Ed Sheeran Says Dropping Macklemore From the Loop Tour "Wasn't My Decision"

Ed Sheeran is setting the record straight about Macklemore’s removal from the U.S. leg of the Loop Tour. In a statement posted to Instagram, Sheeran said the decision came from venues and promoter Messina Touring Group, not from him. According to Sheeran, venues made it clear they would pull shows if Macklemore continued sharing his message on stage, leaving the promoter to make the final call.

The situation escalated after Macklemore called for a free Palestine during opening sets in New Jersey, which drew backlash and a petition from the Israeli-American Council. Macklemore later named Robert Kraft, owner of Gillette Stadium, as a driving force behind the ultimatum. Even so, Macklemore said he still considers Sheeran a brother, while criticizing his neutral approach and saying there is no neutral position between the oppressor and the oppressed. Sheeran responded that he spent the week trying to build bridges and find a solution, and was ultimately unable to do so.

The whole thing raises a question plenty of folks wrestle with outside of music too: when your name is on the line, how much say do you really get? Artists balance personal beliefs against business pressures every day, and this story shows how fast that balance can tip. Where do you land on it — should the headliner have final say over who shares the stage?