Slayer’s Gary Holt Criticizes Beyoncé as “Overrated,” While Praising Taylor Swift and Hailing Adele as “The Greatest Singer of the Last 30 Years”
Over the past year, the music industry has witnessed significant changes. Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour dominated the global stage, while Beyoncé explored new territory by venturing into country music. In a similar vein, Post Malone is gearing up for his debut country album, F-1 Trillion. However, amid these developments, Exodus guitarist Gary Holt recently voiced strong opinions about Beyoncé, labeling her “the most overrated talent on earth.” Despite his harsh criticism, Holt had nothing but praise for Swift.
During an appearance on the Scandalous podcast, Holt questioned why Swift faced extensive backlash over the past year while Beyoncé seemed immune to criticism. He expressed his bewilderment over the widespread adoration for Beyoncé, stating, “Beyoncé releases a song, and there are 30 f**kin’ people credited. How can 30 people write a song together? It’s like you’re not a songwriter, Beyoncé.”
Holt didn’t stop at criticizing Beyoncé; he elaborated on his stance, saying, “I mean, her daughter got a songwriting credit and a Grammy probably for contributing a kindergarten rhyme to one line, and they were like, ‘Yep! Give her a Grammy.’ Now, she has one-seventh of the Grammys Prince — the greatest artist ever — received.”
When discussing Swift, Holt’s tone shifted, showing admiration for her talent. He remarked, “Taylor writes everything. So I give her credit. She’s a songwriter. Meanwhile, others need massive teams — it’s like a factory of songwriting. Who even knows who did what anymore?” Holt further praised Swift by highlighting her generosity, recalling how she gave $100,000 bonuses to the truck drivers on her tour.
Not finished with his critique of Beyoncé, Holt concluded, “Beyoncé, the ball’s in your court. What are you tipping your drivers? Probably f**kin’ nothing. I don’t know. Maybe she’s super generous. But I think Beyoncé is the most overrated talent on earth. I think she’s marginally talented.”
In addition to bashing Beyoncé and praising Swift, Holt also expressed his admiration for Adele, whom he called “the greatest singer of the last f**kin’ 30 years.”
