Ed Sheeran says promoter, not him, dropped Macklemore from US tour

Sheeran stated on Instagram that venue owners for upcoming U.S. tour dates warned they would pull the shows if Macklemore was included in the lineup. Sheeran also noted that while he respected Macklemore's "strength of purpose to stand up and shout for what he believes," Sheeran's own approach is to avoid using his "professional platform for politics."

Macklemore has a history of pro-Palestinian activism and criticism of Israel's actions in Gaza and the West Bank. In 2024, he released "Hind's Hall," a protest song dedicated to a Palestinian child killed in Gaza. He also previously apologized for a 2014 costume that critics deemed antisemitic.

On Monday, Macklemore denied that his concert comments were antisemitic, asserting that conflating criticism of Israel's actions with antisemitism serves to shield Israel from accountability. Macklemore received support from pro-Palestinian advocacy groups and politicians, while pro-Israeli groups and singer Pink criticized his remarks, citing safety concerns for Jewish and pro-Israeli attendees.