Courtney The Iconoclast: who else has Courtney Love admonished as Taylor Swift & Lana Del Rey feel her wrath?

Controversy never seems to allude Courtney Love, musician/frontwoman for Hole and the wife to the late Kurt Cobain. If it’s not moments of her playing up her rock ‘n’ roll “enfant terrible” persona at live events, it’s certainly her comments about the music and entertainment industry.

Which comes at times at a cost; Love’s comments at times might be steeped in her many years of experience in the industry but they’re not afraid also to take down the most sacred of modern-day artists, with Taylor Swift the latest to feel the barbs of Love’s comments.

In an interview with The Standard to promote her forthcoming radio show, “Women,” Love feels that the cult of personality that Swift has cultivated doesn’t quite transcribe into making her music interesting - at least to Love anyway.

“Taylor is not important. She might be a safe space for girls, and she’s probably the Madonna of now, but she’s not interesting as an artist.” For those keeping record, the same interview also saw Love take a dig at Madonna - one of her longer-lasting nemesis of yesteryear. 

The comments also aimed at other musicians including Lana Del Rey, a headliner at this year’s Coachella Festival, and Beyoncé who is riding high after the chart success of her latest album, “Cowboy Carter.” “I haven’t liked Lana since she covered a John Denver song, and I think she should really take seven years off. Up until ‘Take Me Home Country Roads’ I thought she was great.”

But her comments about Beyoncé were more subjective than usual: “I like the idea of Beyoncé doing a country record because it’s about Black women going into spaces where previously only white women have been allowed. I just don’t like her music.”

So that’s another three names that can cross Courtney Love off their Christmas card list, but who else from the world of music and entertainment has Courtney Love sounded off on at one time or another?

Who else has Courtney Love had less-than-friendly words about previously?

Madonna

The feud between Courtney Love and Madonna dates back to the 1990s. It was partially highlighted by their notorious interaction during the 1995 MTV Video Music Awards, where Love threw her compact at Madonna during a live interview.

Love has been vocal about her disdain for Madonna over the years. In one interview, she referred to Madonna as "a really good businesswoman" but critiqued her for not being particularly innovative musically or culturally. The tensions seem rooted in personal dislike and professional rivalry.

Dave Grohl

Love has also had a turbulent relationship with Dave Grohl, the former drummer of Nirvana and frontman of Foo Fighters. Their disputes have often centred around the rights to Nirvana's music and the legacy of Kurt Cobain, Love's late husband. 

Over the years, their feud has seen many public exchanges and legal battles, including Love accusing Grohl of “hanging around” her daughter, Frances Bean Cobain, a comment that Frances herself refuted on social media. Grohl even in later years admitted the song “I’ll Stick Around” from the Foo Fighter’s first studio album was indeed about his experience with Courtney Love during the heyday of Nirvana.

Although there have been periods of reconciliation and the now iconic moment the pair shared a hug at Nirvana’s induction in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2014.

Billy Corgan 

Love and Billy Corgan have had a long and complex relationship, both personally and professionally. They've been collaborators and partners at different times, and their relationship has seen many ups and downs.

Love has sometimes publicly criticized Corgan for his behaviour and attitudes. For instance, she once commented on Corgan's unwillingness to attend her daughter's birthday unless he was compensated. She's also alternated between praising his genius and critiquing his personality and decisions in her typical forthright style.

Trent Reznor

Love and Trent Reznor's feud seems to stem from professional interactions and personal relationships that soured. Their acrimonious relationship has been punctuated by public insults and accusations - including Love at one stage comparing the size of Reznor’s anatomy and if Nine Inch Nails was an “apt” name.

Love has made several harsh comments about Reznor, including calling him a "fraud" and criticizing his musical integrity. She has also accused him of misogyny and manipulative behaviour towards other artists and people in his circle. The feud isn’t one-sided either, as Reznor recorded the song “Starf**kers Inc” on the 1999 album “The Fragile,” in what is long attributed as a response to Courtney Love.