Ed Sheeran Leaves Warner Music Group After 15 Years and 170 Million Albums Sold

Ed Sheeran is officially closing one of the most successful chapters in modern pop music history.

The singer songwriter revealed that he parted ways with Warner Music Group last month, ending a 15 year partnership with Atlantic Records and Asylum Records that helped transform him from a teenage pub performer into one of the biggest global artists of his generation.

In a newsletter shared with fans, Sheeran emphasized that the split was entirely amicable.

“This isn’t a disgruntled artist leaves record label type situation,” he wrote. “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.”

Over the course of their partnership, Sheeran released eight studio albums, sold more than 170 million albums worldwide and accumulated staggering streaming numbers, including 126 billion global streams and 38 billion YouTube views. He also placed 14 songs into Spotify’s Billions Club and scored 13 No. 1 singles and nine No. 1 albums in the U.K.

The partnership began after a chance meeting with music executive Ed Howard in Notting Hill when Sheeran was just 18 years old. At the time, Sheeran said he had no idea Howard worked in the music industry and simply thought he was “someone cool” letting him crash on his couch.

That relationship eventually led to Sheeran signing with Asylum Records in 2011 and releasing his breakthrough debut album Plus. What followed was one of the most commercially dominant runs in contemporary music.

His 2017 album Divide shattered Spotify’s first day streaming record, while the accompanying Divide Tour became one of the highest grossing tours in history. He later expanded his catalog with albums including Equals, Subtract, Autumn Variations and 2025’s Play.

Despite leaving the label, Warner Music Group will continue handling Sheeran’s catalog moving forward. In a statement, the company praised the artist’s extraordinary rise and expressed support for his next chapter.

Sheeran also made clear there is no bad blood between the two sides, specifically shouting out Howard and the Asylum team for believing in him from the beginning.

Beyond music, Sheeran has recently expanded his focus toward philanthropy and education initiatives through the launch of the Ed Sheeran Foundation. Earlier this year, he also joined artists including Harry Styles, Coldplay, Stormzy and Elton John in calling for increased investment in music education across the U.K.

For now, Sheeran remains on the road with his Loop Tour in support of Play, though he has yet to announce where his future releases will land.

“Underneath it all, I’m a singer songwriter who plays pub gigs,” Sheeran wrote. “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.”