<\/p>\n
Ed Sheeran<\/strong> has left Warner Music Group<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n The singer-songwriter revealed in a newsletter to fans on Friday (May 22) that he parted ways with Atlantic Records<\/a><\/strong> and Asylum Records<\/strong> last month, ending a 15<\/strong>\u2013year<\/strong> partnership that produced eight studio albums and 170 million<\/strong> album sales worldwide.<\/p>\n \u201cThis isn\u2019t a \u2018disgruntled artist leaves record label\u2019 type situation,\u201d Sheeran wrote in the newsletter obtained<\/a> by\u00a0Music Week.<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cThis is a boy who started as a teenager on the company with different priorities, to the father of 2 man who exists now, who feels like he needs a shift and change in the way he does things professionally.\u201d<\/p>\n Sheeran said the split was amicable, writing: \u201cI leave the company with SO much love and gratitude for everything we have achieved together.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThis isn\u2019t a \u2018disgruntled artist leaves record label\u2019 type situation. This is a boy who started as a teenager on the company with different priorities, to the father of 2 man who exists now, who feels like he needs a shift and change in the way he does things professionally.\u201d<\/p>\n Ed Sheeran<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n He added: \u201cI love Ed Howard<\/strong> forever, I love Asylum forever, and the door is always open for the future.<\/p>\n \u201cThank you everyone across Warner worldwide who has worked on my projects over the last 15 years, it\u2019s been an incredible journey.<\/p>\n \u201cExcited to see where the next 15 years takes me.\u201d<\/p>\n Warner Music Group<\/strong> will continue to release Sheeran\u2019s catalog, which spans eight studio albums \u2013 from 2011\u2019s Plus<\/em> through to 2025\u2019s Play<\/em> \u2013 and encompasses 126 billion<\/strong> global streams, 38 billion<\/strong> YouTube<\/a> views, and 14<\/strong> tracks in Spotify<\/a>\u2018s Billions Club, according to Music Week<\/em>.<\/p>\n In the UK alone, Sheeran has scored 13<\/strong> No.1 singles, nine<\/strong> No.1 albums, and 53<\/strong> platinum and multi-platinum singles.<\/p>\n In his statement, Sheeran described the origins of his relationship with the label \u2013 and the chance encounter that started it all.<\/p>\n \u201cI met Ed Howard<\/strong> from Asylum Records at a show in Notting Hill when I was 18 and I ended up crashing at his and his now wife\u2019s house,\u201d Sheeran wrote.<\/p>\n \u201cWhilst there I played him a bunch of music, and just chatted about life and what I wanted to do.<\/p>\n \u201cI honestly didn\u2019t know at the time he worked at a record label, I thought he was just someone cool who was letting me crash on his sofa.<\/p>\n \u201cBut the next day I found out who he was, and we started chatting.\u201d<\/p>\n Howard \u2013 who went on to become co-president<\/a> of Atlantic Records UK<\/strong> \u2013 supported Sheeran from those early days, attending his pub gigs alongside Ben Cook<\/a><\/strong>, who ran Asylum<\/strong> at the time.<\/p>\n \u201cAll the tiny tiny pub gigs no one came to, they came to,\u201d Sheeran wrote.<\/p>\n \u201cSo when No. 5 Collaborations<\/em> came out, and I was offered a deal, I signed instantly.<\/p>\n \u201cI love those guys so much.\u201d<\/p>\n Ed Howard<\/strong>, co-president of Atlantic Records UK<\/strong>, said, as per Music Week<\/em>: \u201cFrom the sofa-surfing teenager I met in 2009 to the global music icon he is today, Ed<\/strong> has spent the last 15<\/strong> years showing the world what happens when unmatched talent meets unwavering integrity.<\/p>\n \u201cBeing able to play a part in his extraordinary musical journey has been a privilege and I\u2019ve learnt so much from him.<\/p>\n \u201cBeyond the music, the example he sets as a mentor to other artists, a champion for education, a father, a friend and simply as a human being is truly special.\u201d<\/p>\n Ed Howard, Atlantic records uk (via\u00a0Music Week<\/em>)<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n \u201cBeyond the music, the example he sets as a mentor to other artists, a champion for education, a father, a friend and simply as a human being is truly special.<\/p>\n \u201cI feel incredibly grateful to have him in my life. Big love brother.<\/p>\n \u201cOn behalf of the wonderful Warner Music<\/strong> teams around the world that championed him over the years, I know we all stand squarely in his corner as Ed steps into his next chapter.\u201d<\/p>\n Warner Music Group<\/strong> said in a statement obtained by Music Week<\/em>: \u201cWarner Music Group is proud to have supported Ed through his discovery and remarkable rise over the past 15 years and grateful for his continued partnership.<\/p>\n \u201cWarner Music Group is proud to have supported Ed through his discovery and remarkable rise over the past 15 years and grateful for his continued partnership.\u201d<\/p>\n Warner Music Group (via\u00a0Music Week<\/em>)<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n \u201cAs we steward his iconic catalogue into the future, we\u2019ll ensure that his music will touch hearts and move feet around the world for generations to come.<\/p>\n \u201cEveryone in the Warner Music<\/strong> family wishes Ed the very best as he embarks on the next chapter of his extraordinary artistic journey.\u201d<\/p>\n Sheeran<\/strong> signed with Asylum<\/strong> \u2013 an imprint of Atlantic Records<\/strong> within Warner Music Group<\/strong> \u2013 in 2011<\/strong>, releasing his debut album Plus<\/em> that September.<\/p>\n What followed was one of the most commercially dominant runs in modern pop history.<\/p>\n His third album, Divide<\/em>, broke Spotify\u2019s first-day streaming record upon release in March 2017<\/strong>, drawing<\/a> 56.73 million<\/strong> streams in 24<\/strong> hours.<\/p>\n The accompanying Divide<\/em> tour generated a record-setting $432 million<\/strong> in 2018<\/strong> alone<\/a>, according to Pollstar<\/a> \u2013 making it the highest-grossing tour in a single calendar year at that time.<\/p>\n Across its full 2017<\/strong>\u20132019<\/strong> run, the Divide<\/em> tour became the highest-grossing concert tour of all time.<\/p>\n Sheeran went on to release No. 6 Collaborations Project<\/em> (2019), Equals<\/em> (2021), and Subtract<\/em> (2023), followed by Autumn Variations<\/em> (2023) \u2013 released through his own Gingerbread Man Records<\/strong> via ADA<\/strong>, Warner\u2019s independent distribution arm.<\/p>\n His most recent album, Play<\/em>, arrived in September 2025 via Gingerbread Man Records<\/strong> and Atlantic Records<\/strong>. It was the first installment of a planned pentalogy of albums named after media control symbols, with Rewind<\/em>, Fast-Forward<\/em>, and Stop<\/em> among those to follow.<\/p>\n Sheeran was listed as a top seller for WMG<\/strong><\/a> in the company\u2019s most recent quarterly results, published earlier this month, which showed total revenue of $1.73 billion<\/strong> in calendar Q1 2026.<\/p>\n Outside of his recording career, Sheeran launched the Ed Sheeran Foundation<\/strong> in January 2025 and subsequently called on the UK government to commit \u00a3250 million<\/strong> to music education<\/a>, in an open letter backed by Harry Styles<\/strong>, Coldplay<\/strong>, Stormzy<\/strong>, Elton John<\/strong>, and others.<\/p>\n\n
\n
\n