Ed Sheeran may have just dropped his eighth studio album, Play, but he already has the rest of his musical journey mapped out — including after his lifetime.
In an interview with Zane Lowe for Apple Music, Sheeran revealed the titles the albums to follow Play, which include Pause, Fast Forward, Rewind, and Stop.
When asked by Lowe if Stop would be the last album, Sheeran replied “Well, no. It actually would be Stop and then Eject.” He continued, noting that Eject would be released posthumously.
“It’s actually in my will!” Sheeran said. “And Cherry [Seaborn, Sheeran’s wife] gets to pick the tracks for it. It’s fully in there if I was to go tomorrow.”
Of course, this revelation took Lowe by surprise, as Sheeran revealed he wants the album to contain songs he wrote and recorded “from the age of 18 to when I pass away — just choose the 10 best.”
Sheeran noted that most posthumous albums are “sort of unplanned” with record labels often compiling unreleased tracks from the artists’ recordings. But he wants to plan his final album strategically. He said he plans to “talk to Cherry throughout my life” and allow her to choose the best songs. “I don’t want to go and someone just to jumble up stuff and put it out. I want it to be planned,” Sheeran said.
While he seems to have his mind set on these titles, Sheeran noted that Stop might not actually be his final album during his lifetime. However, he will approach it as if it is his final album, like Jay-Z did with his 2004 record The Black Album.
“I think I’ll probably still make music from there, but I think it has to be made with the same level of care and attention,” Sheeran said. “I love The Black Album, and it’s because he’s like, ‘This is my last thing I’m giving to the world.’”
Hopefully, it’ll be many years from now until Sheeran releases Stop and Eject. But for now, fans can enjoy Play on digital streaming platforms now.