Ed Sheeran announces new album '=' will drop in October

After more than a four-year wait, the release of Ed Sheeran's fourth full-length album, titled =, has been confirmed for October 29.

“= (Equals) is a really personal record and one that means a lot to me," Sheeran said in the announcement. "My life changed greatly over the past few years – I got married, became a father, experienced loss, and I reflect on these topics over the course of the album. I see it as my coming-of-age record, and I can’t wait to share this next chapter with you.”

Sheeran shared the album's tracklist and dropped his emotionally charged track Visiting Hours that'll be included on the album alongside a performance video of the song featuring backing vocals from Kylie Minogue and Jimmy Barnes.

The new album seamlessly captures both the intimate and every day of Sheeran's life.  It also elevates universal experiences to a higher plane as reflected by his newly released song, Visiting Hours.

The song finds the 30-year-old singer coming to terms with the loss of his mentor and friend, Michael Gudinski, and it was written shortly after his passing. He performed the song for the first time at Michael’s state memorial in March.

“I wish that heaven had visiting hours / So I can just swing by and ask your advice," Sheeran sings.

Sheeran announced the upcoming release of his latest album on Instagram, revealing that he had started writing and recording it in June 2017.

"It's been a long, long process. I’ve been through love, loss, new life, grief and everything in between during the whole period of writing it, and I feel like it’s really a coming of age record. I’ve never been more proud of a body of work, or more excited/nervous for you all to hear it. The next song off of it is called Visiting Hours, which I finished for my friend Michael who sadly passed away this year. If you preorder the album you get this song with it, but it’s also on all platforms from now too. Lots more music to come, but for now I hope you are as excited as me for this album. ‘=‘ everywhere from October 29th x," the "Bad Habits" singer wrote, alongside a photo of the album art.

Sheeran previously told Etalk's Danielle Graham all about what it feels like when he knows he's going to be releasing new music into the world.

Sheeran said the only feeling comparable to releasing new music is “the nerves you have when you go in to do a school exam.”

“You kind of got this like grumbly feeling in your stomach but you know that when you’re in there, it’s go, go, go, go, go and you’re prepared and you’re ready for it. But your kind of standing outside the school like, 'Ou, I don’t know how I’m going to do here.’”

The singer's been known to drop out of the public eye and go off the grid to spend some time recharging and getting inspiration for his music.

"I feel like my professional life is a lot of touring and a lot of interviews and a lot of recording and blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. You don't really experience anything to write the songs about. So I was coming to the end of the last tour, trying to write songs but what do you write about? Like hotel rooms, planes, stages?" Sheeran said.

"I think to be an artist you actually have to experience life. In this last year and a bit, I've experienced grief for the very first time in my life, like proper, proper grief for the very first time in my life. I've become a father, I've built a home and a marriage. I've had friends who've had moms pass away that you're then there to shoulder your friend. I feel like I've experienced enough of life now in this past two years to write an album that actually has meaning rather than just writing an album for the sake of it."

Check out the official tracklisting for the album below.

1. "Tides"

2. "Shivers"

3. "First Times"

4. "Bad Habits"

5. "Overpass Graffiti"

6. "The Joker And The Queen"

7. "Leave Your Life"

8. "Collide"

9. "2step"

10. "Stop The Rain"

11. "Love In Slow Motion"

12. "Visiting Hours"

13. "Sandman"

14. "Be Right Now"

BEFORE YOU GO: Ed Sheeran chats new music, fatherhood and finding his voice in the pandemic

[video_embed id='2230004']BEFORE YOU GO: Ed Sheeran chats new music, fatherhood and finding his voice in the pandemic[/video_embed]