# U2 weigh in on Ed Sheeran/Macklemore controversy – and recall sounding ‘too Irish’ for Dolly Parton

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/u2-weigh-in-on-ed-sheeran-macklemore-controversy-and-recall-sounding-too-irish-for-dolly-parton/
- Published: 2026-11-10T11:59:11+00:00
- Updated: 2026-11-10T12:26:15+00:00
- Original publisher: Louder
- Original article: https://www.loudersound.com/news/u2-weigh-in-macklemore-ed-sheeran-tour-controversy-israel-palestine-2026

## Key points

- U2 defend Macklemore’s right to speak onstage.
- The Edge says Sheeran was in a difficult position.
- “Torn” is described as Dolly Parton’s final recording.

## Summary

U2 have defended Macklemore’s right to make pro-Palestine statements onstage after he was removed from Ed Sheeran’s US stadium tour, while also saying Sheeran should not be blamed for the decision. The band say the dispute is fundamentally about artists’ freedom to speak, and The Edge compared it with U2’s own politically charged performance in Chile in 1998.

The other support acts and Sheeran’s backing band left the tour in solidarity with Macklemore after venue owners objected to his speeches. U2 also discussed their collaboration with Dolly Parton on “Torn”: Bono recalled that she once found one of their songs “too Irish”, and later invited them to develop her song. Parton’s vocals on “Torn” were recorded three months before her death at 80; the article describes it as her final recording.

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Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.