Ed Sheeran is parting ways with Warner Music Group after a 15-year run that saw him become one of the most commercially dominant artists of the modern era. In lengthy statements released to the media and via his social media platforms, Sheeran reflected on his long relationship with Asylum/Warner exec Ed Howard and the early days of their partnership.
“I met Ed Howard from Asylum Records at a show in Notting Hill when I was 18 and I ended up crashing at his and his now wife’s house,” Sheeran said. “Whilst there I played him a bunch of music, and just chatted about life and what I wanted to do. I honestly didn’t 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.”
He added that Howard and former Asylum boss Ben Cook were foundational to his career from the very beginning. “He came to so many of those small gigs… all the tiny tiny pub gigs no one came to, they came to,” he said. “So when No.5 Collaborations came out, and I was offered a deal, I signed instantly. I love those guys so much.”
Sheeran described the decision to exit Warner as a life-stage shift after years of sustained global success. “Over the last 15 years, I’ve put out so much music, and had so much success with that company,” he said. “We’ve built something amazing together, and enjoyed such life changing stuff happening to us.”
He added: “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 2 man who exists now, who feels like he needs a shift and change in the way he does things professionally.”
Sheeran also leaned into the contrast between his origins and current scale. “I am, underneath it all, a singer songwriter who plays pub gigs,” he said. “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.”
Howard described Sheeran as a once-in-a-generation talent whose commercial rise was matched by consistency and trust, praising both his songwriting and his loyalty to the team that helped develop him. “From the sofa-surfing teenager I met in 2009 to the global music icon he is today, Ed has spent the last 15 years showing the world what happens when unmatched talent meets unwavering integrity,” Howard offered. “Being able to play a part in his extraordinary musical journey has been a privilege and I’ve learnt so much from him. Beyond 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. I feel incredibly grateful to have him in my life.”
Sheeran has sold more than 200 million records globally with Warner, making him one of the best-selling artists of his generation. His breakout run included three consecutive U.K. No. 1 albums and era-defining hits like “Shape of You” and “Bad Habits.” Although his sales have cooled slightly with recent releases, he remains a stadium headliner around the world.
As of now, there’s no word on Sheeran’s future music release strategy.