Radio station drops Ed Sheeran music after listener feedback on Macklemore row

An Irish radio broadcaster has pulled all music by Ed Sheeran from its playlists following a fierce listener backlash tied to the sudden removal of American rapper Macklemore from the British singer's ongoing tour.

The controversy ignited after Macklemore, whose real name is Ben Haggerty, used a performance at the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey to declare that people in Gaza and the West Bank deserved to know they had not been forgotten. That stage appearance triggered an online petition demanding the rapper's expulsion from the concert series. On Monday, Macklemore informed his social media followers that he had been dropped from the remainder of the itinerary.

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Radio station drops Ed Sheeran music after listener feedback on Macklemore row

According to reporting from East Renfrewshire News, Classic Hits Radio, an independent Irish-owned station operated by Bay Broadcasting, confirmed that Thursday marked the beginning of the ban on the Shape Of You singer's tracks. Dave Kelly, group programme director at Bay Broadcasting, explained the reasoning behind the playlist restriction.

"Our decision to remove Ed Sheeran’s music from the Classic Hits Radio playlist has been carefully considered. It is not intended as a personal judgment on Ed Sheeran, and we acknowledge his own explanation of the circumstances surrounding recent events. As an independent Irish-owned radio station, however, we believe it is important to listen to our audience and to stand alongside Irish artists who have made what is undoubtedly a significant professional decision based on their own convictions."

Dave Kelly, Group Programme Director at Bay Broadcasting, via East Renfrewshire News

Kelly added that the station believes in peace, humanity, and respect, and that the programming alteration will remain under active review while they continue to monitor audience sentiment and broader developments. The reaction from listeners highlights the deep local resonance of decisions made by home-grown talent, particularly as Irish artists such as Aaron Rowe and the band Beoga stepped away from the tour in solidarity.

The tour's support lineup suffered successive withdrawals. Alongside Rowe and Beoga, Billie Eilish’s brother Finneas and Danish singer Lukas Graham pulled out of the remaining dates. Sheeran himself addressed the turmoil, stating via social media that Macklemore's dismissal was orchestrated by promoters rather than himself. He noted that certain venues communicated they would cancel upcoming shows if the rapper remained on the bill.

Gillette Stadium owner Robert Kraft was reportedly among those who called for the removal, citing what he described as a broader history of antisemitic rhetoric and imagery. Sheeran defended his own position, stating that he is not complicit and that he feels appalled by the conflict between Israel and Palestine while maintaining respect for Macklemore as an artist.

Financial and philanthropic pledges have since accompanied the diplomatic fallout. Macklemore announced on Instagram that he is donating his net earnings from the tour to six organizations directly supporting Palestinian people. He also challenged Kraft to match the funds.

Kraft responded to the challenge by stating that Sheeran had actually called him beforehand to ask for a joint commitment to aid the humanitarian crisis. Kraft's statement emphasized his long-standing efforts to build bridges between communities and foster business and personal relationships between young Palestinians and Israelis.

Tour operations continue as the remaining schedule unfolds. Sheeran's next performance is scheduled for September 19 at the Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, where Graham and Rowe had been due to open for him. He has 17 dates still left on the tour across North and South America, with the final show scheduled for December 11 in Mexico City.