Ed Sheeran has announced that he is parting ways with Warner Music, ending a 15-year partnership that saw him rise from emerging singer-songwriter to global superstar. The multi-platinum artiste expressed gratitude for the support and opportunities he received during his time with the label, while hinting at new directions for his future projects.
In a released statement, Ed Sheeran reflected on his journey with Warner Music, saying, “We’ve built something amazing together and enjoyed such life-changing stuff happening to us. My life is hugely different now to what it was when I was a teenager, and I’ve been feeling in my gut for a long time that a lot of things in my professional life need to change. I am, underneath it all, a singer-songwriter who plays pub gigs. And I’ve sorta morphed into this pop star who plays stadiums over 15 years; it’s a super amazing thing to have happened but also a lot to get your head around.”
Ed Sheeran started singing at a very young age, joining his local church choir when he was just four years old. By the time he was 11, he had begun learning the guitar and writing his own songs. Driven by his passion for music, Sheeran eventually dropped out of high school at 16 to pursue his dream full-time, setting the stage for his remarkable rise in the music industry.
Ed Sheeran’s breakout song is “The A Team.” Released in 2011 as the lead single from his debut studio album, +, the emotional acoustic ballad propelled him to global superstardom and earned him a Grammy Award nomination for Song of the Year. The track’s raw storytelling and heartfelt delivery resonated with audiences worldwide, establishing Sheeran as a powerful new voice in contemporary music.
Ed Sheeran further clarified in his statement, “This isn’t a ‘disgruntled artist leaves record label’ type situation. This is a boy who started as a teenager on the company with different priorities, to the father-of-two man who exists now, who feels like he needs a shift and change in the way he does things professionally.”
Warner Music Group also shared their perspective, expressing pride in having supported Ed Sheeran through his discovery and remarkable rise over the past 15 years, and gratitude for his continued partnership. In their statement, they said, “As we steward his iconic catalogue into the future, we’ll ensure that his music will touch hearts and move feet around the world for generations to come.”
Ed Sheeran has received hundreds of industry accolades, including four Grammy Awards, seven Brit Awards, and an MBE (Member of the Order of the British Empire) for his services to music and charity. Outside of his recording career, Ed Sheeran has played an instrumental role in supporting music education in the UK—even prompting the government to change the curriculum.
