Loose Change (EP)
Loose Change is an independently-released EP by British singer-songwriter Ed Sheeran. The EP was recorded at Surrey's Sticky Studios, and produced by Jake Gosling. Initially released in 2010[3] before Sheeran had received worldwide critical acclaim, the EP has been re-released three times: in 2011;[3] in 2015 as part of Sheeran's release of a collection of five of his previously released EPs (known as 5);[4] and finally in 2016 on colored 12" vinyl.[5] The title "Loose Change" is derived from the second verse of the album's leading track; The A Team.
Loose Change
The EP was the second part of what Sheeran called The Five EP Projects, all of which were funded privately by Sheeran and released independently.[6] The initial release was deemed successful due to the opening track "The A Team" becoming a hit.[7]
When the EP was re-released in 2015 as part of the 5 EP box-set collection, track one was changed from "The A Team" to "Let It Out", the lead single from Sheeran's previous EP. This was because "The A Team" went on to become the lead single from Sheeran's breakthrough album +, and the "Let It Out" EP was not part of 5.[8]
Loose Change reached number 90 on the UK Albums Chart in 2011.[9] In 2017, upon Sheeran's release of two songs from his third album ÷, the album entered the charts in Australia, reaching number 83 on the ARIA Albums Chart.[10]
Two songs from this EP appeared on Sheeran's 2011 debut studio album, +. The first was "The A Team", released as the lead single of the album. The second was the third track from the EP; "Little Bird". This song appeared only on the deluxe edition of the album, as Track 14 (labelled a 'Bonus track').[11] Two songs from the EP were also performed by Sheeran for his live 2011 EP Live at the Bedford. The A Team and Homeless were the opening songs of Sheeran's set for his performance.[12]