Ed Sheeran has added a modern twist to traditional album sales with the launch of Play, released on 12 September 2025. Alongside its streaming push, Sheeran introduced a unique piece of merchandise that doubles as a chart-eligible format: the Play Portman Road Commemorative Lanyard.
What are Ed Sheeran’s Play NFC lanyards?
The pink lanyards, created in collaboration with tech startup IYK, first appeared at Sheeran’s three concerts earlier this year at Portman Road, the home of Ipswich Town Football Club. Priced at £12, each lanyard contained an embedded NFC chip that fans could tap with their smartphones to unlock exclusive content.
At launch, the lanyards gave fans access to behind-the-scenes footage from the Ipswich shows. Once Play was officially released, the same lanyards allowed fans to download the full album. Each download counted as a chart-eligible sale, giving Sheeran an innovative way to boost his chart performance while offering fans something physical to collect.
In the era of streaming dominance, Sheeran’s NFC lanyards blur the line between merchandise and music distribution. They provide fans with a tangible keepsake while still counting towards official album sales. For collectors, they are both a limited-edition souvenir and a digital gateway into Sheeran’s world.
“Hold your smartphone against the lanyard, complete the steps and you will unlock exclusive behind-the-scenes content of Ed’s shows. You will also be able to play tracks and download the album in full,” reads the official product description.
This format is also part of a wider movement in music marketing. IYK, the company behind the technology, has worked on similar projects with artists including Disturbed. Their goal is to merge physical collectibles with digital access, creating a new kind of fan experience.
Limited-edition collectible
The Play Portman Road Commemorative Lanyard was available exclusively at Sheeran’s hometown shows and in limited supply online. With demand high and only a small number produced, the lanyard has quickly become a must-have for dedicated fans.
Sheeran’s embrace of NFC merchandise underlines how artists are experimenting with physical-digital hybrids to engage fans and drive chart sales. As the music industry looks beyond CDs and vinyl, items like NFC lanyards, wristbands, and collectible cards could play a bigger role in how fans access and experience music.
