Everyone’s a critic these days. Pet Shop Boys frontman Neil Tennant is throwing shade at Taylor Swift. He wants everyone to know that he doesn’t see the fuss when it comes to Swift and her music.
Swift just launched The Tortured Poets Department, a new album a couple of years in the making. Swift announced the album earlier at The Grammys. However, Tennant believes Swift is undeserving of her recognition. He compared her to another big name in music — Michael Jackson.
He argued that Swift lacked a catalog like the late King of Pop. Tennant voiced his criticisms during a livestreamed conversation with the Guardian earlier this week.
“Taylor Swift sort of fascinates me as a phenomenon because she’s so popular, and I sort of quite like the whole thing, but then when I listen to the records … for a phenomenon as big [as she is], where are the famous songs? What’s Taylor Swift’s ‘Billie Jean’?” he asked.
Music critic Alexis Petridis came to the star’s defense. They named one of Swift’s biggest hits “Shake It Off” as proof of her talent. However, Tennant argued that the song didn’t come close to the same iconic status.
Neil Tennant Calls Taylor Swift Out
He said, “I listened to that the other day, and it’s not ‘Billie Jean.’” However, he did say that he thinks that Swift has talent and a “great voice.” He just thinks that her talent is being let down by her material.
“I like the fact that it brings all these people together, even multigenerational, but I think the one disappointing thing is the music — not the lyrics, the music,” he said.
Previously, Swift opened up about how she deals with both hate and criticism. She said she often tries to take a diplomatic stance but will defend herself when necessary.
“I’m still someone who is the first to apologize when I’m wrong,” Swift said via Business Standard.”But I think I’m better at standing up for myself when I’ve been wronged. So, that’s something that I think also comes with growing up.”
She said that she’s been wronged before and learned to move past it. “People go on and on about how you have to forgive and forget to move past something. No, you don’t. You don’t have to forgive and you don’t have to forget to move on — You can move on without any of those things happening. You just become indifferent and then you move on,” she said.