Producer Todd Rundgren Criticizes Taylor Swift: ‘The Apotheosis of Mediocrity’
It isn't the first time he's criticized Swift — he made similar comments on Rick Rubin's Broken Record podcast in 2022.
Veteran producer Todd Rundgren has harshly labeled Taylor Swift as "the apotheosis of mediocrity" in a recent interview with Vulture. The legendary musician suggested the pop star "ruined music" and went on to describe Swift as "not a great singer, not a great songwriter, not a great dancer." Rundgren, known for his work on Meat Loaf's 1977 Bat Out of Hell, initially intended the album partly as a send-up of Bruce Springsteen.
When asked which current artist he would parody on a parody album, Rundgren unequivocally picked Swift, emphasizing his disdain for her musical contributions. He further criticized Swift's singing abilities and lack of songwriting prowess. In contrast, Rundgren praised Lady Gaga, calling her a "real musician" and "classically trained piano player."
Rundgren's unfavorable remarks about Swift are not new; he echoed similar sentiments during an interview on Rick Rubin's Broken Record podcast in 2022. Swift has yet to respond to Rundgren's scathing comments. The Life of a Showgirl, Swift's 2025 album, received mixed reactions upon its release last year. Swift addressed the criticism on Apple Music's The Zane Lowe Show, expressing respect for people's subjective opinions on art. The album debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200, marking Swift's record-breaking 15th No. 1 album.
Written by urgent.news from Billboard's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
