Surprise can feel like a rare thing when it comes to the news. We are guaranteed stories of violence, death and political upheaval every day. I was, however, the slightest bit bemused to find that, upon hearing that Macklemore was removed from Ed Sheeran’s Loop Tour, I was actually on the side of the “Thrift Shop” singer and not his red-headed headliner. Macklemore’s removal came in the wake of his expressing support for Palestine in the ongoing Gaza war, a very polarizing subject to say the least, and it has given me cause to ruminate on the role of the pop star in socio-political issues.
Pop musicians have used their platform for political and social messages since the beginning of popular music as we know it. Perhaps the height of this practice was at the end of the last millennium, with Live Aid, “We Are the World,” “Do They Know It’s Christmas?” and many other charity concerts and singles, raising awareness and money for famine relief in Africa. It is no surprise, then, that in 2026 artists would express their support for the victims of a war. On the surface, it would seem that everyone should agree to end any war, right? Nothing is ever that simple.
Those who come to bat for Israel decry any criticism of the actions of the state as antisemitic hate speech, an attitude which led directly to Macklemore’s being let go. Robert Kraft, owner of Gillette Stadium, as well as other NFL owners, used this argument as the basis for their refusal to host the remaining tour dates should Macklemore remain on the bill. To say that the state of Israel is committing an act of genocide is not an antisemitic statement, it is a fact. To say that what the state of Israel has done to Palestine since 1967 is reprehensible is not hate speech, it is a criticism of a U.S.-backed military power killing thousands of people in another country. This conflation of criticisms of the state for slander against the people it represents does nothing but waste time and shift the focus from where it needs to be: ending conflict, supporting the victims and analyzing the systemic failures and abuses that have led us to this war.
The news stories and Instagram posts that followed Macklemore’s dismissal told me who, between Sheeran and Macklemore, has a spine, and it is not the “Thinking Out Loud” performer. Sheeran played the centrist card, saying that Macklemore’s removal was “the promoter’s decision, not mine” and speaking of “maintaining diplomacy” and “keep[ing] conversations open”. This makes Sheeran look more interested in money than actually standing for something, and much of the pop world agrees. Following Sheeran’s initial statement, his remaining openers, Lukas Graham and Finneas, and his backing band Beoga dropped out of his tour. But this whole snafu has also shown me where, for the most part, the public stands on the Gaza war, and that we have the power to make our voices heard. If that energy could be directed to the establishment, real, actionable change may be on the horizon.
May Cassidy can be contacted at
mcassidy@kscequiox.com
