a vibrant showcase of his artistry that feels both exciting and transformative, and promises to be one of the defining albums of the year. 

Ed Sheeran has also announced three live shows at Portman Road, Ipswich which Sold-Out immediately. These kick off on Friday, July 11th, featuring special guests Myles Smith and Tori Kelly;  on July 12th the spotlight shifts to Busted and Dylan;  whilst on July 13th it will be James Blunt and Maisie Peters. These are set to take place at Ipswich Town FC’s iconic home ground - Ed being a lifelong supporter of the club, and the official shirt sponsor since 2021.  The three night stint will mark Ed’s first UK headline shows since 2023, and will include debut performances of tracks from ‘Play’ alongside fan favourites.  £1 from every ticket sold on these shows has been donated to the newly launched Live Trust, a new funding initiative from LIVE that will offer much needed financial support to those working across live music. The Live Trust will initially support the grassroots music sector that is such a vital part of the music ecosystem – from venues and artists to festivals and promoters.

 

 

Ed Sheeran Unveils Brand New Single ‘Azizam’ – Out April 4

Ed Sheeran presses play on a new era with the release of his new single ‘Azizam’ on 4th

April 2025. Available on CD, 7” and DSPs LISTEN / PURCHASE HERE / WATCH HERE

Get ready to immerse yourself in the enchanting world of "Azizam". A Persian term of

endearment that means "my dear" or "my beloved,” Ed’s new song is a return to joy, to light, to

love and to fun!

“Azizam" began as a meeting of minds in the studio with Swedish/Iranian producer Ilya

Salmanzadeh (Ariana Grande, Charli XCX, Ellie Goudling, Sam Smith). Driven by Ed’s

relentless curiosity they soon realised how much Persian and Irish folk music have in common

and how only Ed could set those influences in a pop context. 

The result is a hedonistic

technicolor call to action to live the moment “in between the dancing lights” on the danceflooruntil the Sun rises. A celebration of cross-cultural collaborations brought to life, this rhythmic

pop song is about the universality of emotion.

Ed said…“Even though it’s completely different to anything that I’ve ever done before, Azizam

feels familiar to me. I wanted to create a party atmosphere in a song and Ilya Salmanzadeh,

who I worked with on the track, helped bring that to life. He was so inspiring to work with.”

In the video accompanying the single release, Ed embarks on a journey across the US and UK

with a pink, heart-shaped balloon in tow. He takes in the sights of New York from an iconic

yellow taxi, cruises through Los Angeles in a classic open-top car, and braves the elements in

rural Massachusetts.

 Along the way, he leads a street party in New Orleans and makes stops in

Boston and Nashville. And, of course, no trip would be complete without a visit to his beloved

Ipswich Town FC. Watch Here

After closing the chapter on his Mathematics era, Ed Sheeran is finally back and stepping boldly

into a fresh new phase for 2025. An artist who has continuously pushed himself, and his craft,

into new territory, Sheeran has collaborated with producers and writers from across the globe

on his upcoming album, which promises to be one of the years defining pop records (details of

which will be released soon).

FOR MORE ON ED SHEERAN:

OFFICIAL WEBSITE | INSTAGRAM | FACEBOOK | TWITTER | YOUTUBE

Get Closer to Ed Sheeran: Smart's Exclusive Ticket Redemption Promo

 

Mobile services provider Smart Communications, Inc. (Smart) has announced its exclusive ticket redemption promo to make it so much easier for Filipino fans to get hold of tickets to the much-anticipated “+-= ÷x Tour” or the “Mathematics Tour” of global music icon Ed Sheeran happening at the SMDC Festival Grounds on Saturday, March 9.

 

Sheeran, who has been rocking his tour since April 2022, is expected to perform songs from his latest album alongside his old chart-toppers like “Tides,” “I’m A Mess,” “Shivers,” “The A Team,” “Castle On The Hill,” “Perfect,” “Lego House,” “Shape Of You,” and “Thinking Out Loud,” among others.

 

As an added treat to fans, viral British singer Callum Scott and hit Filipino band Ben&Ben are set to front-act for the Grammy-winning artist.

How to redeem Ed Sheeran concert tickets from Smart

 

Smart Prepaid and Smart Postpaid subscribers who are excited to do the math may redeem their tickets by exchanging their points on the Smart App, which is downloadable on Apple App Store and Google Play Store.

 

A specific number of points is required to claim a ticket in different categories. Subscribers may also augment their points by topping up promos. The more points, the better the chances of redeeming higher category tickets.

 

To redeem tickets, subscribers may follow these steps:

1 Download the Smart App then sign-up or Log-in to your account.

2 Once in, go to Rewards, then Under Redeem Rewards, tap the Ed Sheeran ‘Mathematics Tour 2024’ in Manila ticket you want to redeem.

3 Click Redeem button on the pop-up screen to confirm redemption. Subscriber will receive a notification and text message for successful redemption and instructions on how to claim their tickets. 

 

Get ready for a music and visual spectacle

 

This Manila leg is the 60th stop for “mathematics” and the 10th stop for Sheeran this 2024. Sheeran, who was last here for his “Divide” concert back in 2018, is known to switch up the visual spectacle during his live outings via larger-than-life LED setups and awesome firework displays timed perfectly with each song performance.

 

Subscribers can rely on the Smart network as they instantly post and share photos, videos, reels, and stories about their favorite moments in the concert with their friends and loved ones via their go-to apps.

 

Sheeran’s 2024 concert follows a string of world-class acts that Smart brought closer to subscribers, including the Asia Artist Awards 2023, TWICE 5th World Tour “Ready To Be,” and Harry Styles’ “Love on Tour.”

 

To stay updated about the latest exclusive perks and awesome experiences for Smart subscribers, follow Smart’s official accounts on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok.

Ed Sheeran has released his new single ‘Eyes Closed’ alongside the official video

 

Ed Sheeran has released his new single ‘Eyes Closed’ alongside the official video.

Ed originally wrote ‘Eyes Closed’ a few years back. Starting out as a break-up song, the lyrics took on a whole new meaning after Ed suffered heartbreaking loss, which led him to revisit and reimagine the original version of the track for ‘-ʼ. One of the most pop-leaning sonics on his highly anticipated new record, ‘Eyes Closed’ captures the essence of love and loss, which is also reflected in the official video. Directed by Mia Barnes, we see Ed on a night out being followed by a blue monster - serving as a metaphor for grief, Ed is unable to shake it, wherever he goes, reminding him of the void that’s left in his life.

Speaking of the new song and the video, Ed says – “This song is about losing someone, feeling like every time you go out and you expect to just bump into them, and everything just reminds you of them and the things you did together. You sorta have to take yourself out of reality sometimes to numb the pain of loss, but certain things just bring you right back into it. 

ED SHEERAN PHOTOGRAPHED BY ANNIE LEIBOVITZ

When I was thinking of concepts for the Eyes Closed music video, I wanted to make a video inspired by movies like Harvey, where the main character has an imaginary friend who’s a giant rabbit that no one can see. There’s also a book I read my daughters where sadness is encapsulated by an imaginary creature. Often sadness is something that follows you around, engulfing the rooms you’re in, and you can feel and see it, but no one else around you can. So I decided to create my own big blue monster for the video. He gets bigger and bigger as the video goes on, til he takes up whole rooms, and is all I can see, just like sadness.”

Ed’s soul-baring new album ‘-‘ will be released on 5 May through Asylum/Atlantic. Written against a backdrop of grief and hope, Ed wrote and recorded the fourteen-track record with Aaron Dessner (The National) in February last year after a series of hard-hitting events impacted his life.

Announced earlier this week, his all-new, four-part documentary ‘Ed Sheeran: The Sum of It All’ will air on Disney+ from 3 May 2023. Blending never-before-seen personal archive, interviews and performances, the intimate documentary explores how his personal experiences have shaped him to become the artist he is today.

Ed Sheeran is delighted to announce details of his new single ‘Overpass Graffiti’, which will be joined by an official video

 

Ed Sheeran has released his brand-new album ‘=’ (Equals) listen here. In conjunction with the release, Ed is delighted to announce details of his new single ‘Overpass Graffiti’, which will be joined by an official video, premiering today at 9:00pm Philippine Time.

 

Warner Music Philippines along with SM Mall of Asia and the PH Sheerios celebrated the album release with a wonderful cinematic trailer. Fourteen large butterflies (coming from each of the album track covers) can be seen flying over the city skyscrapers of Metro Manila, painting the town red (and more!), and traveling through relevant areas way too familiar for our Sheerios, such as the famous Mall of Asia Complex where Ed had both of hist Multiply and Divide tour shows. Watch it here.

 

Aside from that, Asian fans are in for a treat as Ed hosts his a grand virtual fan meet on October 30 (Saturday) at 7:00pm Philippine Time, streamed live from the Warner Music Philippines Facebook page! RSVP to the fan event here.

 

About the Album

 

Written and produced by Sheeran, Johnny McDaid and Fred Gibson (the trio behind ‘Bad Habits’), ‘Overpass Graffiti’ - the third official single to be taken from Ed’s new album ‘=’ – is a heady, synth-rich ode to '80s pop, and provides us with a wistful portrait of lost love as Ed soundtracks a past relationship. The official video - directed by Jason Koenig – explores the romanticism of living in the moment as we find Ed stranded in the desert in his dressing gown (!), before he embarks on an adventure with a newfound set of friends who he meets after hitching a ride.

 

Embracing Ed’s own truths, ‘=’ seamlessly captures both the intimate and every day, elevating universal experiences to a higher plane. The fourth instalment in Sheeran’s symbol album series and a body of tracks that were made over a four-year period that followed his seminal ‘÷’ (Divide) album era, the new album finds Ed taking stock of his life and the people in it as he explores the varying degrees of love (‘The Joker And The Queen’, ‘First Times’, ‘2step'), loss (‘Visiting Hours’), resilience (‘Can’t Stop The Rain’) and fatherhood (‘Sandman’, ‘Leave Your Life’), while also processing his reality and career (‘Tides’).

 

Sonically, ‘=’ encapsulates Ed’s versatile musical palette, spanning signature, guitar-led tracks and world-class balladry to weightier, euphoric production moments, as first showcased on this summer’s emphatic, 2 x platinum comeback track, ‘Bad Habits’. Written and recorded across Suffolk, London, Sweden and LA, the album’s executive production comes from Ed Sheeran, FRED (No.6 Collaborations Project) and Johnny McDaid (Divide), with additional writing and/or production provided by Steve Mac, Joe Rubel, Amy Wadge, Foy Vance, Elvira Anderfjard, David Hodges, Andrew Watt, Lou Bell, Natalie Hemby and Ben Kweller. Sheeran’s brother, Matthew, a composer, also contributes stunning string arrangements on ‘First Times’ and ‘The Joker And The Queen’. The album artwork is a vivid collage of butterfly imagery symbolising the albums’ thread of ‘new life’ and is backdropped by one of Ed’s own abstract paintings.

 

‘=’ Official Tracklisting

 

 

1. Tides

2. Shivers

3. First Times

4. Bad Habits

5. Overpass Graffiti

6. The Joker And The Queen

7. Leave Your Life

8. Collide

9. 2step

10. Stop The Rain

11. Love In Slow Motion

12. Visiting Hours

13. Sandman

14. Be Right Now

 

 

Since his comeback in June, Sheeran has sat atop the charts worldwide, and in the UK, he spent a staggering 15 weeks at No.1 on the Official Singles Chart with his singles, ‘Bad Habits’ and ‘Shivers’. Moreover, with the help of his recent single releases, Ed achieved another milestone in the UK after becoming the first British Solo Artist to claim 52 weeks – a full year – at No.1 on the Official UK Singles Chart, with only Elvis Presley and The Beatles achieving more overall weeks at the top.

 

Ed Sheeran will embark on the first leg of his ‘+ - = ÷ x Tour’ (pronounced ‘The Mathematics Tour’) from April 2022, that’ll see him play across the UK, Ireland, Scandinavia and Central Europe in 2022 (shows in other territories will be announced in due course).

 

Ed Sheeran tops the first-ever Billboard Philippines Hot 100, while local singer Inigo Pascual leads the Billboard Philippine Top 20.

Billboard Philippines (“BillboardPH”) recently premiered (June 12) the country’s first rankings reflecting local music consumption.

Using localized on-demand streaming data from global services Apple Music, Spotify and YouTube, plus download track sales from iTunes, BillboardPH’s new charts provide the most accurate representation of music popularity in the Philippines.

Leading BillboardPH’s chart offerings is the BillboardPH Hot 100, which ranks the top songs by both local and foreign acts. The Billboard Philippine Top 20, meanwhile, will contain only Filipino artists, and the Billboard PH Catalog Chart will list songs by Filipino acts that are older than three years, but still being actively streamed.

Ed Sheeran commands the No. 1 spot on the BillboardPH Hot 100 with “Shape of You,” while Bruno Mars and The Chainsmokers each place a pair of tracks each in the top 10.  Also occupying spaces in the Hot 100 top 10 are DJ Khaled's “I’m the One," featuring Justin Bieber, Quavo, Chance the Rapper & Lil Wayne, at No. 3, and the current Billboard Hot 100 U.S. No. 1 hit “Despacito,” by Luis Fonsi & Daddy Yankee featuring Justin Bieber, at No. 5.

The Billboard Philippine 20 is led by Inigo Pascual’s “Dahil Sa’Yo,” with singer/actress Jona holding down two spots in the top 10, at Nos. 3 and 4, with “Pusong Ligaw” and "Maghihintay Ako,” respectively. Also faring well on the local list is rock/fusion band Sud, which stands at No. 2 with “Sila.”



Billboard PH, launched in September 2016, has quickly become the premier source of music coverage in Philippines. The addition of local charts to a menu already including the U.S.-based Billboard Hot 100 and Billboard 200, among others, further emphasizes the site as the go-to place for Filipino music fans.  The Billboard PH charts refresh each Monday morning local time.