Ed Sheeran Music Dropped by Irish Radio Station Over Robert Kraft’s Macklemore Tour Removal

Ed Sheeran’s Macklemore controversy has now reached Irish radio. Classic Hits Radio in Ireland has removed Ed Sheeran’s music from its playlist “for the foreseeable future,” saying the decision followed strong listener reaction to the fallout surrounding Macklemore’s removal from Sheeran’s U.S. tour. The station said it will keep the decision under review.

The move adds another unexpected chapter to a dispute that has already seen every remaining support act on Sheeran’s Loop Tour withdraw in solidarity with Macklemore.

Why Classic Hits Radio Dropped Ed Sheeran

Dave Kelly, group program director at Bay Broadcasting, which operates Classic Hits Radio, said the station had carefully considered its decision and stressed that it was not intended as a personal judgment on Ed Sheeran.

Instead, Kelly said the station had listened to its audience and wanted to acknowledge the decisions of Irish artists Aaron Rowe and Beoga, who stepped away from Sheeran’s tour after Macklemore’s removal.

The station said it believed in “peace, humanity and respect” and in artists’ right to express sincerely held views.

Classic Hits Radio said strong listener sentiment, combined with the decisions of Irish artists involved with the tour, led it to conclude that temporarily removing Sheeran’s music was appropriate.

The decision took effect Thursday, September 17.

Macklemore’s “Free Palestine” Speech Sparked the Crisis

The controversy began after Macklemore spoke about Palestine during a September 4 performance at New Jersey’s MetLife Stadium while appearing as a support act for Sheeran.

The rapper expressed support for Palestinians and said “Free Palestine” before performing his song “Hind’s Hall.”

The comments triggered backlash from some pro-Israel groups, including the Israeli-American Council, and objections from some stadium and venue owners.

Macklemore was subsequently removed from the remaining U.S. dates of Sheeran’s tour.

Sheeran has insisted that the decision was not his.

In a lengthy statement, the singer said the tour promoter made the decision after venue owners indicated they would not host shows if Macklemore remained on the bill. Sheeran said he tried to find a solution but ultimately couldn’t change the outcome.

Robert Kraft, owner of the New England Patriots and Gillette Stadium, confirmed that he opposed Macklemore appearing at his venue. Kraft said his concerns extended beyond the recent comments and cited what he described as a broader history of antisemitic rhetoric and imagery.

Every Remaining Support Act Walked Away

The controversy escalated dramatically when all four remaining support acts withdrew from Sheeran’s tour.

Finneas, Lukas Graham, Aaron Rowe and Irish folk group Beoga all announced departures.

Rowe and Beoga were particularly significant because of their Irish connections to the tour. Beoga had also worked with Sheeran for more than a decade as part of his touring setup.

Finneas said artists should not be silenced for speaking about people they believe are oppressed, while other departing artists cited their own concerns about the treatment of Macklemore and the wider humanitarian debate.

The withdrawals transformed what initially appeared to be a dispute involving one support act into a much wider controversy engulfing Sheeran’s touring operation.

Macklemore Pledges $1 Million

Macklemore has continued to defend his position and said he would donate his $1 million (approximately ₹9.5 crore) in net earnings from the tour to organizations supporting Palestinians.

He also challenged Kraft to match the donation.

Robert Kraft later said he had committed $2 million (approximately ₹19 crore) to humanitarian efforts in the region, following Sheeran’s request.

The competing donations have added another dimension to an already heated debate over celebrity activism, artistic expression and the influence of venue owners and promoters.

Ireland’s Reaction Is Adding New Pressure

The Classic Hits Radio decision is especially notable because Sheeran has long emphasized his Irish heritage.

Born in England, Ed Sheeran has Irish family roots and has previously described himself as culturally Irish. His music has repeatedly drawn from Irish influences, including songs such as “Galway Girl” and “Nancy Mulligan.”

Now, the Macklemore controversy has triggered criticism from some Irish artists and public figures, while Rowe and Beoga have publicly distanced themselves from the remaining tour dates.

Classic Hits Radio has stopped short of permanently banning Sheeran’s music. The station says the decision remains under review, leaving open the possibility that his songs could eventually return to rotation.

For now, however, the fallout has moved from concert stages to radio airwaves.

What began with a two-minute speech at a New Jersey stadium has now cost Macklemore his remaining U.S. tour appearances, prompted four support acts to quit, and pushed an Irish radio station to pull one of the world’s biggest pop stars from its playlist.

And the Ed Sheeran-Macklemore controversy shows no sign of disappearing quietly.