Ed Sheeran has parted ways with Warner Music Group after a 15-year run with the label and its Asylum Records imprint.
The global superstar announced the news on May 22 via a personal newsletter to fans, confirming that he had officially departed the major label the previous month. In a lengthy and characteristically candid statement, the 35-year-old singer-songwriter framed the split as a natural evolution in both his personal life and career rather than any kind of acrimonious exit.
“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,” Sheeran wrote. “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.”
He continued: “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.”
Sheeran signed with Asylum at age 18 after a chance encounter with then-label executive Ed Howard at a small Notting Hill gig. Their professional relationship began in humble circumstances, with the budding artist reportedly crashing on Howard’s sofa and building momentum through low-attendance pub shows.
During his time with Warner, Sheeran became one of the biggest artists in the world. He released eight studio albums, sold more than 170 million records globally, and generated over 126 billion streams. Tracks like “Shape of You,” “Thinking Out Loud” and “Perfect” became generational hits, helping establish him as a stadium-level headliner capable of filling venues worldwide.
In his statement, Sheeran expressed deep gratitude toward the label and Howard in particular. “I leave the company with SO much love and gratitude for everything we have achieved together,” he wrote. “I love Ed Howard forever, I love Asylum forever, and the door is always open for the future. Excited to see where the next 15 years takes me.”
A representative for Warner Music Group confirmed the label will continue to manage and market Sheeran’s extensive back catalog, while the artist is expected to release future music primarily through his own Gingerbread Man Records imprint, which he launched under the Warner umbrella years ago. The move gives Sheeran increased autonomy over creative, marketing and release decisions going forward.
Now a father of two, Sheeran has signaled a desire to reconnect with the more intimate, roots-driven approach that defined his early career. He remains on the road with his ongoing tour, which includes upcoming dates across Latin America and North America through June.
Sheeran’s departure continues a growing trend of superstar artists seeking greater independence after long-term major label deals, as many leverage their established catalogs and fanbases to explore new models in the streaming era.
