Todd Rundgren Doubles Down on Taylor Swift Criticism: ‘She Ruined Music’

Renowned musician Todd Rundgren has once again voiced his strong disapproval of singer Taylor Swift, asserting that she has "ruined music." In a recent interview with Vulture, Rundgren, known for founding the rock bands Nazz and Utopia, singled out Swift as the artist he would "make fun of" in an imaginary 2026 album. "Taylor Swift, of course. There's an argument to be made that she ruined music," Rundgren stated. "It's an understandable phenomenon. It's just that, to me, Taylor Swift is the apotheosis of mediocrity."

Rundgren elaborated on his criticism, attributing the rise of female artists to the decline of music sales due to video games in the 1990s. He mentioned Lady Gaga and P!nk as other artists in a similar vein, but defended Lady Gaga, acknowledging her classical piano training. However, Rundgren dismissed Swift, claiming she is not a skilled singer, songwriter, or dancer, and that she simply "grows hair."

Swift's representative did not immediately comment on Rundgren's remarks. Despite the criticism, Swift remains a prominent figure in the music industry, recently receiving the Songwriters Hall of Fame award, becoming the youngest woman ever to receive the accolade. Her latest album, "The Life of the Showgirl: The Encore," released on Friday, features four new tracks, including "Patient Zero," which starred Dakota Johnson and Colin Farrell in its music video during the 2026 MTV Video Music Awards. Reviewers have given mixed feedback on the new album.