American rock musician and producer Todd Rundgren has harshly criticized pop star Taylor Swift, describing her as the “epitome of mediocrity“ and said that in his opinion it can be argued that she has “ruined music“.
78-year-old Todd Rundgren, known for songs such as “I Saw the Light“, “Can We Still Be Friends“ and “Bang the Drum All Day“, made the comments in an interview with Vulture.
“Taylor Swift doesn't do anything particularly well. "She's not a great singer, she's not a great songwriter, she's not a great dancer," the musician said.
However, Rundgren acknowledges the enormous cultural influence of 36-year-old Taylor Swift and defines her as a role model for several generations of women. According to him, today her concerts are attended by both young fans and mothers with their daughters.
„To me, Taylor Swift is the embodiment of mediocrity“, the American producer added.
Todd Rundgren criticizes Taylor Swift saying she "ruined music" and is the "apotheosis of mediocrity”:
“Lady Gaga, she's a real musician. She's a classically trained piano player. Taylor Swift doesn't do anything particularly great except grow hair. She's not a great singer.… pic.twitter.com/xDqv4SHL5s
Todd Rundgren Praises Lady Gaga
In contrast to his assessment of Taylor Swift, Todd Rundgren spoke positively about singer Lady Gaga, whom he described as a “real musician“ and emphasized her skills as a pianist.
According to the rock artist, the rise of women in modern pop music is also related to changes in the entertainment industry since the 1990s. Todd Rundgren claims that a portion of the young male audience has gradually shifted their spending from music to video games, which has encouraged record labels to pay more attention to young women as consumers.
He cited Lady Gaga, Taylor Swift and P!nk as part of the generation of female artists who have become major figures in the global pop scene.
Todd Rundgren has a more than five-decade career not only as a performer but also as a producer. He worked on the debut album of the New York Dolls and produced the iconic “Bat Out of Hell“ by rock singer Meat Loaf.
His sharp comments come at a time of continued great commercial success for Taylor Swift. The American singer remains among the most recognizable and influential performers in the global music industry, despite the polar assessments that her work and immense popularity continue to provoke.