Ed Sheeran Scrambles for New Opener After Dropping Macklemore From Tour
The pop superstar is down a supporting act after cutting ties with Macklemore over onstage political comments.
By Rae MitchellPublished Updated 1 min read
Ed Sheeran is officially on the hunt for a new live setup after parting ways with his scheduled concert opener, Macklemore. The British pop titan finds himself adjusting his upcoming tour strategy following the sudden exit of the Seattle-born hitmaker from his official concert roster. The high-profile lineup shuffle came after Macklemore faced heavy industry and audience scrutiny for pro-Palestine comments delivered during a recent live music set. In the wake of the surrounding controversy and mounting pressure online, Sheeran reportedly dropped the hitmaking artist from his supporting slot.
Why did Ed Sheeran remove Macklemore from his tour roster Macklemore's quick exit leaves a noticeable gap in Sheeran's overall concert production schedule. The global superstar, who frequently commands giant stadium crowds using only an acoustic guitar and a custom loop station, currently finds himself without scheduled opening acts or additional band support for the tour dates in question. Adding to the online conversation is an ill-timed Guitar Center competition designed to give emerging independent musicians an opportunity to open for massive headliners. Internet commentators quickly jumped on the coincidence, noting how the nationwide talent hunt closely mirrors Sheeran's sudden need for fresh concert support.
Who will open for Ed Sheeran on his upcoming tour dates
The fallout from Macklemore's removal has sparked intense debate across pop culture communities on social media. While some concertgoers defended the choice to alter the lineup in the interest of keeping the tour focused purely on music, others criticized the decision as an unnecessary response to an artist sharing personal viewpoints on stage. Macklemore has remained relatively quiet about his next live moves following the concert cancellation. For now, Sheeran's representatives have not officially named a replacement act to warm up the crowds, leaving fans eager to see who will ultimately land the coveted opening spot on one of the year's biggest pop outings.
The photos · 5
The backstory
Verified moments, in order.
Ed Sheeran: The breakthrough, the stadium years and the copyright battles
From The A Team to record-setting tours, Sheeran builds a career on intimate songs played to enormous crowds. Along the way come marriage and courtroom fights over two defining hits.
The A Team opens the door
Sheeran breaks through with The A Team, a song about addiction and homelessness that reaches No. 3 in the UK. His debut album, +, follows in September and tops the UK albums chart.
Taylor Swift takes him on the road
Sheeran supports Taylor Swift on the North American leg of her Red tour, reaching arena audiences beyond his own fan base. Their duet Everything Has Changed, first released on her 2012 album Red, becomes a single in 2013.
Multiply turns success into staying power
His second album, x, reaches No. 1 in both the UK and the US. It delivers Sing, Don't and Thinking Out Loud—the romantic ballad that later puts his songwriting under scrutiny in court.
Divide dominates the charts
Sheeran releases ÷, led by Shape of You and Castle on the Hill. Shape of You tops the UK and US singles charts, while the album launches a touring cycle that takes his solo stage act through arenas and stadiums.
Marriage becomes public; the tour breaks records
Sheeran confirms that he and Cherry Seaborn are married. In August, his Divide tour finishes after setting the then-records for the highest-grossing and most-attended concert tour.
- 2022-04-06Flashpoint
Shape of You survives a copyright fight
The High Court in London rules that Sheeran and his co-writers did not copy part of Sami Chokri and Ross O'Donoghue's Oh Why when writing Shape of You. The judgment rejects both deliberate and subconscious copying.
- 2023-05-04Flashpoint
A jury clears Thinking Out Loud
A federal jury in New York finds that Thinking Out Loud does not infringe copyright in Marvin Gaye's Let's Get It On. The verdict rejects a claim brought by the family of Ed Townsend, who co-wrote the earlier song with Gaye.
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People also ask
- Why was Macklemore dropped from Ed Sheeran's tour?
- Macklemore was removed from the concert roster following public backlash surrounding pro-Palestine remarks he made during a live performance.
- Who is opening for Ed Sheeran now?
- Ed Sheeran has not officially named a replacement opening act for his tour dates following Macklemore's exit.
- ed sheeran
- macklemore
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