Courtney Love Thinks Taylor Swift Is "Not Important" Or "Interesting"

There are many celebrities who aren’t afraid to voice their opinions, even when they can be controversial. That circle wouldn’t be complete without Courtney Love, who’s known for her divisive criticism of other artists and the music industry. Now, four decades into her career, she’s leaning into that reputation more than ever. In a recent interview with The Standard, Love revealed she isn’t a fan of several pop music titans, including Taylor Swift.

“Taylor is not important,” Love told the U.K. publication on April 12. “She might be a safe space for girls, and she’s probably the Madonna of now, but she’s not interesting as an artist.”

Love’s new remarks are unexpected, considering she previously called Swift an “aspirational huge role model for many young women” in a Facebook post for her birthday in December 2021. The former Hole frontwoman didn’t share what changed her once positive perspective of Swift’s career; instead, she went on to list other female artists she isn’t fond of.

The “Doll Parts” singer circled back to Madonna, whom she’s had a feud with since their awkward interaction at the 1995 MTV Video Music Awards. “I don’t like her and she doesn’t like me,” she said, later giving a backhanded compliment for one of her movie roles. “I loved Desperately Seeking Susan, but for the city of New York as much as her.”

Love’s abrasive honesty didn’t stop there. She also had choice words for Lana Del Rey, an artist she previously toured with in 2015. She revealed she hasn’t liked Del Rey since she covered John Denver’s folk ballad, “Take Me Home Country Roads,” on her latest Did You Know There’s a Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd album. (Maybe its title was too much of a mouthful for her.)

“I think she should really take seven years off,” Love said of Del Rey. “Up until ‘Take Me Home Country Roads,’ I thought she was great. When I was recording my new album, I had to stop listening to her as she was influencing me too much.”

She then aired her grievances about Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter album, which has been on the receiving end of polarizing online discussions since late March. Love began her criticism by stating that “every successful woman is being cloned,” which leads to more inauthentic music releases that all “sound exactly the same.” However, despite Beyoncé venturing into a sound she’s barely touched in her discography, Love still isn’t a fan of her artistry.

“I like the idea of Beyoncé doing a country record because it’s about Black women going into spaces where previously only white women have been allowed — not that I like it much. As a concept, I love it. I just don’t like her music,” Love said.

There’s some light at the end of Love’s musical tunnel, though — no pun intended. In the interview, Love revealed she does has a soft spot for a few female artists, including Patti Smith, Billie Holiday, Nina Simone, and Blondie’s Debbie Harry. However, that might be the extent of singers she’ll consistently praise.