Skip to content
Bramble

Entertainment

Johnny McDaid praises Ed Sheeran as Macklemore announces sold-out Free Palestine shows

Snow Patrol's Johnny McDaid publicly praised Ed Sheeran's integrity while Sheeran faces criticism over Macklemore's removal from his Loop Tour. Macklemore says his own three Free Palestine shows sold out.

5 outlets · 1L · 2C · 2R First reported Account updated

Updated (version 2). New coverage since the last version from Deadline, Evening Standard, The A.V. Club. Previously: “Snow Patrol's Johnny McDaid praises Ed Sheeran amid Macklemore tour row”.

Image: Daily Mail
Image: Evening Standard
Image: The A.V. Club
Image: Deadline
Image: GB News

1 / 5

The story, neutrally told

Snow Patrol's Johnny McDaid praised Ed Sheeran while accepting the BMI President's Award at the BMI London Awards this week. McDaid called Sheeran his "brother" and said knowing him showed how rare "that combination of genius and integrity" is. US rapper Macklemore was dropped from Sheeran's Loop Tour after pro-Palestinian comments at New Jersey shows.

Stadium owner Robert Kraft accused him of hate speech and barred him from Gillette Stadium; the Evening Standard says Sheeran stated the removal was the promoter's decision, not his. The other support acts and backing band Beoga then left the tour. Paloma Faith, Jordan Stephens and Charlotte Church criticised Sheeran's decision to continue.

At his first show back, in Philadelphia, Sheeran read from an autocue, calling Gaza "catastrophic and unjustifiable and disproportionate", the 7 October attack "horrific", and apologised for bringing politics into the show. Critics accused him of "bowing to the mob". Macklemore announced Free Palestine concerts in Dublin, Paris and London and said all three sold out immediately, with proceeds going to organisations supporting Palestinians.

GB News adds that Boy George and Jeremy Clarkson have defended Sheeran, while the Daily Mail calls McDaid the first fellow pop star to do so.

Every sentence links to the reporting it rests on.

Left1 outlet

No left outlet in our sources has covered this story yet.

Centre2 outlets

Framing
Covers Macklemore's side: his sold-out tour and its charitable aims, with the Sheeran row as background.
Emphasis
Macklemore's quotes, beneficiary organisations, tour dates and supportive reactions.
Leaves out or plays down
Does not mention McDaid's praise or other defenders of Sheeran.
Charged language
“Free Palestine”
For example
“When those in power try to silence our calls for liberation, art will always be a form of resistance.” — Evening Standard

Right2 outlets

Framing
Sympathetic to Sheeran, leading with McDaid's tribute and presenting Sheeran as beleaguered by criticism.
Emphasis
McDaid's quotes, Sheeran's emotional apology, the backlash against him and other defenders.
Leaves out or plays down
Neither mentions Macklemore's sold-out Free Palestine shows or Sheeran's statement that the removal was the promoter's decision.
Charged language
“hounded”“bowing to the mob”“engulfed in the most serious controversy”“axed”
For example
“The singer has been hounded by fellow musicians” — Daily Mail
“Mr McDaid's public endorsement comes at a time when Mr Sheeran is engulfed in the most serious controversy of his career.” — GB News