His last album Ed Sheeran, “Subtract”, was highly anticipated, following the success of his previous albums such as ‘Divide’, ‘Equals’ and ‘No. 6 Collaborations Project’.

The album was released on May 5, 2023 and contains a total of 18 tracks. It is described as a mix of soft-pop and acoustic music, with an authentic and delicate sound that many fans have come to love from the artist.

The album has been warmly received by fans, with many praising its moving lyrics and emotional depth. Critics have also praised the album for its overall sound and the way it depicts events from Ed Sheeran’s life.

“Rolling Stone” noted that “Subtract” is his best album to date, while Pitchfork commented how the songs of sadness are almost incomprehensible, but towards the end of the album, the brilliant “Sycamore” recounts the events of Cherry Seaborn’s lifeSheeran’s husband.

It immediately topped the Top Album Sales Charts in the US and UK, and also reached number one in several other countries, including Australia and Canada.

Compared to Ed Sheeran’s previous albums, ‘Subtract’ is much more mature in terms of its lyrical content and musical style. While it still retains some elements of his early work, such as acoustic guitars and soulful melodies, it also introduces a darker tone that reflects Ed Sheeran’s battle with depression in recent years.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Ed Sheeran (@teddysphotos)

Sheeran himself revealed how he had been working on ‘Subtract’ for 10 years, “trying to shape the perfect acoustic album, writing and recording hundreds of songs with a clear idea of ​​what I thought it should be».

And he went on to say that last year “a series of events changed my life, my mental health and ultimately the way I perceived music and art».

All these events, which he said happened within a month, were the death of his best friend Jamal Edwards, a lawsuit accusing him of copying his hit song “Shape of You” – a British High Court judge later ruled in April 2022 that Sheeran “neither intentionally nor subconsciously” covered Sami Chokri and Ross O’Donoghue’s 2015 song “Oh Why” – and a serious medical challenge faced by his wife Cherry Seaborn, who was expecting their second child at the time.

“My pregnant wife was told she had a tumor, no cure until after birth”, Sheeran explained. “I was collapsing inside myself from fear, depression and anxiety. I felt like I was drowning, like I had my head under the surface of the water, looking up but not being able to breathe».

To cope with the difficult situation he found himself in, Ed Sheeran said he turned to songwriting, which he called “my therapy” and the thing that “helps me figure things out”. In less than a week, Sheeran said he had “replace a decade of work, with my deepest and darkest thoughts“just writing”whatever comes to the surface».

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Ed Sheeran (@teddysphotos)

“As an artist, I didn’t feel like I could give the world something that didn’t accurately represent where I was and how I needed to express myself at this point in my life.“, he said. “This record is just that. It’s like opening the door to my soul».

Sheeran added: “For the first time I’m not trying to make an album that people will like, I’m just putting out something that’s honest and true to where I’m at in my adult life».

All in all, Ed Sheeran’s ‘Subtract’, with its emotional sound and charged lyrics, is an impressive addition to his musical legacy, sure to be enjoyed by his fans for years to come.