Ed Sheeran Is Letting Fans Curate His Setlists. You Should Too.
Ed Sheeran is a fan favorite live act no matter which way you slice it.
Last week the Pop chart topping singer-songwriter launched his tour of New Zealand and Australia, and he’s doing so with an interesting experiment. Sheeran is allowing his fans to curate five songs in his setlist each night, using a text prompt to tally the five most popular demands.
That might not sound like much, but he’s opened it up to any song, not just his own; and has vowed to learn any song he doesn’t already know in order to satisfy his fans’ wishes. In an Instagram Story a few days ago he told fans:
“Tomorrow, if you are at the gig, there will be a big thing on the screen before it begins where it will say ‘text in song recommendations’… there’s five slots in the gig where I’ll play any song that you guys decide. So whatever song you wanna hear at the gig, go look at the screen, text it, and it’ll basically tally up the songs and I will play those songs, whatever the song is. I will learn it before the show. So, surprise me and see you tomorrow.”
More importantly, for all of us touring artists and live performers, is this something we should consider doing ourselves?
Short answer: Yes. It’s obviously complicated to set up a text-in system to generate the data needed, and not all of us have the mountain-moving mega fan base that Sheeran has in order to conduct this kind of thing. Not to mention, learning a few new songs every night is easier for a solo artist than a band of course. But, the idea of getting fan buy-in and active creative input in your band’s live performance is always a good idea — and there are a thousand different ways to do it so it feels authentic to your core.
So, the long answer is still: Yes. Here’s why.
1. It Deepens Fan Ownership and Emotional Buy-In
When fans help shape the setlist, they feel like collaborators rather than spectators. Hearing their requested song live creates a personal moment that sticks, turning a concert into a shared experience instead of a one-way performance. That sense of ownership often translates into stronger loyalty long after the show ends.
2. It Creates Real-Time Community
Song requests surface shared favorites and deep cuts that might otherwise stay buried. When the crowd reacts collectively to a fan-picked song, it reinforces the idea that the audience is part of a community with shared history and taste—something especially valuable for indie artists building long-term fan ecosystems.
3. It Generates Organic Engagement and Shareable Moments
Request-driven sets naturally spark social content: screenshots of request polls, fans celebrating when their song gets played, and videos captioned “they played my song.” These moments feel authentic, not promotional, and fans are far more likely to share them than a standard tour announcement.
4. It Gives Artists Valuable Feedback Without the Algorithm
Fan requests reveal what songs truly resonate right now—not just what’s streaming well or favored by playlists. This can help artists rediscover older material, test unreleased songs, or understand regional differences in fan preferences in a way that data dashboards can’t fully capture.
5. It Keeps Live Shows Dynamic and Energizing
For artists playing multiple nights or touring heavily, fan requests help prevent shows from feeling repetitive. That unpredictability can be creatively refreshing, keeping performances sharp and present—something audiences can feel immediately.
6. It Signals Respect for the Audience
Asking for requests subtly communicates: your voice matters here. That mutual respect strengthens the artist–fan relationship and aligns well with the broader shift toward more participatory, fan-centric music culture.
So, how will you get your fans involved in your next live tour?
Ed Sheeran 2026 Tour Dates
JAN 24 — Christchurch, New Zealand @ Apollo Projects Stadium
JAN 25 — Christchurch, New Zealand @ Apollo Projects Stadium
JAN 31 — Burswood, Australia @ Optus Stadium
FEB 01 — Burswood, Australia @ Optus Stadium
FEB 13 — Sydney Olympic Park, Australia @ Accor Stadium
FEB 14 — Sydney Olympic Park, Australia @ Accor Stadium
FEB 15 — Sydney Olympic Park, Australia @ Accor Stadium
FEB 20 — Milton, Australia @ Suncorp Stadium
FEB 21 — Milton, Australia @ Suncorp Stadium
FEB 22 — Milton, Australia @ Suncorp Stadium
FEB 26 — Docklands, Australia @ Marvel Stadium
FEB 27 — Docklands, Australia @ Marvel Stadium
FEB 28 — Docklands, Australia @ Marvel Stadium
MAR 05 — Adelaide, Australia @ Adelaide Oval
MAY 09 — Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic @ Estadio Quisqueya Juan Marichal
MAY 13 — San Juan, Puerto Rico @ Coliseo de Puerto Rico José Miguel Agrelot
MAY 16 — Bogotá, Colombia @ Vive Claro – Distrito Cultural
MAY 20 — Lima, Peru @ Estadio Nacional del Peru
MAY 23 — Quito, Ecuador @ Atahualpa Olympic Stadium
MAY 27 — Guatemala City, Guatemala @ Cementos Progreso Stadium
MAY 30 — San José, Costa Rica @ Costa Rica’s National Stadium
JUN 13 — Glendale, AZ @ State Farm Stadium
JUN 20 — Nashville, TN @ Nissan Stadium
JUN 25 — Milwaukee, WI @ Summerfest
JUN 27 — Chicago, IL @ Soldier Field
JUL 04 — Denver, CO @ Empower Field at Mile High
JUL 18 — Las Vegas, NV @ Allegiant Stadium
JUL 21 — San Diego, CA @ Petco Park
JUL 25 — Santa Clara, CA @ Levi’s Stadium
AUG 01 — Seattle, WA @ Lumen Field Event Center
AUG 08 — Los Angeles, CA @ SoFi Stadium
AUG 15 — Minneapolis, MN @ U.S. Bank Stadium
AUG 20 — Toronto, ON @ Rogers Centre
AUG 21 — Toronto, ON @ Rogers Centre
AUG 22 — Toronto, ON @ Rogers Centre
AUG 29 — Detroit, MI @ Ford Field
SEP 04 — New Jersey, NJ @ MetLife Stadium
SEP 05 — New Jersey, NJ @ MetLife Stadium
SEP 19 — Philadelphia, PA @ Lincoln Financial Field
SEP 25 — Foxborough, MA @ Gillette Stadium
SEP 26 — Foxborough, MA @ Gillette Stadium
OCT 03 — Atlanta, GA @ Mercedes Benz Stadium
OCT 10 — Indianapolis, IN @ Lucas Oil Stadium
OCT 17 — Charlotte, NC @ Bank of America Stadium
OCT 24 — Arlington, TX @ AT&T Stadium
OCT 29 — Hollywood, FL @ Hard Rock Live at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino
OCT 30 — Hollywood, FL @ Hard Rock Live at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino
NOV 07 — Tampa, FL @ Raymond James Stadium
