March 31, 2015

Ed Sheeran Extends Tour

ED SHEERAN ANNOUNCES FALL TOUR PLANS

DUE TO POPULAR DEMAND THE GRAMMY NOMINATED SINGER-SONGWRITER HAS ADDED A SECOND LEG OF HIS NORTH AMERICAN TOUR SET TO KICK OFF

AT HOUSTON’S BBVA COMPASS STADIUM ON SEPTEMBER 3RD  

LIMITED TICKETS AVAILABLE FOR SHEERAN’S

NORTH AMERICAN HEADLINING TOUR THIS SUMMER WITH NEARLY ALL SHOWS SELLING OUT IN MINUTES;

GRAMMY NOMINATED ALBUM “x” FEATURES A TRIO OF PLATINUM SINGLES, INCLUDING THE CHART-TOPPING SMASH “THINKING OUT LOUD”

Atlantic recording artist Ed Sheeran has announced a second leg to his North American tour, kicking off at BBVA Compass Stadium in Houston, TX, on September 3.   Promoted by AEG Live & The Messina Group (TMG), the month-long trek includes some of the GRAMMY-nominated singer-songwriter’s biggest headlining shows in North America to date (see attached itinerary). Pre-sale tickets will be available for select dates starting on April 6, followed by general public on-sale tickets starting on April 10.  For more ticket information and tour updates, please visit www.edsheeran.com.

Sheeran’s summer tour is already proving to be a phenomenal success with most dates selling out in a matter of minutes, including Brooklyn’s Barclays Center, Newark’s Prudential Center, and back-to-back nights at the iconic Hollywood Bowl.  The North American dates – which also include top billing at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, Beale Street Music Festival in Memphis, Rock in Rio USA in Las Vegas, and Summerfest in Milwaukee – are part of Sheeran’s highly successful worldwide tour which culminates with three sold out nights at London’s Wembley Stadium. 

Sheeran is still riding high with the chart-topping success of his current single “Thinking Out Loud.”  Already one of the biggest songs of 2015, “Thinking Out Loud” has earned Sheeran the highest charting of his career at multiple formats, going to #1 at Top 40, Hot AC, and Adult radio, as well as holding the #2 spot on the Billboard Hot 100 for a staggering eight consecutive weeks. “Thinking Out Loud” has also enjoyed global success, having gone to #1 in 9 countries around the world, including his native United Kingdom, while the beautifully-shot companion music video (http://youtu.be/lp-EO5I60KA)  – directed by longtime collaborator Emil Nava – has already amassed over 368 million views worldwide.   “Thinking Out Loud” is the third single from Sheeran’s RIAA-certified platinum album “x” (pronounced multiply), which recently won “Best British Album” at the 2015 BRIT Awards and was nominated for “Album Of The Year” at the 57th Annual GRAMMY Awards.   

Recently, Sheeran unveiled the companion music video for the song “Bloodstream” (https://youtu.be/Orq_75kFi8I) – a collaboration with fellow BRIT Award winner and Atlantic labelmate Rudimental, who are currently finishing their second studio album. The cinematic video –directed by Nava and starring acclaimed actor Ray Liotta – was filmed exclusively  for this year’s YouTube Music Awards (in association with Vice), which celebrates acts with the biggest growth in views, subscriptions and/or interactions with fans over the last six months.  Sheeran recently performed the original version of “Bloodstream” – which appears on his album “x” – at the 2015 BRIT Awards. 

Blending soulful vocals with organic folk introspection and irresistible hip-hop hooks, Ed Sheeran is a genuine global phenomenon. The 24-year-old British singer-songwriter’s acclaimed second full length album “x” (pronounced multiply) went to #1 on the album charts in 14 countries around the world, and has since achieved platinum sales in 18 countries, including the Unitied States and his native United Kingdom, where it was the biggest selling album of 2014.   With worldwide sales exceeding 7 million, “x” is highlighted by a trio of smash singles – “Sing,” “Don’t,” and his biggest hit to date “Thinking Out Loud.” Recently, Sheeran received one of the biggest ovations of the night for his performance of “Thinking Out Loud” at the 57th Annual GRAMMY Awards, where he was joined onstage by GRAMMY winners Herbie Hancock, John Mayer, and Questlove, performed with Jeff Lynne’s ELO, and was nominated for 3 awards, including the prestigious “Album of the Year” for “x.”  The following week, Sheeran was the only artist among the star-studded lineup to perform twice on CBS’ “Stevie Wonder: Songs In The Key Of Life – An All-Star GRAMMY Salute” – the jaw-dropping, show opener with Beyonce and Gary Clark Jr. as well as a ground-breaking solo performance, both of which earned  standing ovations.  That same month saw Sheeran take home the awards for “Best British Album” and “Best British Male” at the 2015 BRIT Awards.

“x” finds the 6x-GRAMMY nominee collaborating with a stellar list of producers, including multiple GRAMMY Award®-winners Pharrell Williams, Rick Rubin and Jeff Bhasker, multiple GRAMMY Award®-nominee Benny Blanco, Snow Patrol’s Johnny McDaid, and BRIT-Award nominee and longtime collaborator Jake Gosling. “x” The album has earned Sheeran a remarkable amount of rapturous press attention, including cover stories in Billboard and Parade, and the New York Times’ Sunday Arts & Leisure section as well as major feature profiles in Rolling Stone, Entertainment Weekly, and Time.  Sheeran launched “x” with a breakout performance on NBC’s “Saturday Night Live,” followed by other high profile national television appearances including “The Ellen DeGeneres Show,” the famed outdoor stage on ABC’s “Jimmy Kimmel Live!”, and NBC’s “The Voice” season finale, “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon” and Toyota Summer Concert Series in Rockefeller Plaza on “Today.”   Moreover, “x” has drawn critical applause from all corners, with USA Today hailing it in a four-and-a-half-starred rave as “the rare album that satisfies expectations while simultaneously raising them… As good as Sheeran was before, he’s even better now.” “Mr. Sheeran is a gifted singer with a tender tone and a naturalistic way with storytelling,” declared the New York Times, adding, “Though he may well be the most prominent folk-minded singer in contemporary pop, he’s an open-eared experimenter at core, and saddled with none of the modesty, false or otherwise, that typically go with the folkie role.” “(Sheeran) is a polyglot,” noted Time, “raised on folk, R&B, hip-hop and rock in equal measure and comfortable incorporating each of those genres into his compositions.”

Sheeran’s 2012 breakthrough debut album, “+,” entered the UK Albums Chart at #1 with the highest opening sales figures for a debut male solo artist ever and is now certified 6x-platinum. Fueled by international hit singles like “The A Team” and “Lego House,” “+” has enjoyed multi-platinum, platinum, and gold sales in nine countries around the world.  Here in the US, “The A Team” proved a blockbuster, earning 2x-platinum certification from the RIAA as well as a GRAMMY® Award nomination as “Song Of The Year.”  Sheeran also made a record-breaking chart debut with the stateside release of “+,” which entered the SoundScan/Billboard 200 at #5, becoming the highest debut for a U.K. solo artist’s first full-length album, since 2009.  Along with his three GRAMMY® nods – including the prestigious “Best New Artist” – Sheeran has accrued an array of distinguished international honors, spanning two BRIT Awards (“Best Male Artist,” “Best Breakthrough Artist”) and the 2012 Ivor Novello Award for “Best Song Musically and Lyrically.”

Long acclaimed as a captivating and creative live performer, Sheeran spent much of the past two years traversing North America on back-to-back sold-out headline tours, the latter of which including a stop at the renowned Radio City Music Hall that sold out in a matter of minutes.  Following a main support role on Taylor Swift’s massively successful “RED Tour,” Sheeran returned to New York City for a trio of sold-out headline shows at the legendary Madison Square Garden to close out his incredible 2013.

Sheeran’s honest songwriting and incredible live show also connected with millions through the small screen with countless high profile television appearances including the 55th Annual GRAMMY® Awards (performing “The A Team” accompanied by Sir Elton John), the closing ceremonies of the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, and as the youngest performer among the star-studded lineup on CBS’ special “The Beatles:  The Night That Changed America – A GRAMMY® Salute.”

For additional news and information, please see www.edsheeran.com, www.twitter.com/EdSheeran (@EdSheeran), www.facebook.com/EdSheeranMusic and www.atlanticrecords.com. Check out #EdOnTour2015 to see what fans are saying about the upcoming tour. For press materials, please see http://press.atlanticrecords.com/ed-sheeran.

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