Ed Sheeran goes big with his return to pop, Play, but does his new album reach the heights of Divide and Equals?

Ed Sheeran made a bit of history on Friday morning (Sept. 12) when he played the first-ever livestreamed NPR Tiny Desk concert of this scale to celebrate the release of his eighth album, Play. Taking to the office with his trusty loop pedal set-up,

Ed Sheeran has long sought to bring people together with his music, whether it be his emotionally resonant acoustic ballads or unproblematic, danceable pop hits. His eight studio album,

The superstar singer-songwriter sat down with Popcast to discuss overcoming personal and professional turmoil ahead of his new album, “Play.”

Sheeran will take the stage tonight for a groundbreaking Tiny Desk concert — the first-ever livestream of this scale from NPR’s iconic series

GRAMMY Award-winning singer-songwriter Ed Sheeran welcomes Apple Music’s Zane Lowe to his home for a special interview celebrating

By contrast, A Little More finds Sheeran baring his teeth. Over an ironically jaunty R&B groove he destroys a friend who's exploited their relationship, calling them a "prick" whose hollow apologies belong "in a bin".