Bad blood? It sounds like it! Hole singer Courtney Love slammed Taylor Swift and Beyoncé in an interview with The Standard that was published on April 12.
“Taylor is not important,” Courtney, 59, told the publication. “She might be a safe space for girls, and she’s probably the Madonna of now, but she’s not interesting as an artist.”
The “Celebrity Skin” singer showed her disdain for the Grammy winner while promoting her upcoming BBC Radio 6 series, Courtney Love’s Women. However, Taylor, 34, wasn’t the only popular artist Courtney mentioned. The mom of one also had some words for Beyoncé’s latest foray into the country music realm.
“Now, every successful woman is cloned, so there is just too much music. They’re all the same. If you play something on Spotify, you get bombarded with a lot of stuff that’s exactly the same,” Courtney explained. “I mean, 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.”
It wasn’t just female musicians Courtney went after in the interview either. She also slammed the former editor and cofounder of Rolling Stone, Jann Wenner, along with the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in general.
“Five old white guys, right, who have apparently never heard of Kate Bush. I mean, really?” Courtney ranted. “Jann Wenner should be put out to pasture. The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame is a joke.”
Dave Benett / Getty Images
Courtney’s words likely don’t come as a shock, as she’s never held back when it comes to controversial opinions. She started gaining notoriety during her time in the band Hole in the late ‘80s, but Courtney became a household name due to her high-profile marriage to Nirvana lead singer Kurt Cobain. The couple married in 1992 and remained together until his death in 1994.
From setting her apartment on fire to accusing the Muppets of “raping the memory of Kurt Cobain” by singing “Smells Like Teen Spirit” in the 2011 film The Muppets, the San Francisco native has been known for polarizing audiences with her statements and actions.
“People used to say that I was so difficult,” the “Miss World” rocker admitted. “They said I was disagreeable. Yes, I am completely disagreeable and I’m never going to apologize for that. I always wanted to be known as a bitch. Being liked was never my thing. Kurt wanted to be liked but not me. He was able to hide behind me, but then I got hated.”
However, Swifties were nonplussed to hear any criticism about their lord and savior, Taylor.
“Courtney Love is only ‘interesting’ and ‘important’ because she was married to someone interesting and important. How classless,” wrote one fan on X, while another added, “Dear @BBC6Music, nobody believes Courtney Love was a musical icon.”
Additionally, another Taylor fan pointed out that just three years ago, Courtney posted a birthday tribute on social media for the “All Too Well” singer in December 2021.