Todd Rundgren has criticised Taylor Swift in a Vulture interview, calling her the “apotheosis of mediocrity” and arguing that she has “ruined music”. He said she is not an especially strong singer, songwriter or dancer, while attributing the prominence of female pop stars partly to boys shifting their spending from music to video games in the 1990s. His comments matter because Swift is one of the world’s biggest artists and Rundgren is a veteran musician known for outspoken opinions.

Rundgren also praised Lady Gaga’s musicianship and criticised Paul McCartney, claiming that McCartney is overly concerned about remaining famous. The article notes that Rundgren, 78, has previously made controversial comments about the music industry, including refusing to attend his Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction. It also mentions that Swift released four new songs on the same day, though the article’s writer offered a personal, largely negative assessment of one track.