Ed Sheeran Drops “Drive” for F1: The Album With Rock Icons Backing Him

Ed Sheeran has officially released "Drive," an intense new single that appears within F1: The Album, ahead of the upcoming unveiling of F1: The Movie. It is an important release for Sheeran because this single represents a side of him that not many have witnessed before - he is tapping a more dynamic rock edge from his previous work. Built from Sheeran's collaborations with music legends, including guitarist John Mayer and Foo Fighters drummer Dave Grohl, "Drive" comes with a raw energy that matches the high-speed adrenaline factor of an F1 race. Produced by Mayer and Blake Slatkin, "Drive" is currently featured on all major streaming services and is already attracting interest for its movie-evoking energy. Unlike Sheeran's more acoustic styling, this single is an almost full band, aided by the skills of bassist Pino Palladino and keyboardist Rami Jaffee.

Behind the Scenes: Spontaneity in the Studio

It is worth noting that when Sheeran reflected on the creative process for "Drive," the writing was almost instantaneous! After he viewed some very early footage of F1: The Movie, the track was almost like lightning struck and they fell out of them in the studio! Mayer even kicked it off in the studio by using an octave pedal to start the core riff in the song, and they did not have any issues with the rawness of the sound, which came out as pure pleasure. Slatkin layered the keyboard sounds and drum programming for melody to create an explosive track. Sheeran had done a lot of collaborations in the past, but the association of Mayer, Slatkin, and himself felt more like these guys were a rock supergroup rather than just a pop feature. What Ed Sheeran seemed so fulfilled by was just working within the cinematic world, as he explained he felt "starstruck" anytime he worked on projects for the film, not just because of the artists, but because he was very interested in the storytelling aspect of music in film.

A Star-Studded Soundtrack Fuels F1 Momentum

Despite Sheeran being the only artist building the hype machine for F1: The Album, it's expected that the project will be released as planned via Atlantic Records on June 27, 2023, and will be as action-packed as the film itself. Aside from Sheeran's song "Drive," the album also features the re-energizing song "Lose My Mind" by Don Toliver and Doja Cat, which is expected to be a major highlight.

In addition, the soundtrack also includes contributions from several major artists from around the world, including:

1. Rosé
2. Chris Stapleton
3. Myke Towers
4. Roddy Rich
5. RAYE
6. Burna Boy
7. Tate McRae

The wealth of talent reflects the international flavor of Formula 1 racing and adds a richness of texture to the project. No matter their genre of music, each artist created a unique version for the album, but all had a common theme of adrenaline, speed, risk, and performance. Grammy-winning project overseer Kevin Weaver and his Atlantic Records team (Brandon Davis and Joseph Khoury) executed a soundtrack that not only feels like a soundtrack but is a bit of an extension of the story of the film itself.