Autumn Variations (White Vinyl)

Autumn Variations is the seventh studio album by English singer-songwriter Ed Sheeran, released on 29 September 2023 through Gingerbread Man Records. All tracks on the album were produced solely by Aaron Dessner, with the exception of “Spring,” which Dessner co-produced with his twin brother Bryce Dessner. This album is Sheeran’s second release of 2023, following his previous album, -, and marks his first studio album for which he holds the copyright.

Background: Sheeran announced the album on 24 August 2023, citing personal reflections on significant life changes and inspiration from Edward Elgar’s Enigma Variations. Sheeran’s father and brother introduced him to Elgar’s work, where each piece represents a different friend, an approach that influenced Autumn Variations.

Autumn Variations is Sheeran’s first release under his independent label, Gingerbread Man Records. Although Sheeran initially stated there would be no singles or music videos for promotion, the single “American Town” was sent to Italian contemporary hit radio on the album’s release day.

Sheeran performed “American Town,” “Magical,” “Blue,” and “Plastic Bag” during his Amazon Music Live concert on 21 September 2023, with “Plastic Bag” subsequently uploaded to YouTube on 26 September 2023. Several tracks from the album were also featured in his performances during the – Tour and the +–=÷× Tour.

Live acoustic videos of “American Town,” “Plastic Bag,” “Magical,” “Blue,” and “When Will I Be Alright” were released on YouTube shortly after the album’s debut. On 18 and 19 November 2023, Sheeran performed Autumn Variations in its entirety at the Royal Albert Hall, London.