Simon
Cowell’s music career is now infamous having,
over the past 20 years, shaped what we consider
to be modern pop music today. Starting in 1979 with
EMI Music Publishing, Cowell (42) cut his teeth
and got a taste for what the public want, a sense
of commercial potential and most importantly; what
makes a hit. It wasn't long before he decided to
take these essential qualities and put them to use
for himself, setting up his own label, Fanfare,
along with partner Iain Burton. Fanfare developed
throughout the 80's spawning a brace of memorable...
Never slow to recognise
a bright young talent, by 1989 BMG had offered Simon
a position as A&R Consultant. It was a relationship
which would prove to be hugely successful, profitable
and enduring, in fact since last year Cowell set-up
his own label through BMG, S Records, reflecting
the success and vision he has manifested.
Simon's roster of
signing reads like a who's who of pop success stories
over the last decade (including some seemingly unlikely
ones). Highlights include, Curiosity Killed The
Cat, Sonia, and cornering the boy band market, bad
boys of pop Five (who disbanded last year) and the
global multi-platinum phenomenon, Westlife. Always
pop but never predictable, Simon has enjoyed some
of his most successful signings by always keeping
an eye firmly on the TV world, sensing a public
following and always being the first knocking on
the door. The Power Rangers, World Wrestling Federation,
Zig & Zag and the Xmas Number 1 smash Teletubbies
moved from the small box to the airwaves due to
Simon, although, he claims his biggest shock success
would come in the form of Robson & Jerome.
After convincing the
unassuming TV actors that they had what it takes,
Cowell and BMG watched Robson & Jerome notch
up an incredible string of hit singles, holding
the record for being the first act to debut with
3 consecutive number 1 singles (ironically they
were later to lose this record to Westlife who hold
the record for 7 consecutive number 1 singles and
now famously have achieved a staggering 10 number
1's).
Making records and
breaking them, in the last 10 years, Cowell has
achieved sales of over 25 million albums, over 70
top 30 records and 17 number 1 singles.
The key to a successful
A&R career is of course always keeping one eye
on the 'next big thing', and now Cowell along with
Simon Fuller, another of the music industry's most
talented and innovative stars, are doing just that.
Having seen the amazing success the 'Popstars' series
achieved and the level to which the public got involved,
Cowell and Fuller wanted to go one step further
and let the public choose who will be the biggest
solo star in the UK. Thus, the conception of Pop
Idols in Autumn.
"I thought the
Popstars series was just brilliant and was amazed
by the level of public interest and involvement,
but I think in many cases, the public would enjoy
a project of this type even more if they got to
choose who wins. It's like the ultimate in interactive
television and of course by the time we have a winner,
the record buying public will already feel that
they have a vested interest in the artist. There's
so much raw talent out there, Popstars certainly
proved that, but that show was about putting together
a band which looked right together. We're purely
concerned with the talent of the entrants and I'm
absolutely convinced that we're going to find a
future superstar"
In the wings for the
nation's Pop Idol was an album deal with BMG teamed
with the priceless advice of Cowell and Fuller's
management and A&R expertise. In other words,
the person who the public chooses has the guarantee
of a very exciting future in music, which explains
the audition figures of 10,000; the most extensive
auditions to ever be staged.
And the public did
choose. Pop Idols became compulsive viewing on a
Saturday for television audiences over a staggering
11 million. The public voted by their millions and
felt compelled to have their say (more so than a
governmental election.) The standard of contestants
were impeccable and consequently more than one winning
talent was signed to BMG.
As the winner Will
Young registered a mind blowing 4.6 million votes
and the runner-up Gareth Gates registered a similarly
impressive figure of 4.1 million. Other Pop Idols
that captured the eye and ear of Cowell included
Sarah Whatmore. Each individual having that certain
'je ne sais quoi' with the talent, power and conviction
to ensure that their bright future would be a long
standing one.
With the debut release
of Will Young's double A-side, 'Evergreen'/'Anything
Is Possible', records were broken for the biggest
single ever with sales nearing an unbelievable 2
million (1.8 to be exact!) Will Young occupied the
top spot for 3 weeks stepping down 4 weeks later
for Gareth Gates, who consequently is now the youngest
British male to get a solo Number 1. With his debut
single, 'Unchained Melody', Gareth Gates shifted
an amazing 1 million records in the first week (not
bad for a runner up, hey!) and also became the second
fastest-selling debut of all time.
With the success of
this single S Records/RCA went on to secure its
third successive Number 1 with three different artists
(Westlife, Will Young and Gareth Gates.) This was
last achieved in October 1999, again with RCA (Christina
Aguilera) and S Records (Westlife and Five.)
Pop Idol was that
launch pad for Will Young and Gareth Gates whose
talents were deservedly unleashed by the public.
With Cowell's direction and expertise expect more
records to be broken and both Will Young's and Gareth
Gates metamorphosis as two of the biggest British
solo artists for today
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