Old Phone

"Old Phone"
Single by Ed Sheeran
from the album Play
Released1 May 2025 (2025-05-01)
Length3:41
Label
Songwriter(s)Ed Sheeran
Producer(s)
Ed Sheeran singles chronology
"Azizam"
(2025)
"Old Phone"
(2025)
Music video
"Old Phone" on YouTube

"Old Phone" is a song by English singer-songwriter Ed Sheeran. It was released on 1 May 2025 under his own label Gingerbread Man Records and distributed by Warner Records as the second single from his upcoming eighth studio album, Play. The track was written by Sheeran and produced by Sheeran, Ilya Salmanzadeh and Blake Slatkin.[1][2]

Background

[edit]

In April 2025, Sheeran launched a new Instagram account to celebrate his upcoming single "Old Phone".[1] The account features a number of never-before-seen pictures, texts and lyric notes, a look back through Sheeran's mobile phone that he retired in 2015.[1] He was inspired to write the new song when revisiting his old phone after winning the "Thinking Out Loud" copyright lawsuit.[1]

Music video

[edit]

The Emil Nava-directed music video was released on 8 May 2025.[3] It features Sheeran's pop-up Ipswich pub gig and fans who submitted stories from their past.[4]

Credits and personnel

[edit]

Credits adapted from Tidal.[5]

  • Ed Sheeran – songwriting, production, lead vocals, guitar
  • Ilya Salmanzadeh – production, keyboards, backing vocals, programming, engineering
  • Blake Slatkin – production, keyboards, backing vocals, programming, engineering
  • Beoga – banjo, piano, strings
  • Pino Palladino – bass
  • Davide Rossi – cello, viola, violin, strings arranger
  • Gautam Sharma – dhol, percussion, tambourine
  • Lemar Carter – drums
  • Ganesh Murali – ghatam, tambourine
  • Jayesh Kathak – güiro, khartal, shaker, tambourine
  • Dylan Day – guitar
  • Tapas Ray – mandolin
  • Elvira Anderfjärd – backing vocals
  • Graham Archer – engineering
  • Jeremy Lertola – engineering
  • Michael Harris – engineering
  • Spike Stent – mixer
  • Bryce Bordone – assistant mixing engineer
  • Matt Wolach – assistant mixing engineer
  • Stuart Hawkes – mastering

Charts

[edit]
Chart performance for "Old Phone"
Chart (2025) Peak
position
Canada (Canadian Hot 100)[6] 60
Croatia International Airplay (Top lista)[7] 52
Global 200 (Billboard)[8] 75
Ireland (IRMA)[9] 46
Japan Hot Overseas (Billboard Japan)[10] 5
Netherlands (Single Tip)[11] 4
New Zealand Hot Singles (RMNZ)[12] 5
Norway (VG-lista)[13] 54
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[14] 62
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[15] 61
UK Singles (OCC)[16] 17
US Billboard Hot 100[17] 89

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c d Smith, Thomas (29 April 2025). "Ed Sheeran Launches Nostalgic Instagram Account With Never-Before-Seen Photos Ahead of 'Old Phone' Single Release". Billboard. Retrieved 2 May 2025.
  2. ^ Williams, Sophie (1 May 2025). "Ed Sheeran Reveals New Album's Release Date, Calls 'Play' a 'Response to the Darkest Period of My Life'". Billboard. Retrieved 2 May 2025.
  3. ^ "Ed Sheeran - Old Phone (Official Music Video)". YouTube. 8 May 2025. Retrieved 9 May 2025.
  4. ^ Kaufman, Gil (8 May 2025). "Ed Sheeran Gets Nostalgic Diving Into His 'Old Phone' In Music Video Featuring Pop-Up Ipswich Pub Gig". Billboard. Retrieved 9 May 2025.
  5. ^ "Old Phone / Ed Sheeran". Tidal. 1 May 2025. Retrieved 3 May 2025.
  6. ^ "Ed Sheeran Chart History (Canadian Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved 13 May 2025.
  7. ^ "Airplay Radio Chart Top100 – 12. svibnja 2025" (in Croatian). Top lista. 12 May 2025. Retrieved 13 May 2025.
  8. ^ "Ed Sheeran Chart History (Global 200)". Billboard. Retrieved 13 May 2025.
  9. ^ "Official Irish Singles Chart Top 50". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 9 May 2025.
  10. ^ "Billboard Japan Hot Overseas – Week of May 14, 2025". Billboard Japan (in Japanese). Retrieved 14 May 2025.
  11. ^ "Ed Sheeran - Old Phone". dutchcharts.nl. Retrieved 9 May 2025.
  12. ^ "Official Hot 40 Singles". Recorded Music NZ. 9 May 2025. Retrieved 9 May 2025.
  13. ^ "Singel 2025 uke 19". VG-lista. Retrieved 9 May 2025.
  14. ^ "Veckolista Singlar, vecka 19, 2025". Sverigetopplistan. Retrieved 10 May 2025.
  15. ^ "Ed Sheeran – Old Phone". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved 11 May 2025.
  16. ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 9 May 2025.
  17. ^ "Ed Sheeran Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved 13 May 2025.