Ed Sheeran’s No-Phone Life Since 2015 Inspired His New Song “Old Phone”

During a recent Tonight Show appearance, Ed Sheeran revealed a startling revelation: The Grammy-winning artist hasn’t used a cellphone since 2015. This decade-long digital detox inspired his heartfelt new single, “Old Phone.”

Sheeran explained how the copyright lawsuit over his hit “Thinking Out Loud” prompted this lifestyle change. When the court required his devices as evidence in 2015, he abandoned his phone completely. After winning the case in 2023, the singer stuck with tablet-only communication rather than returning to smartphone use.

“I switched it off in 2015 and left it in a box,” Sheeran told Jimmy Fallon. The moment he finally reactivated his old device brought an emotional avalanche. The first text came from a deceased friend. Subsequent messages revealed an old lover’s quarrel, a decade-old family estrangement, and another departed friend’s final words.

.@edsheeran performs a brand-new, unreleased song, "Old Phone", about the experience of finding his phone from 2015. #FallonTonight pic.twitter.com/LitVdJSx3W

— The Tonight Show (@FallonTonight) March 27, 2025

These raw experiences shaped “Old Phone,” a track that weaves together nostalgia, loss, and everyday digital frustrations with Sheeran’s signature authenticity.

The singer has extended this personal journey into a unique fan experience. His “Old Phone” pop-up pub in Ipswich, Massachusetts, invites guests to share meaningful old messages from their devices. The establishment projects these digital memories on its walls while serving Guinness and tater tots during its two-day run (March 28-29).

Read: Ed Sheeran Shares Hilarious Maritime Tale with Benny Blanco

Sheeran’s story raises compelling questions about our digital attachments. In our hyper-connected world, could you imagine eight phone-free years? The emotional clarity behind “Old Phone” suggests we might all benefit from occasional digital distance.