Ongoing debate between pop icons Taylor Swift and Beyoncé, a new voice has entered the fray. Gary Holt, the thrash metal guitarist from the band Exodus, recently stirred the pot by taking a swipe at Beyoncé while defending Swift. His remarks, made during an appearance on the Scandalous Podcast, have reignited discussions about the two music superstars.
Holt’s comments emerged when he was asked about the “Taylor Swift problem.” The guitarist, who admitted a preference for pop over metal in his car, took issue with the songwriting credit practices of both artists. When prompted by the host about Swift’s songwriting and her music being “glittery,” Holt expressed his desire to see detailed songwriting credits before showering praise on any project.
In his critique, Holt compared the songwriting credits for Beyoncé’s “Texas Hold ‘Em” from the album Cowboy Carter with Swift’s “Fortnight” from The Tortured Poets Department. According to Billboard, “Texas Hold ‘Em” had multiple songwriters including Beyoncé, Brian Bates, and Raphael Saadiq. In contrast, NME reports that “Fortnight” was primarily written and produced by Jack Antonoff, Aaron Dessner, and Taylor Swift, with a few exceptions for featured artists.
Holt expressed frustration with the trend of having numerous names attached to a song, which he feels dilutes the individual contributions. He praised Swift for her more streamlined approach to songwriting and production. Additionally, Holt admired Swift’s gesture of tipping her truck drivers at the end of her Eras Tour, a detail he wondered if Beyoncé matched.
Despite Holt’s candid opinions, both Taylor Swift and Beyoncé have shown mutual support for each other. In the past year, they attended each other’s concert film premieres—Swift traveled to London for Beyoncé’s Renaissance concert film, while Beyoncé was present at Swift’s Eras Tour premiere in Los Angeles. Both artists also headlined major stadium shows and released new albums in the same period, reinforcing their status as powerhouse performers.
The debate between fans of Taylor Swift and Beyoncé is unlikely to fade soon, with each artist continuing to build their legacies and influence. While Holt’s remarks add fuel to the fire, they also highlight the broader discussion of songwriting and artist recognition in the music industry.
As both artists continue to captivate audiences worldwide, the dialogue about their contributions and talents will persist. Fans will keep weighing in on who they believe stands out, but for now, the spotlight remains firmly on Swift and Beyoncé’s impressive careers.
