Industry

Todd Rundgren Criticizes Taylor Swift, Calling Her “Apotheosis of Mediocrity”

Musician Todd Rundgren, known for hits like “Hello It’s Me,” recently criticized Taylor Swift, stating she "ruined music" and is "the apotheosis of mediocrity."

Variety Music·Sep 29, 2026·via Variety Music

Todd Rundgren Criticizes Taylor Swift, Calling Her “Apotheosis of Mediocrity”

- Home - Music - News

Sep 28, 2026 7:04pm PT

Todd Rundgren Slams Taylor Swift, Says She ‘Ruined Music’ and Is ‘the Apotheosis of Mediocrity’

By Payton Turkeltaub

Plus Icon

Payton Turkeltaub

Latest

- Rob Lowe Says ‘St. Elmo’s Fire’ Sequel Is Still ‘In the Works,’ Confirms There’s a Script: ‘All of Us Actors Want to Do It’ 2 hours ago

- Former ‘South Park’ Writer Launches Site to Expose Information About Cornell University Sexual Assault Case: ‘There Will Be Accountability’ 3 hours ago

- ‘Elsinore’ Trailer: Andrew Scott Plays AIDS-Afflicted ‘Hamlet’ Actor Ian Charleson in Heartbreaking Biographical Drama 11 hours ago

See All

- - - - - -

- - - - - - -

Todd Rundgren , the singer-songwriter and producer behind hits like “Hello It’s Me” and “I Saw the Light,” recently slammed Taylor Swift , calling the pop star “the apotheosis of mediocrity” and claiming that she “ruined music.”

“To me, Taylor Swift is the apotheosis of mediocrity,” Rundgren said in an interview with Vulture . “It’s the era of the female artists.”

Rundgren got on the topic of Swift when asked who his target would be if he were to produce an album to make fun of an artist today. (He produced “Bat Out of Hell” by Meat Loaf in 1977 and famously said he didn’t care if it succeeded or not because he wanted to make fun of Bruce Springsteen.) “Taylor Swift, of course,” he responded. “There’s an argument to be made that she ruined music. It’s an understandable phenomenon.”

Popular on Variety

Comments

Loading comments…