Overview

• The album features high-profile cross-cultural collaborations, including Arijit Singh on “Sapphire” and a Farsi version of “Azizam” with Googoosh, alongside contributions from Ilya Salmanzadeh, Savan Kotecha, Johnny McDaid and Fred Again on “Don’t Look Down.”
• Sheeran folds recent personal turmoil into the lyrics, referencing his wife Cherry’s 2022 cancer treatment, the death of friend Jamal Edwards and plagiarism lawsuits, and opens with a rap verse on “Opening.”
• Critics say Play largely returns to Sheeran’s familiar balladry with selective sonic detours, yielding broadly mixed three-star reviews that praise songs like “Symmetry,” “Camera” and “Old Phone” while questioning the scope of reinvention.
• The release gathers previously issued singles across 13 tracks, and arrives with a new “Camera” video starring Phoebe Dynevor.
• Promotion includes a same-day livestreamed NPR Tiny Desk performance, an iHeartMusicFestival slot on Sept. 20, and The Loop Tour starting in December across Europe and the U.K., with Australia and New Zealand stadium dates in early 2026.