Todd Rundgren Says Taylor Swift “Ruined Music”; Calls Her “Apotheosis of Mediocrity”

# What happened Todd Rundgren gave a wide-ranging interview to Vulture in which he singled out Taylor Swift as a symbol of what he sees as declining standards in mainstream music. His comments, published by Pitchfork, included calling Swift "the apotheosis of mediocrity" and saying there's "an argument to be made that she ruined music."

# Rundgren's specific claims Rundgren listed a set of personal judgments about Swift's abilities: "She doesn't do anything particularly great except grow hair," and that she is "not a great singer. She's not a great songwriter. She's not a great dancer." He tied her success to changes in who was buying music and how the market evolved after the 1990s.

# How he explained the market shift During the same interview Rundgren suggested that boys in the 1990s spent more on video games than music, which he offered as one factor that changed the music market. He said that left the industry looking to young female listeners, who had allowances and became a commercial focus. He returned several times to Swift as an example of the outcome of that shift.

Rundgren's long career, including touring with Ringo Starr and his production work. He referenced his role producing Meat Loaf's 1977 Bat Out of Hell and described that project as intended "as a spoof of Bruce Springsteen." When asked hypothetically who he might target now if he made a similar spoof, his answer was Taylor Swift.

# Audience and cultural notes Rundgren framed Swift as a role model for multiple generations, saying that mothers and daughters attend her shows together. That observation was part of his broader point about her cultural reach rather than an assessment of fan behavior beyond that point.

# Where this appeared and who reported it Pitchfork published a summary of the Vulture interview on Sept. 25, 2026, written by Alex Suskind. The comments were also picked up and republished by other outlets, which ran similar headlines summarizing Rundgren's language and quotes.

# What he didn't do in this interview Rundgren did not offer specific, track-by-track musical critiques of Swift's work in the quoted exchange. The remarks cited are broad characterizations about ability and impact rather than detailed musical analysis.

# Why it matters to readers

# Short takeaway Rundgren used a Vulture interview to make blunt, personal critiques of Taylor Swift's talent and place in music, framing her as emblematic of a market-driven shift toward commercially dominant female artists. His comments were contextualized by references to his own career and past production work.