<p id=”par-1_34″><a href=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/tag/classic-rock/”>Classic rock</a> icons don’t always appreciate modern pop music but these rock stars <a href=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/entertainment/taylor-swifts-love-story-inspired-crush-went-nowhere.html/”>can’t get enough of Taylor Swift</a>. Some of them have praised her as a musician. One praised her as a person.</p>
<h2 class=”wp-block-heading” id=”h-1-ringo-starr”>1. Ringo Starr</h2>
<p id=”par-2_32″>Ringo Starr is a big fan of Swift. Interestingly, he compared her to Miley Cyrus. Both Swift and Cyrus became famous in the 2000s and straddled the worlds of pop and country.</p>
<p id=”par-3_50″>During a 2021 interview with <a href=”https://www.esquire.com/entertainment/music/a35842463/ringo-starr-interview-zoom-in-ep-taylor-swift-here-comes-the-sun/” target=”_blank” rel=”noreferrer noopener”>Esquire</a>, the <a href=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/entertainment/ringo-starrs-photograph-performed-compared-ed-sheerans-photograph.html/”>“Photograph” singer praised</a> both stars. “There’s a lot of good bands out there, but nobody’s doing anything,” he opined. “A lot of people are on that stepping stone to a bigger career, it’s got to be a downer for them. It’s really tough. </p>
<p id=”par-4_57″>“Taylor Swift is the only one who’s doing well,” he added. “She likes to play by herself. I love her. I love Miley — she went through many stages of life in front of us, and that’s what it’s like. So there are a few, and a few incredible bands out there, but we’re all on hold.”</p>
<figure class=”wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-4-3 wp-has-aspect-ratio” id=”emb-1″><div class=”wp-block-embed__wrapper”>
<iframe title=”Photograph” width=”925″ height=”694″ src=”https://www.youtube.com/embed/nevdSt_2PIM?feature=oembed” frameborder=”0″ allow=”accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share” referrerpolicy=”strict-origin-when-cross-origin” allowfullscreen></iframe>
</div></figure>
<h2 class=”wp-block-heading” id=”h-2-paul-mccartney”>2. Paul McCartney</h2>
<p id=”par-5_35″>Paul McCartney and Swift are close enough that they’ve interviewed each other. During a 2021 <a href=”https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/paul-mccartney-taylor-swift-musicians-on-musicians-1089058/” target=”_blank” rel=”noreferrer noopener”>Rolling Stone</a> article, they discussed a myriad of topics, such as Gothic literature, religion, and <a href=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/entertainment/paul-mccartney-strong-reaction-elvis-presleys-all-shook-up.html/”>Elvis Presley’s “All Shook Up.”</a> </p>
<p id=”par-6_68″>In that article, Paul said he wished he had played the 50th anniversary of the Glastonbury Festival with the pop superstar. He said he wanted to play “Shake It Off” with her. Swift was honored by that comment. “Shake It Off” doesn’t sound much like a Beatles song, but it has some of the empowering vibes of a classic Paul composition <a href=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/entertainment/paul-mccartney-still-sings-the-beatles-hey-jude.html/”>like “Hey Jude”</a> or “Let It Be.”</p>
<figure class=”wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio” id=”emb-2″><div class=”wp-block-embed__wrapper”>
<iframe title=”The Beatles – Hey Jude” width=”925″ height=”520″ src=”https://www.youtube.com/embed/A_MjCqQoLLA?feature=oembed” frameborder=”0″ allow=”accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share” referrerpolicy=”strict-origin-when-cross-origin” allowfullscreen></iframe>
</div></figure>
<h2 class=”wp-block-heading” id=”h-3-billy-joel”>3. Billy Joel</h2>
<p id=”par-7_36″>Billy Joel isn’t shy about admitting he’s a Swiftie. During a 2021 interview with <a href=”https://www.usatoday.com/story/entertainment/music/2021/11/03/billy-joel-50-years-return-madison-square-garden-residency-taylor-swift-adele-olivia-rodrigo/6197569001/” target=”_blank” rel=”noreferrer noopener”>USA Today</a>, he said <a href=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/entertainment/rock-star-helped-taylor-swift-write-cardigan.html/”>the “Cardigan” singer</a> is the modern equivalent of The Beatles. He praised her work ethic and her songwriting.</p>
<p id=”par-8_62″>In a way, one could argue that Swift is carrying the torch that Joel once held. Both of them know how to switch genres without their musical decisions feeling forced. In addition, they both knew how to juggle being a pop star and a respected singer-songwriter. Both of them have also made headlines by being part of a power couple or two.</p>
<figure class=”wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-4-3 wp-has-aspect-ratio” id=”emb-3″><div class=”wp-block-embed__wrapper”>
<iframe title=”Billy Joel – Uptown Girl (Official Video)” width=”925″ height=”694″ src=”https://www.youtube.com/embed/hCuMWrfXG4E?feature=oembed” frameborder=”0″ allow=”accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share” referrerpolicy=”strict-origin-when-cross-origin” allowfullscreen></iframe>
</div></figure>
<h2 class=”wp-block-heading” id=”h-4-liam-gallagher”>4. Liam Gallagher</h2>
<p id=”par-9_55″>While Liam Gallagher was one of the driving forces behind alt-rock icons Oasis, today he’s most known for beefing with his brother, Noel. One would expect him to have a smarmy out-down for the “Love Story” singer. However, in a 2022 interview with <a href=”https://www.nme.com/news/music/liam-gallagher-on-damon-albarn-songwriter-row-taylors-fucking-cool-man-3164606″ target=”_blank” rel=”noreferrer noopener”>NME</a>, he called Swift “cool,” praising her for writing her own songs. </p>
<p id=”par-10_39″>Some rockers take issue with pop stars working with co-writers, essentially seeing it as cheating. Liam is fine with Swift’s decision to work with co-writers. She’s collaborated with visionaries such as Jack Antonoff, Max Martin, <a href=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/entertainment/taylor-swifts-i-knew-you-were-trouble-video-inspired-lana-del-reys-ride.html/”>and Lana Del Rey</a>.</p>
<figure class=”wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-4-3 wp-has-aspect-ratio” id=”emb-4″><div class=”wp-block-embed__wrapper”>
<iframe loading=”lazy” title=”Oasis – Wonderwall (Official Video)” width=”925″ height=”694″ src=”https://www.youtube.com/embed/6hzrDeceEKc?feature=oembed” frameborder=”0″ allow=”accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share” referrerpolicy=”strict-origin-when-cross-origin” allowfullscreen></iframe>
</div></figure>
<h2 class=”wp-block-heading” id=”h-5-patti-smith”>5. Patti Smith</h2>
<p id=”par-11_48″>Swift is many things but a punk rocker she is not. That didn’t stop punk poet Patti Smith from defending her. In a 2019 interview with <a href=”https://www.nytimes.com/2019/09/19/style/patti-smith-books.html” target=”_blank” rel=”noreferrer noopener”>The New York Times</a>, Smith said that she believes Swift is trying to influence her fans to do good in the world. </p>
<figure class=”wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-4-3 wp-has-aspect-ratio” id=”emb-5″><div class=”wp-block-embed__wrapper”>
<iframe loading=”lazy” title=”Because the Night” width=”925″ height=”694″ src=”https://www.youtube.com/embed/wDlKTQ3Ig7A?feature=oembed” frameborder=”0″ allow=”accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share” referrerpolicy=”strict-origin-when-cross-origin” allowfullscreen></iframe>
</div></figure>
<div class=”related-article related-article–simple”>
<span class=”related-article-flag”>Related</span>
<p class=”related-article__title”>
<a href=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/entertainment/taylor-swift-opens-up-about-leaving-country-music-behind.html/”>
Taylor Swift Opens Up About Leaving Country Music Behind </a>
</p>
</div>
<p id=”par-12_47″>Smith didn’t elaborate on what she meant. Perhaps she was talking about Swift’s political influence. The “You Belong With Me” singer has encouraged her fans to vote for Democratic politicians in the past and used her platform to promote liberal causes such as feminism and LGBTQ rights.</p>