As per the first instalment in this series, in which we discussed Alfred Nobel’s Will, estate planning is not a new concept, but it is increasingly common to plan ahead and choose to leave a lasting legacy. In this blog, Liv Turner will explore how Ed Sheeran is ‘thinking out loud’ about protecting his legacy and explain why you should be too.
Ed Sheeran’s legacy
Ed Sheeran is a world-renowned English musician and songwriter, who has sold over 200 million records worldwide and won four Grammy awards.
Following the release of Ed Sheeran’s debut studio album + (“Plus”) in 2011, he has consistently topped the charts, becoming a major pop music artist and even a household name. He has since gone on to release × (“Multiply”) in 2014, ÷ (“Divide”) in 2017, = (“Equals”) in 2021, and – (“Subtract”) in 2023, thus completing his set of mathematically named albums.
Ed Sheeran is also known for his collaborations with other popular artists including Taylor Swift, Justin Bieber, Stormzy, and Eminem. He released an entire album of collaborative songs in 2019 entitled “No.6 Collaborations Project” and has even written songs for other artists, including One Direction and Rita Ora.
He undeniably has an incredible career as a musician and songwriter and has revealed his plans to protect this musical legacy, even after his death.
Ed Sheeran’s plans to protect his legacy
Two days before the release of Ed Sheeran’s album ‘Play’ in 2025, an interview with Zane Lowe for Apple Music was published, in which Ed Sheeran discussed the upcoming album.
During this interview, Ed Sheeran revealed not only his plans for the names of his future albums but plans for a posthumous album to release after his death. After his album ‘Play’, he plans to follow a theme (as with his mathematically named albums) and release albums titled ‘Pause’, ‘Fast Forward’, ‘Rewind’, and ‘Stop’. Zane Lowe asked Ed Sheeran if ‘Stop’ would be his last album, to which Ed replied that he has made plans in his Will for an album titled ‘Eject’ to be released after his death.
Ed Sheeran went on to provide some insight into the specifics of this posthumous album and explained that he has included a provision in his Will so that his wife, Cherry Seaborn, will be able to select the songs for the record. Ed Sheeran has specified that his wife will be able to choose ten songs from his entire catalogue of songs (written from the age of eighteen until his death).
Ed Sheeran has requested that his wife chooses what she believes are the best ten songs and noted that he will talk to her during his lifetime and explain which songs he really likes from his catalogue which didn’t make it onto his albums. However, his wife will have the ultimate control.
Why plan to protect your legacy?
In the interview, Ed Sheeran noted that posthumous albums are typically unplanned, so he wanted to ensure that the album was properly executed and his legacy protected.
Ed Sheeran has sensibly made plans for after his death to protect his legacy and ensure that his wishes will be followed. Even if you do not have a legacy as memorable as Ed Sheeran’s, you should be planning for your death to ensure that your wishes are followed, your loved ones are protected and family disputes avoided.
For more information on protecting your legacy, please visit our blog “Ozzy Osbourne’s Will: Lessons in Protecting Your Legacy”.
What happens if you don’t protect your legacy?
Without a Will in place, on your death your estate will not pass in accordance with your wishes, but according to the intestacy rules.
Your estate will be distributed to the first applicable category of the intestacy order of priority.
There are many issues with intestacy, including that if you are not married or in a civil partnership and simply cohabit with your partner, they will currently not receive anything on your death and may need to bring a claim against your estate under the Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependants) Act 1975.
If you are married and have children, your spouse will currently receive a statutory legacy of £322,000 and the remainder of the residuary estate will be divided between your spouse and your children. This may mean that your spouse does not receive sufficient provision from your estate.
Alternatively, if you do not have any family, your estate will pass to the Crown under the rules of Bona Vacantia.
To avoid these issues and retain ultimate control over what happens to your estate on your death, making a Will is crucial.
For more information on what happens without a will, please visit our blog “Liam Payne’s Tragic Death… But What Of His Wishes?”.
Why should you use a solicitor to draft your Will?
It is not just important to make a Will so that your wishes are fulfilled, but you must ensure that it is correctly drafted and executed. If a Will is not properly drafted or executed, then it may not be valid upon your death, and your wishes will not be fulfilled.
The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.
[View Source]