The British musician blasted Taylor's A-list status while recently chatting with The Guardian -- claiming she doesn't have enough hits to make her as big of an icon as Michael Jackson. You can tell his hot take had mixed reactions by the way people respond in the crowd.

He says, "Taylor Swift sort of fascinates me as a phenomenon because she’s so popular, and I sort of quite like the whole thing, but then when I listen to the records … for a phenomenon as big, where are the famous songs? What’s Taylor Swift’s 'Billie Jean'?"

When presented with "Shake It Off" as proof of Taylor's success at making hits, Neil doubled down ... defending it isn't as good as MJ's chart-topper, and simply not memorable. Now, Neil did praise Taylor's vocal ability, but reiterated he's unimpressed over Tay's discography.

NT adds ... "I like the fact that it brings all these people together, even multigenerational, but I think the one disappointing thing is the music -- not the lyrics, the music."

Neil then took a swipe at Taylor's personal life, stating the only way to be successful in the music industry is to have a series of high-profile relationships ... which end in tragedy.

We're sure Swifties are going to lose it over these remarks, as they made Taylor's new LP, "The Tortured Poets Department," Spotify’s most-streamed album in a single week.

Fans have praised 'TTPD' as Taylor's most vulnerable album. But does that equate to a hit??