Irish Radio Station Pulls Ed Sheeran Songs as 4 Acts Quit Tour Over Macklemore Row
Updated
Updated · Fox News · Sep 17
Irish Radio Station Pulls Ed Sheeran Songs as 4 Acts Quit Tour Over Macklemore Row
3 articles · Updated · Fox News · Sep 17
Summary
Classic Hits Radio in Ireland said Thursday it will stop playing Ed Sheeran’s music for the “foreseeable future,” citing strong listener reaction and solidarity with Irish artists who left his U.S. tour.
Bay Broadcasting said the move was not a personal judgment on Sheeran, but followed the fallout from Macklemore’s removal after the rapper performed “Hind’s Hall” and repeated “Free Palestine” messages at Sept. 4-5 New Jersey shows.
Four support acts — Aaron Rowe, Beoga, Lukas Graham and Finneas — have already quit the tour, widening the backlash beyond Macklemore’s exit.
Sept. 19 protests are now planned outside Sheeran’s Philadelphia concert, with pro-Palestine groups accusing him of hiding behind neutrality.
Sheeran says venues and promoters, not he, forced the change by threatening to cancel shows if Macklemore remained on the bill.