Classic Hits Radio in Ireland has removed British singer Ed Sheeran’s music from its playlist following listener feedback regarding a dispute between Sheeran and rapper Macklemore. The disagreement stems from comments made by Macklemore at a show where he addressed the situation in Gaza and the West Bank, leading several artists supporting Sheeran on his Loop tour to withdraw. Bay Broadcasting’s group program director cited the importance of respecting artist convictions and listener sentiments as reasons for the decision, which remains under review.
Written by the local model on 2026-09-17,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Why this leaning score
The model judged this article politically coded and scored it -0.35, but all 2 of its quote(s) are attributed speech - words the article quotes from someone, not the article's own narration, so the score is not published.
Written under an earlier scoring contract, which gave a paragraph
rather than checkable quotes. Re-analysing this article replaces it.
Leaning score withheld for article 15399: attributed speech only · logged 2026-09-17
All of the current support acts on Sheeran’s Loop tour have dropped out of the remaining dates following the decision, after Macklemore said he wanted people in Gaza and the West Bank to know they had not been forgotten during a show at the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.
asserted
they → drop → Jersey
Classic Hits Radio, which is based in Ireland, said it had made the decision to remove the Galway Girl singer’s music for the “foreseeable future” after feedback over the incident.
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it → base → incident
Dave Kelly, group programme director at Bay Broadcasting, which runs the station,
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which → run → station
said: “Our decision to remove Ed Sheeran’s music from the Classic Hits Radio playlist has been carefully considered.
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decision → say → playlist
“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.
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what → own → convictions
We believe in peace, humanity and respect, and in the right of people and artists to express and act upon their sincerely held views.
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We → believe → views
“In light of the strength of feeling expressed by our listeners and the decisions taken by Irish artists involved in the tour, we believe removing Ed Sheeran’s music from our playlist is the appropriate decision for Classic Hits Radio at this time.”
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removing → express → time
The station said the decision to drop the British singer’s music would remain “under review”.
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decision → say → review
Irish singer Aaron Rowe, Finneas, who is Billie Eilish’s brother, and Danish singer Lukas Graham, as well as Sheeran’s backing band Beoga, all shared messages of support for Macklemore as they pulled out.
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they → share → Macklemore
The rapper has now donated his one million-dollar (£747,328) tour net earnings to charities supporting Palestinian people, and challenged Gillette Stadium owner Robert Kraft, who reportedly called for his removal from the tour, to match his donation.
uncertain
who → donate → donation
He said in a post on Instagram: “With everything that has happened over the last 48 hours, I want to bring the conversation back to where it belongs: to the Palestinian people who are still being killed, still living under military occupation, and still fighting for their freedom.
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who → say → freedom
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“I will be donating the entire one million (dollars) of my net earnings from Ed Sheeran’s Loop Tour to six organisations working directly to support the Palestinian people.”
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I → read → people
Addressing Kraft, he added that “whatever we disagree about, perhaps we can agree on this, Palestinian lives are worth protecting, a Palestinian life is no less valuable than any other life on this earth”.
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life → address → earth
The businessman has since responded saying Sheeran had asked him to match his two million-dollar donation before Macklemore, whose real name is Ben Haggerty, announced his pledge.
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name → respond → pledge
Kraft said in a statement on Instagram: “I have dedicated much of my life to building bridges between all people.
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I → say → people
I believe deeply that all lives are worth protecting.
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lives → believe → ?
“Earlier today, before Macklemore challenged me to match his donation, Ed called me and asked me to commit two million to match his donation to aid in the region to fight this humanitarian crisis.
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Ed → challenge → crisis
“Ed now plans to reach out to other venue owners and our goal is to continue to work together to build bridges.
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goal → plan → bridges
“In addition, I’d like the people who are speaking in support of the Palestinian people to know that for decades, I have supported efforts that create opportunity for Palestinians and have brought young Palestinians and Israelis together to build businesses, create jobs and forge relationships.”
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that → like → relationships
On Tuesday, Sheeran said on social media that Macklemore’s departure from the tour was the promoter’s decision and not his, after a petition was launched to get the Thrift Shop rapper removed.
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rapper → say → tour
He said “upcoming tour dates had communicated that they would pull the shows if he was still supporting”, and added that Kraft, whose Gillette Stadium will host gigs on Oasis’s Live 27 tour, was among them.
Sheeran added: “I am not complicit. I have my personal views on this devastating conflict.”
The Shape Of You singer said he was “appalled by the conflict between Israel and Palestine”, and added he respected Macklemore “as an artist”.
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he → say → artist
In a previous statement shared by Kraft, the businessman said his decision to ban the US rapper following his comments on stage were down to a “broader history of antisemitic rhetoric and imagery that we believe has been deeply offensive and hurtful to the Jewish community”.
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we → share → community
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.
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Graham → schedule → 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.
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show → have → City
The Aporia
