A legendary rockstar continues to poke the bear that is Taylor Swift’s rabid fanbase.
Metallica is considered to be one of the greatest rock groups of all time. Their guitarist, Kirk Hammett, is very passionate about music… so much so that he’s standing up against the “crap” that is currently being put out by pop artists. While talking to The Irish Times about how he got started in music, he implied that modern artists aren’t having to go through as much struggle as artists of his generation:
“I started off learning off records, just trying to develop my ear and learning songs and guitar solos from playing records over and over again… And it was a real challenge because if you got three different guitar players together and said, ‘Okay, play ‘I’m the One‘ on Van Halen’s first album.’ All three guitar players would play it differently. There was some charm to that.
I kind of lament those days when people had to really struggle to learn, because it’s all in the struggle. And it’s all in the determination and being inspired at the same time that forces you to come up with your own stuff and eventually your own sound and style. I just worry about how things are so perfect these days, the musicianship. It’s great that all these guitar players have all this vast knowledge of technique at their fingertips. I wonder where it’s leading to.”
According to Hammett later on in that very interview, it’s not leading to great things… at least in the pop music world.
And because the rock star had sported a “Taylor Swift is a CIA Psyop” t-shirt at one of the band’s shows in Hungary, many Swifities out there took what he said about pop music (more on that in a second) very personally. But before we get to the next quote that riled up Taylor Swift’s fanbase, you’ve got to see this shirt that Hammett wore on stage:
You’ve got to admit… that’s pretty funny.
However, it’s no laughing matter for the Swifties out there. They were already upset at the Metallica band member, and then this quote from him really sent them over the edge:
“I hope it leads to a better quality of pop music, popular music, and just a better quality of songwriting. Because right now, songwriting and pop music is crap. I’m hoping that all these great musicians who can teach themselves through the internet step up and put all that great learning and all that great inspiration into creating new stuff, new songs, the future of music, and at a higher standard than what it is now. Because I’ll say it again, K-R-A-P. Crap. Sorry for all you pop fans out there.”
He should’ve just apologized to all of the Taylor Swift fans out there. They are the only ones that are upset about that take. Many others are in agreement that pop music sucks.
As you might imagine, the Swifties started unleashing their rage on Kirk Hammett, sending posts like these out on the internet in defense of Taylor Swift:
It must be hard to be a washed-up, almost dead rockstar
— 𝙰 𝚆𝚘𝚖𝚊𝚗 𝚘𝚏 𝙻𝚎𝚝𝚝𝚎𝚛𝚜 (@Coleidoscopes) June 19, 2026
One of the biggest bands of all time, but TAYLOR STILL OUTSOLD THEM!!!!
— Betty (@13ilona89) June 19, 2026
Nobody even listens to them anymore so they had to use Taylor’s name for clout bye
— repupeyton 🤍 (ATL N1 & VANCOUVER N3) (@repupeyton) June 20, 2026
No one listens to Metallica anymore? That’s news to me, and many other rock fans who are either seeing them on their European tour right now, or waiting for them to come back to the states for their Las Vegas Sphere Residency that kicks off later this fall.
Hammett effectively started a war with the Swifties, and it’s gotten ugly. Not long after he wore that t-shirt on stage, he fell off the stage at one of Metallica’s concerts, and Taylor Swift fan rushed to say it was karma. If the Metallica guitarist is smart, he’ll cut his losses and stay away from angering the Swifties any further.
But if he’s in for a good time, and wants to continue the masses… he’ll take it up a notch.
