Studio Album · No. 8
Play Songwriting Credits by Ed Sheeran
Produced by Ed Sheeran, Fred Again.., Stuart Price · Engineered by Mark Stent, Serban Ghenea, Blake Slatkin, Cirkut, Graham Archer
Gingerbread Man Records / Atlantic Records
PopDance-PopSynth-Pop
100%
Authorship
Holds writing credit on 13 of 13 tracks
Authorship Breakdown 13 / 13 documented
Who wrote the songs?
Scored across the 13 tracks with documented writers, by whether Ed Sheeran carries a lyricist or composer credit.
13 trackswritten by Ed Sheeran
0 tracksoutside writers
Ed Sheeran's roles on this album
Share of the 13 tracks where a band member is credited, by role.
Lyricist100%
Composer100%
Producer100%
Performer100%
By the Numbers
13
Tracks
17
Lyricists
12
Producers
2025
Released
Awards & Recognition 1
Album of the Year, Los 40 Music Awards (2025)
Data Insight
Play is the first Sheeran album to carry a non-mathematical title, departing from the +/×/÷/=/- series. Ilya Salmanzadeh and Savan Kotecha, both Max Martin collaborators, contributed to several tracks, marking a shift toward a more structured radio-pop production approach after the acoustic folk of Subtract and Autumn Variations.
Play is Ed Sheeran's 2025 studio album, his seventh in the main series. As with all his studio albums, Sheeran co-writes every track. The album features collaborations with Fred Again.. and Stuart Price among others.
Track Listing & Credits 13 tracks
Written by the artist
Written by outside writers
| # | Title | Lyricist(s) | Composer(s) | Producer(s) | Performers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Opening
|
Ed SheeranBlake SlatkinOmer FediJohnny McDaidHenry WalterDavid Omoregie | Ed SheeranBlake SlatkinOmer FediJohnny McDaidHenry WalterDavid Omoregie | Ed SheeranBlake SlatkinCirkutOmer FediJohnny McDaid | Ed Sheeran (Vocals, Guitar) |
| 2 |
Sapphire
#5
|
Ed SheeranIlya SalmanzadehJohnny McDaidSavan KotechaMayur PuriArijit SinghAvinash Chouhan | Ed SheeranIlya SalmanzadehJohnny McDaidSavan KotechaMayur PuriArijit SinghAvinash Chouhan | Ed SheeranIlyaJohnny McDaidSavan KotechaGraham Archer | Ed Sheeran (Vocals, Guitar) |
| 3 |
Azizam
#3
|
Ed SheeranIlya SalmanzadehJohnny McDaidSavan Kotecha | Ed SheeranIlya SalmanzadehJohnny McDaidSavan Kotecha | Ed SheeranIlyaJohnny McDaidSavan KotechaGraham Archer | Ed Sheeran (Vocals, Guitar) |
| 4 |
Old Phone
|
Ed Sheeran | Ed Sheeran | Ed SheeranIlyaBlake Slatkin | Ed Sheeran (Vocals, Guitar) |
| 5 |
Symmetry
|
Ed SheeranJohnny McDaidSavan KotechaIlya Salmanzadeh | Ed SheeranJohnny McDaidSavan KotechaIlya Salmanzadeh | Ed SheeranIlyaJohnny McDaidSavan KotechaGraham Archer | Ed Sheeran (Vocals, Guitar) |
| 6 |
Camera
|
Ed SheeranAndrew WattLouis BellDavid Hodges | Ed SheeranAndrew WattLouis BellDavid Hodges | Ed SheeranIlyaAndrew WattLouis BellGraham Archer | Ed Sheeran (Vocals, Guitar) |
| 7 |
In Other Words
|
Ed SheeranBlake SlatkinHenry WalterJohnny McDaid | Ed SheeranBlake SlatkinHenry WalterJohnny McDaid | Ed SheeranBlake SlatkinCirkut | Ed Sheeran (Vocals, Guitar) |
| 8 |
A Little More
|
Ed SheeranBlake SlatkinHenry WalterJohnny McDaidDavid Omoregie | Ed SheeranBlake SlatkinHenry WalterJohnny McDaidDavid Omoregie | Ed SheeranBlake SlatkinCirkut | Ed Sheeran (Vocals, Guitar) |
| 9 |
Slowly
|
Ed SheeranBlake SlatkinOmer Fedi | Ed SheeranBlake SlatkinOmer Fedi | Ed SheeranBlake SlatkinOmer FediGraham Archer | Ed Sheeran (Vocals, Guitar) |
| 10 |
Don't Look Down
|
Ed SheeranFred GibsonElvira AnderfjärdIlya Salmanzadeh | Ed SheeranFred GibsonElvira AnderfjärdIlya Salmanzadeh | Ed SheeranIlyaFredElvira AnderfjärdGraham Archer | Ed Sheeran (Vocals, Guitar) |
| 11 |
The Vow
|
Ed SheeranBlake SlatkinJohnny McDaidOmer Fedi | Ed SheeranBlake SlatkinJohnny McDaidOmer Fedi | Ed SheeranBlake SlatkinOmer Fedi | Ed Sheeran (Vocals, Guitar) |
| 12 |
For Always
|
Ed SheeranAmy AllenBlake Slatkin | Ed SheeranAmy AllenBlake Slatkin | Ed SheeranBlake Slatkin | Ed Sheeran (Vocals, Guitar) |
| 13 |
Heaven
|
Ed SheeranJohnny McDaidSavan KotechaIlya Salmanzadeh | Ed SheeranJohnny McDaidSavan KotechaIlya Salmanzadeh | Ed SheeranIlyaJohnny McDaidSavan KotechaGraham Archer | Ed Sheeran (Vocals, Guitar) |
Songwriter & Credit Spotlight 21 contributors
ES
Ed Sheeran
Writer · Producer · Vocals
JM
Johnny McDaid
Writer · Producer
BS
Blake Slatkin
Writer · Producer
IS
Ilya Salmanzadeh
Writer
SK
Savan Kotecha
Writer · Producer
OF
Omer Fedi
Writer · Producer
HW
Henry Walter
Writer
DO
David Omoregie
Writer
AW
Andrew Watt
Writer · Producer
EA
Elvira Anderfjärd
Writer · Producer
LB
Louis Bell
Writer · Producer
AA
Amy Allen
Writer
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Frequently Asked Questions Play
When did Ed Sheeran release Play?
2025 on Gingerbread Man Records / Atlantic Records.
Is Play part of the arithmetic album series?
No. It is the first Sheeran album to use a non-mathematical title, departing from the +, ×, ÷, =, - naming convention.
What was the lead single from Play?
Azizam, which peaked at number three on the UK Singles Chart and number 28 on the Billboard Hot 100.
Who produced Play?
Ed Sheeran, Fred Again.., Stuart Price, Ilya Salmanzadeh, Blake Slatkin, Omer Fedi, and others contributed production across the 13 tracks.
How is Play certified in the UK?
Gold by the BPI.
What genre does Ed Sheeran's Play represent?
A return to radio-friendly pop production, contrasting with the acoustic folk of Subtract and Autumn Variations.
What award did Play win?
Album of the Year at the Los 40 Music Awards in 2025.