Ed Sheeran has announced details of his new album ‘=’ (Equals), confirmed for release on 29th October through Asylum Records (pre-order). To coincide with today’s album news, Ed has dropped his emotionally charged track ‘Visiting Hours’ [that’ll feature on the album] alongside a performance video (watch here).
‘=’ – the fourth instalment in Sheeran’s symbol album series – is Ed’s most accomplished work yet; the evolution of an artist who continues to tread new ground. A body of tracks that were made over a four-year period following his seminal ‘÷’ (Divide) album era, thematically, ‘=’ 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 comeback track, ‘Bad Habits’.
Embracing Ed’s own truths, ‘=’ seamlessly captures both the intimate and every day; elevating universal experiences to a higher plane as reflected by ‘Visiting Hours’ – a track that finds Ed coming to terms with the loss of his mentor and friend, Michael Gudinski, and written shortly after his passing: “I wish that heaven had visiting hours / So I can just swing by and ask your advice”. Performed for the first time at a tribute concert for Michael in March, the poignant track, which is joined by a stripped performance video (watch here), features backing vocals from Michael’s close friends, Kylie Minogue and Jimmy Barnes.
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.
Ed Sheeran commented – “= (Equals) is a really personal record and one that means a lot to me. My life changed greatly over the past few years – I got married, became a father, experienced loss, and I reflect on these topics over the course of the album. I see it as my coming-of-age record, and I can’t wait to share this next chapter with you.”
In June, Ed Sheeran released his 10th UK No.1 single, ‘Bad Habits’. Spending seven consecutive weeks at the top of the UK’s Official Singles Chart and counting, it has since become the fastest track to reach half a million sales in the UK of the year so far (OCC). Looking ahead, on 2nd September, Sheeran will play an intimate fan show at London’s O2 Shepherds Bush Empire to celebrate the 10th anniversary of his debut album ‘+’.
‘=’ Official Tracklisting
Tides
Shivers
First Times
Bad Habits
Overpass Graffiti
The Joker And The Queen
Leave Your Life
Collide
2step
Stop The Rain
Love In Slow Motion
Visiting Hours
Sandman
Be Right Now
