The artists who pulled out of Ed Sheeran’s tour over Palestine
All supporting acts on Ed Sheeran's US Loop Tour quit after rapper Macklemore was dropped from the tour for making pro-Palestine comments. The withdrawals, by artists including Finneas, Aaron Rowe, Beoga and Lukas Graham, turned a tour lineup change into a public dispute over protest, promoters and Palestine.
Written by Roundtablefrom 2 outlets' reporting
01What happened
Rapper Macklemore, whose real name is Ben Haggerty, made pro-Palestine comments, including saying "Free Palestine", while performing on Ed Sheeran's tour at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey earlier in September 2026. He was subsequently dropped from the remainder of Sheeran's US Loop Tour. Sheeran said he was informed that the decision was based on how Macklemore conveyed part of his message during his performance, rather than on everything that was said, and that he had spoken with venues to try to build a bridge. He also blamed the tour's US promoter. Pressure from Robert Kraft, the billionaire owner of Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts, was cited in connection with Macklemore's removal. After Sheeran's announcement, American singer-songwriter Finneas, Irish singer Aaron Rowe, Irish band Beoga and Danish pop band Lukas Graham announced they would drop out of the tour, which was scheduled to begin on 19 September in Philadelphia. Finneas, Rowe and Beoga cited solidarity with Macklemore, the silencing of pro-Palestine voices, and, for the Irish acts, Ireland's historical experience under occupation. Macklemore pledged his $1 million salary from the tour to Palestine.
The facts every outlet at this table agrees on.
02Every voice
One entry per outlet, in the order they should be read. Each links back to the reporting it was drawn from — check any of it.
Al Jazeera English
Read the original· aljazeera.comHow they framed it
Al Jazeera English frames the event as a wave of artist withdrawals in solidarity with Macklemore over pro-Palestine speech, with attention to Irish artists comparing their country's history under occupation to Israel's occupation of Palestinian territories, and to Sheeran blaming the US promoter.
In their words
All supporting acts on Ed Sheeran's upcoming US Loop Tour have quit in solidarity with rapper Macklemore, who was dropped from the tour for making pro-Palestine comments. Artists including Finneas, Aaron Rowe, Beoga, and Lukas Graham cited the silencing of pro-Palestine voices and, for the Irish acts, their own country's experience under occupation. Sheeran blamed the tour's US promoter for Macklemore's removal, which came partly under pressure from pro-Israel billionaire Robert Kraft.
The Guardian
Read the original· theguardian.comHow they framed it
The Guardian frames the event around Macklemore's pledge of his $1 million tour salary to Palestine, making his financial response the headline development rather than the withdrawals by supporting acts.
In their words
Macklemore has pledged his $1 million salary from Ed Sheeran's tour to Palestine.
03Where they differ
The outlets cover the same underlying dispute but place the emphasis differently. Al Jazeera English focuses on the supporting artists who quit, their stated reasons, Sheeran's explanation and Robert Kraft's alleged pressure; its headline and reporting are about the withdrawals and Palestine. The Guardian's headline and top-line reporting focus on Macklemore's pledge of his $1 million salary to Palestine. The Guardian's supplied item does not report the supporting artists' withdrawals, Sheeran's statement or Kraft, while Al Jazeera English does not mention the $1 million pledge. The central facts about Macklemore's pro-Palestine comments and his removal from the tour are consistent.
Described, not adjudicated. Roundtable does not tell you which account is right.
04Still open
- What exact pro-Palestine comments did Macklemore make during the MetLife Stadium performance, and which comments did Sheeran say the decision was based on?
- What role, if any, did Robert Kraft or other venue owners play in the decision to drop Macklemore?
- Which artists withdrew specifically because of Macklemore's removal, and which cited broader concerns about silencing pro-Palestine voices?
- Was Macklemore reinstated, or did the tour proceed without him and without the supporting acts?
- How will Macklemore's $1 million salary pledge to Palestine be distributed or verified?
