Todd Rundgren claims Taylor Swift ‘ruined’ the industry but hails Lady Gaga as a ‘real musician’

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Musician Todd Rundgren has taken a hit at none other than Taylor Swift. He claimed that she has “ruined” music and described the 'Anti-Hero' singer as the “apotheosis of mediocrity.”

He even criticized her appearance, saying Swift “doesn’t do anything particularly great except grow hair.”

During an interview with Vulture, the veteran singer shared his opinion when he was asked which contemporary artists he would target if he were asked to make an album intended as a parody.

He also compared Swift with 'Bad Romance' singer Lady Gaga.

Todd Rundgren criticizes Taylor Swift, praises Lady Gaga

The veteran songwriter’s comments referenced Meat Loaf’s 1977 blockbuster 'Bat Out of Hell', which he previously described as a spoof of Bruce Springsteen.

The host asked Rundgren who he would choose if the same project were made in 2026.

Rundgren, without any hesitation, replied, “Taylor Swift, of course. There’s an argument to be made that she ruined music.” “It’s an understandable phenomenon,” he continued. “It’s just that, to me, Taylor Swift is the apotheosis of mediocrity.”

He didn’t stop there and made another statement that could turn heads. “It’s the era of the female artists,” he said. “The biggest artists in the world are female artists at this point, and that’s because of video games.”

“Back in the ’90s, boys stopped spending money on music and started spending it on video games, and that left the music market with, ‘Well, where do we go here?’ And they said, ‘Well, there’s all these young girls and they’ve got their allowances, too. Why don’t we start making music for young girls instead of Pearl Jam or something like that?’” he added.

He then mentioned Lady Gaga and Pink but went on to praise Gaga for her musical abilities, calling her a “real musician” and a “classically trained piano player.” 

Returning to Swift, Rundgren said: “Taylor Swift doesn’t do anything particularly great except grow hair. She’s not a great singer. She’s not a great songwriter. She’s not a great dancer.”

Taylor Swift’s new track sparks mixed reactions

Swift released the 'Cleveland' track on September 15 as part of her deluxe album, 'The Life of a Showgirl: The Encore'.

The lyric video featured romantic, laid-back, and soothing footage of the husband and wife driving to Kelce’s hometown of Cleveland, Ohio.

She begins the song, “She’s not as hot as she was, but she was only a four. She was never a girls’ girl; she was just a... And with all of that money, why’s she dressed like trash?”

However, the song has received mixed reactions, with some critics questioning the lyrics and social media users also weighing in on the track.