Ed Sheeran's new album not "defined" by Bad Habits sound: "We have some absolute monsters to come"

Ed Sheeran's new album, expected out later this year, will not be "defined" by the sound of comeback single Bad Habits. 

The significantly more dance-orientated track, taking inspiration from acts such as Eurythmics and The Weeknd, became the Suffolk singer-songwriter's record-breaking 10th Number 1 single on the Official Singles Chart last week - but it would apparently be wrong to suggest an entire new record from the artist would go in the same sonic direction. 

In an interview with Music Week, Atlantic Records managing director Damian Christian confirmed that Ed's fifth album is due to drop in 2021, and he has a lot more material up his sleeve.

"The album will come later in the year," Christian said. "[Bad Habits] doesn't define the whole Ed record, they don’t all go down this route.

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"We have got some absolute monsters to come, we can't wait to get cracking on those as well.”

Shifting a mammoth 92,000 chart sales in its first week alone - including 8.7 million streams - Bad Habits saw Ed join the ranks of Calvin Harris and Eminiem, both of whom have also racked up 10 chart-topping singles.

As it stands, only Take That (12), Madonna (13), Cliff Richard and Westlife (14), The Beatles (17) and Elvis (21) have more.

If that's not enough, the track is also set to stay atop the Official Singles Chart for a second week, currently outselling the rest of the Top 10 combined.