What can the industry learn from the Sheeran/Macklemore fallout?
IQ spoke with several legal and insurance experts about how tours can protect themselves in fallouts with venues over onstage speech
News By Hanna Ellington | 23 September 2026
The fallout around Macklemore’s removal from Ed Sheeran’s US stadium tour has prompted complex questions around artistic freedom and the power large venues can wield over tours, with experts warning that artists may need to start building speech protection into their contracts.
IQ has spoken to a range of industry experts to assess what issues have been raised for the industry.
Earlier this month, Macklemore’s departure from Ed Sheeran’s Loop Tour over pro-Palestine statements made on stage resulted…