The Pet Shop Boys’ vocalist has sparked outrage after slamming Taylor Swift’s music following the release of her new album.
The 34-year-old singer has been the talk of the town after dropping her double album titled The Tortured Poets Department on April 19.
Swift introduced the project, which features a whopping 31 songs, in a heartfelt message on her social media, writing: "It’s a 2AM surprise: The Tortured Poets Department is a secret DOUBLE album."
"I’d written so much tortured poetry in the past 2 years and wanted to share it all with you, so here’s the second installment of TTPD: The Anthology. 15 extra songs. And now the story isn’t mine anymore... it’s all yours," she added.
Check out her post below:Since its release, Swift’s latest record has broken several records, including becoming the first album in Spotify history to surpass 300 million streams in one day.
However, while speaking at the Guardian Live event “An Evening with Pet Shop Boys” in London on Monday (April 22), Pet Shop Boys singer Neil Tennant said he couldn’t understand the songwriter's universal popularity.
The 69-year-old criticized the 'Love Story' songstress' discography, saying that it doesn't match up to generational icons like Michael Jackson. “What is Taylor Swift’s ‘Billie Jean’?” he asked, as cited by The Mirror.
Music critic Alexis Petridis chimed in to mention Swift's 'Shake It Off,' but, Tennant doubled down: “I listened to that the other day, and it’s not ‘Billie Jean.'”
The 'West End Girls' artist clarified that he thinks the Grammy-winning star has “a great voice,” but he believes her catalog isn't remarkable.
“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.
Neil's comments were shared on social media and sparked a furious debate among music lovers and Swift's dedicated fanbase.
One outraged Swiftie hit back: "Love Story? Shake It Off? Blank Space? Cruel Summer? Just name a few," while a second user chimed in: "Even if you don’t like her this just doesn’t make any sense unless this Neil guy has been living under a rock for the past 15 years."
A third added: "Blank space. Shake it off. Cruel summer. Love story. You belong with me. Anti hero. Like y’all have these songs at least once or twice and if you’ve not your just lying cause they were EVERYWHERE and unavoidable."
.jpg_FKbIDl?tr=w-1024,cr-0.0.1024.686&config=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)
Meanwhile, others agreed with Neil's statement, as one person pointed out: "The man is not wrong. She gets billions of streams. Puts together a fine album. But, what's the iconic song?"
"MJ had Billie Jean, Thriller. Prince had Purple Rain, When Doves Cry. Madonna had Like A Virgin, Vogue. Massive, iconic hit singles, songs that transcend decades & time," they added.
"She does have iconic music, but it mainly fits a demographic or stage in your life that you might grow out of," someone else explained. "So, while her music is famous, it may not be eternally memorable. It doesn't mean she won't have a timeless classic in the future. She's a young powerhouse."
Do you guys agree with Neil's statement? Share your thoughts.
The Tortured Poets Department is now available to listen on all major music platforms.
.jpg_GiEvRy?tr=h-40&config=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)
.jpg_GiEvRy?tr=h-184&config=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)
