Ed Sheeran has announced full details for his next album, the follow-up to ÷, which was the best-selling album in the world in 2017.
Entitled No 6 Collaborations Project – following on from No 5 Collaborations Project, an EP from 2011 – it features a series of high-profile partnerships with some of the world’s biggest pop and rap stars.
Including two already-released singles, I Don’t Care with Justin Bieber – which has spent five weeks at No 1 in the UK – and Cross Me with Chance the Rapper and PnB Rock, the 15 tracks include collaborations with artists from both sides of the Atlantic. The album will be released on 12 July.
US stars include Cardi B, Bruno Mars, Camila Cabello, Travis Scott, HER, Meek Mill, Skrillex and Khalid; the track Remember the Name reunites old sparring partners Eminem and 50 Cent for the first time on record in a decade.
Three of the UK’s most successful contemporary rappers appear: Stormzy, Dave and J Hus, the latter with US star Young Thug. UK R&B singer Ella Mai also guests.
Sheeran has frequently worked with rappers during his career. No 5 Collaborations Project featured grime stars including JME, Ghetts and Wiley, while in 2012 he released The Slumdon Bridge, an EP with US rapper Yelawolf. He reached No 1 guesting on Eminem’s song The River, and recruited Stormzy for the remix to his own No 1 single Shape of You.
Anticipation for No 6 Collaborations Project is extremely high. As well as being the world’s biggest-selling album in 2017, ÷ was the biggest seller in the UK that year, and the third-biggest in 2018. Its first week UK sales of 672,000 made it the third fastest-selling album ever. He has recorded No 6 Collaborations Project during his world tour for ÷, which is on course to become the highest-grossing ever, a record currently held by U2 for their 360° tour in 2009-11.
Sheeran also appears in the Danny Boyle and Richard Curtis film Yesterday, opening this week, playing himself.
