Courtney Love Says Taylor Swift Is "Not Important"

"She might be a safe space for girls, and she’s probably the Madonna of now, but she’s not interesting as an artist"

Photo: Taylor Swift by Paolo Villanueva (right), Courtney Love by Andrea Fleming (left)

BY Megan LaPierrePublished Apr 15, 2024

Courtney Love may be our foremost crusader for more women in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, but it seems like there are a few for whom she'd take exception to reforming the institution's long history of exclusion.

In a new interview with The Standard promoting her BBC Radio series celebrating women in music (because of course), Love declared that Taylor Swift is "not important." (Who's Taylor Swift anyway? Ew.) 

The Hole frontwoman went on to explain that while the pop star "might be a safe space for girls" and is "probably the Madonna of now," Swift is "not interesting as an artist." That being said, she wasn't the only woman in music that Love doesn't exactly have her namesake for — while she loves the concept of Beyoncé's COWBOY CARTER, she doesn't like her music. Love is even tiring of her beloved true musical genius Lana Del Rey, adding, "I haven't liked Lana since she covered a John Denver song, and I think she should really take seven years off." And we all know how she feels about Olivia Rodrigo.

For the sake of balance, though, Love did sing the praises of Patti Smith (whom she listened to in juvenile hall at the age of 11), Nina Simone, PJ Harvey ("The first four albums, then I'm done"), Julie London and Joni Mitchell.

Love is hoping her radio show, aptly titled Courtney Love's Women, will "redeem some of the women who have been treated so badly by the record industry." She explained, "Women are still marginalized in this industry, even though they're more successful."

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