Edward Christopher Sheeran, MBE (born 17 February 1991) is an English singer, songwriter, guitarist, and record producer. Sheeran was born in Halifax, West Yorkshire, and raised in Framlingham, Suffolk. He attended the Academy of Contemporary Music in Guildford as an undergraduate from the age of 18 in 2009. In early 2011, Sheeran independently released the extended play, No. 5 Collaborations Project. After signing with Asylum Records, his debut album, + (read as "plus"), was released in September 2011. It topped the UK and Australian charts, reached number five in the US, and has since been certified seven-times platinum in the UK. The album contains the single "The A Team", which earned him the Ivor Novello Award for Best Song Musically and Lyrically. In 2012, Sheeran won the Brit Awards for Best British Male Solo Artist and British Breakthrough Act. "The A Team" was nominated for Song of the Year at the 2013 Grammy Awards, where he performed the song with Elton John.

Answer this question: when was ed sheeran's first album released? Let's think fast. Stream of consciousness:
The relevant information is: After signing with Asylum Records, his debut album, + (read as "plus"), was released in September 2011. So the final answer is September 2011.