Radio Station's Decision to Remove Ed Sheeran's Music

Classic Hits Radio, an Irish radio station, announced on September 17 that it would stop playing Ed Sheeran's music for the foreseeable future. The decision came after listener reaction to Sheeran's support for Palestinians during a performance at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. The station cited listener concerns and the decision to stand with Irish artists who made a significant professional decision based on their own convictions.

Listener Reaction and Support

The decision to remove Sheeran's music from playlists was not a personal judgment on Sheeran, according to Dave Kelly, group program director at Classic Hits Radio's parent company Bay Broadcasting. The station acknowledged that Sheeran had spent days trying to find a way to keep Macklemore on the tour but that the final decision had been made by the promoter.

Ticket Resales and Resale Prices

The backlash also appears to be affecting ticket resales for the remaining dates of Sheeran's tour. Fans seeking to offload tickets have complained about difficulty finding buyers, while resale prices for some upcoming concerts have fallen below face value. TicketData, which tracks resale prices, showed prices for Sheeran's next concert in Philadelphia on September 19 falling 29 percent over the previous week on verified resale platforms including StubHub and SeatGeek.