Todd Rundgren Calls Taylor Swift 'Apotheosis of Mediocrity,' Claims She 'Ruined Music'

Veteran rock musician Todd Rundgren has sharply criticized Taylor Swift, labeling her the "apotheosis of mediocrity" and asserting that she has "ruined music." Rundgren, known for hits like "I Saw the Light" and for his production work on albums such as the New York Dolls' debut and Meat Loaf's "Bat Out of Hell," made his remarks in a recent interview.

Rundgren, 78, differentiated Swift from Lady Gaga, whom he praised as a "real musician" and a "classically trained piano player." According to Rundgren, Swift "doesn’t do anything particularly great except grow hair." He further stated, "She’s not a great singer. She’s not a great songwriter. She’s not a great dancer."

He suggested that Swift's success, and that of other contemporary female artists, is a phenomenon tied to shifts in music consumption patterns. Rundgren posited that as boys began spending their money on video games in the 1990s, the music industry pivoted to target young girls with artists like Swift, Lady Gaga, and P!nk. "So you got Lady Gaga, Taylor Swift, P!nk, and many artists of that ilk," he said.

Rundgren's comments come as Swift continues to achieve significant career milestones. She recently earned three MTV Video Music Awards, bringing her total to a record 33, surpassing Beyoncé's previous record of 30. Swift also received the inaugural Artist Director Award.

Among her VMA wins was Video of the Year for "The Fate of Ophelia." In her acceptance speech, she dedicated the award to the late Dolly Parton. Swift also debuted a new music video for her single "Patient Zero," a track from the deluxe edition of her latest album, "The Life of a Showgirl: The Encore." The new tracks released as part of the deluxe edition earned Swift the most single-day Spotify streams of any female artist this year.