LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Following the recent controversy surrounding Macklemore’s departure from Ed Sheeran’s tour, rumors circulated on social media suggesting that country singer Oliver Anthony has been tapped to step in as the new opening act. This viral claim quickly generated backlash and prompted a closer examination of the facts.
Claim: Oliver Anthony stepping in for Macklemore
🚨ED SHEERAN’S TOUR MANAGER SAYS OLIVER ANTHONY, THE COUNTRY SENSATION WHO LIT UP THE CHARTS WITH HIS BLOCKBUSTER HIT “RICH MEN NORTH OF RICHMOND,” WILL REPLACE “MACKELMORE” AS SHEERAN’S OPENING ACT!
Welcome back, and Follow Julian Assange: https://t.co/yhE1RTbpb2
“Oliver’s… pic.twitter.com/467GFGZ8CK
— John McAfee 🇺🇸 News (@mcafeenew) September 17, 2026
According to the widely shared post on X, Ed Sheeran’s tour manager allegedly announced that Oliver Anthony—best known for his chart-topping hit “Rich Men North of Richmond”—would be taking over Macklemore’s spot on the tour.
The post featured a fabricated quote attributed to the tour manager: “Oliver’s message is about being a common man in a divided country. He doesn’t take sides on politics, which is exactly what Ed is looking for.”
Additionally, the rumor claimed Anthony was slated to perform a 40-minute opening set beginning at Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, Massachusetts, over the weekend. The post drew hundreds of thousands of views, eliciting a mixture of criticism from detractors and excitement from supporters who believed the news was genuine, while others remained skeptical.
Fact Check: No official confirmation exists
The rumor is entirely false. There has been no official confirmation from Sheeran, his management team, or any official representatives regarding Anthony joining the tour.
Given the high-profile nature of Macklemore’s exit, any replacement would have been formally announced by major news outlets and official channels. Furthermore, the quote attributed to Sheeran’s tour manager is completely fabricated, and the originating social media account has a history of sharing unverified and satirical content.
Background on Macklemore’s tour departure
Macklemore was cut from the remaining dates of Sheeran’s stadium tour after several venues reportedly objected to the rapper’s onstage remarks advocating for Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank, alongside calls for a “free Palestine.”
Addressing his removal, Macklemore remarked, “A big part of the reason why I wanted to do this tour in the first place is so I could stand up in stadiums like this and say two words that are very near and dear to my heart: ‘Free Palestine.’”