Ed Sheeran Officially Returns to MetLife With a Rare New York Tribute

Published Sep 8, 2026, 5:30 PM EDT

Michael Zimmermann is a video host and interviewer at Collider. In addition to his work on Collider's Behind the Scenes video channel, Michael covers junkets, red carpets and premieres. He also contributes to the music vertical, writing features and lists. As a Jersey Shore local, Michael's hero is Bruce Springsteen — and you can't convince him that Born To Run is a better album than Darkness on the Edge of Town.

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Ed Sheeran, a Suffolk, England, native, has lived in New York for many years of his life. And on Saturday night at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, he showed his admiration and appreciation for The Big Apple by playing “New York,” which has only been played live five other times, according to setlist.fm. The song is about “Me falling in love with the city," Sheeran said, explaining his deep connection with the city that never sleeps.

Throughout the show, Sheeran mentioned a few times how New York has impacted his life and career — being able to go for a walk or coffee without being bothered, his very first show at Mercury Lounge, and why he considers the city his home. But the appreciation isn’t just a one-way feeling. The New York-New Jersey area shares the same adoration for the Grammy-winning singer-songwriter. That’s most evident in MetLife Stadium’s single-concert record for attendance, which belongs to Sheeran from his show on June 11, 2023, reaching 89,106 people. It’s truly special when an artist and a city have a bond that goes beyond words and explanation.

Classic Rock Personality Quiz Who's Your Perfect
Classic Rock Band? A Personality Quiz · 10 Questions Five legendary bands. One perfect match. Answer 10 questions about your personality, attitude, and taste to find out which classic rock icon you truly belong with. Are you raw power, rolling swagger, operatic drama, thunderous riffs, or timeless melody?

⚡AC/DC

👅Rolling Stones

🤘Metallica

👑Queen

🎸The Beatles

Begin Quiz →

01

How do you walk into a room? Choose the answer that feels most like you.

ALike a freight train — loud, fast, and everyone knows I've arrived. BWith a slow, cool swagger — I take my time and own every step. CHead down, focused — I'm here for a purpose and small talk isn't it. DWith total confidence and a flair for the dramatic — all eyes on me. EWarmly and curiously — genuinely excited to see what and who is here.

Next Question →

02

What does your ideal Friday night look like?

ALoud bar, cold beer, cranked jukebox — the louder the better. BA smoky club, good company, and doing whatever feels right in the moment. CIntense concert or staying in with headphones — nothing in between. DSomething theatrical — a show, a dinner party, an experience worth remembering. EHanging with close friends, maybe making music, keeping it relaxed and genuine.

Next Question →

03

What's your philosophy on keeping things simple vs. complex?

ASimple is king. A great riff repeated perfectly beats any amount of cleverness. BKeep it loose and bluesy — the groove matters more than technical perfection. CGo deep and dark — I want layers, tension, and something that hits hard. DWhy not both? Elaborate arrangements and hook-driven anthems can coexist. ECraft every detail — a perfect melody is the result of countless small choices.

Next Question →

04

How would your friends describe your personal style?

ANo-frills, no-nonsense — jeans, a t-shirt, and ready to go. BEffortlessly cool — slightly dishevelled in a way that somehow always works. CDark and deliberate — black is a lifestyle, not just a colour. DBold and expressive — fashion is a form of performance for me. EClean and classic — timeless over trendy, always put-together.

Next Question →

05

How do you want to be remembered?

AAs someone who never let the energy drop — relentless, loud, and alive. BAs someone who lived fully and on my own terms, unapologetically. CAs someone who was brutally honest and made music that meant something real. DAs someone who transcended genres, boundaries, and expectations entirely. EAs someone who changed the world — and left it genuinely better than I found it.

Next Question →

06

What kind of crowd do you want around you?

APeople who are there to have a blast — no pretension, just pure fun and noise. BA mix of rebels and free spirits who don't take themselves too seriously. CA loyal, passionate crew who are all in — intensity over numbers every time. DEveryone — I want to unite people who wouldn't normally be in the same room. EPeople who appreciate craft and feel genuinely connected by the music.

Next Question →

07

If you were writing a song, what would it be about?

AHaving a good time, turning it up, and not overthinking it. BStreet life, desire, and the rawness of being human. CAnger, grief, war, or the darker side of the world — music as a weapon. DSomething epic and emotional — love, loss, triumph, or pure fantasy. ESomething personal and universal at once — a feeling everyone can recognise.

Next Question →

08

What's your secret to staying relevant over time?

ANever change the formula — if it works, it works. Consistency is everything. BStay hungry, stay dangerous, and always keep a bit of that rebellious edge. CEarn respect through dedication — the work and the live show speak for themselves. DReinvent constantly — never let anyone put you in a box or predict your next move. EWrite songs so good they can't be ignored, in any decade, in any context.

Next Question →

09

You're playing to 80,000 people. What does your performance look like?

AA wall of sound and sweat — pure, unfiltered energy from first note to last. BLoose, cool, and dangerous — every song feels like it might fall apart but never does. CBrutal precision — tight, powerful, and leaving no one unmoved. DA full spectacle — lights, costumes, vocal acrobatics, and total theatrical command. EWarm, joyful, and tight — the crowd singing every word back at you.

Next Question →

10

Pick the word that best sums up your relationship with rock music. This is your tiebreaker — choose carefully.

ARaw — stripped back, high-voltage, no frills. BRolling — fluid, dangerous, built on blues and attitude. CHeavy — powerful, honest, uncompromising. DMajestic — theatrical, boundary-defying, unforgettable. ETimeless — melodic, human, built to last forever.

See My Result →

Your Result Your Perfect Band Is Revealed

Based on your personality, energy, and taste, the classic rock band that matches your soul is…

⚡ AC/DC

You are pure, undiluted rock energy. You don't need tricks, trends, or theatrical gimmicks — you have something more powerful: a riff that hits like a thunderbolt and an attitude that never wavers. Like AC/DC, you understand that simplicity executed with absolute conviction is its own form of genius. You're the person in the room who doesn't overthink it, doesn't pretend, and never turns the volume down. The highway to hell is a state of mind — and you've been on it since day one.

👅 The Rolling Stones

You've got swagger that can't be taught. Rooted in the blues and soaked in street-level attitude, you move through life with a loose, dangerous elegance that draws people in without ever trying too hard. Like the Stones, you've seen it all, done most of it, and somehow look better for it. You're not chasing perfection — you're chasing truth, groove, and that electric moment when everything clicks. Can't always get what you want? You tend to get it anyway.

👑 Queen

You are magnificent, and you know it — not from arrogance, but from an unshakeable sense of self that has never needed anyone's permission. Like Queen, you defy every category people try to place you in. You blend the epic with the intimate, the operatic with the anthemic, the serious with the playful. You live boldly, love fiercely, and perform every aspect of your life as though the whole world is watching. Because sometimes it is. We are the champions — and so are you.

🎸 The Beatles

You have the rarest of gifts: the ability to make something that feels both deeply personal and universally human. Like The Beatles, you're a natural connector — someone whose warmth, curiosity, and creative instincts draw people together across every divide. You believe in melody, in craftsmanship, and in the quiet power of a song that says exactly what someone needed to hear. You've changed the people around you just by being who you are. All you need is love — and you give it generously.

↩ Retake Quiz

Ed Sheeran’s ‘Loop Tour’ Setlist

Image via Mark Surridge

The MetLife Stadium crowd was treated to a rotation of stages all night long. Between the main stage and the B stage, Sheeran played a collection of hits and deep cuts. He opened the show, as he has for the entire Loop Tour, with “You Need Me, I Don’t Need You,” in the middle of the crowd on the floor. Sheeran then moved to the main stage and ripped off some of his biggest songs, including “Shivers,” “Castle on the Hill,” and “The A Team.” It was then back to the middle of the stadium on the B stage where Sheeran stripped back the sound for a more intimate atmosphere. “Eyes Closed” is the feature song of the section, a chilling track about the loss of his best friend. The next three songs came from fan requests, texted in prior to the show — “New York,” “Little Bird,” and “Even My Dad Does Sometimes.”

Beoga, the Irish folk band, were welcomed on stage to accompany Sheeran on the next few songs, including “Galway Girl” and “Nancy Mulligan” — both of which were originally recorded with Beoga on the Divide album in 2017. The Celtic influence was felt from all angles, including the green, orange and white lights and fireworks. As you would expect, the 50,000+ fans erupted during “Photograph,” “Thinking Out Loud,” and “Perfect.” But the loudest moment of the night came when Sheeran welcomed a special guest on stage — Brendan B. Brown from Wheatus. Sheeran, Brown and Beoga played the 2001 Wheatus hit “Teenage Dirtbag." It was a combination of millennials rediscovering their youth and younger generations being introduced to the pop-punk era.

Ed Sheeran’s next stop on the Loop Tour will be in Philadelphia on September 19, followed by the remaining United States dates. Stay tuned at Collider for more.