TV Star Simon Cowell

Simon Cowell's Influence on the Music Industry

There's no doubt that TV star Simon Cowell's influence on the music industry has made him one of the most important people in the music business in the past decade. Cowell has also become one of music and TV's most reviled figures. His blunt comments have ruffled feathers of both performers and audiences alike, on TV shows such as Britain's Got Talent, X Factor and American Idol.

Simon Cowell's career started in music publishing, and he began to be an influential figure in the music industry in the 1980s. Sinitta, and later Westlife, were just two of the performers helped on the road to stardom by Cowell.

Simon Cowell Becomes a Household Name

It was as a judge on the ITV talent show Pop Idol (the forerunner of X Factor) in 2001 that Simon Cowell first became well-known to the British general public. Will Young, the first winner of Pop Idol, is one of the UK's most respected singers, and he was the first big star to emerge from any of Simon Cowell's TV shows.

I Don't Mean To Be Rude, But...: The Truth about Fame, Fortune and My Life in Music (Amazon.co.uk)
Simon Cowell

The Two Sides of Simon

Though Simon Cowell's television shows produced some talented performers, many critics were unimpressed. The shows were criticized for manufacturing stars, and, also, for leaving talentless performers open to ridicule - and to harsh criticism from Cowell himself.

The harsh side of Simon Cowell's nature was noted by media and viewers, but there was another side to Simon that was often overlooked. Cowell gave warm praise, when he deemed it justified, and this praise would often be effusive.

In 2014, Simon Cowell became a father for the first time at the age of 54, when partner Lauren Silverman gave birth to a baby boy. In memory of his late dad, Simon named his son Eric. Pictures of the doting dad soon appeared in newspapers, but Simon Cowell as some sort of hard man has always been a myth, as he is a big champion of animal welfare.

Stars Helped By Cowell's Shows

Despite the criticism both he and his shows have received, Simon Cowell has helped to make stars of performers with real talent, including Leona Lewis, Susan Boyle, Kelly Clarkson, Will Young, and JLS.

- Paul Rance/booksmusicfilmstv.com.

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