Simon Cowell's sharp entrepreneurial nature and overarching expertise within the music and television industries have played a key role in shaping the cultural realities of the 21st century. Cowell is an A&R executive, producer and star of three of the highest-rated television shows in the U.S. and the United Kingdom. His discerning eye for talent and candid remarks have made him a household name, as viewers devotedly tune in to watch him as judge on "American Idol" and the British television shows, "The X Factor," of which he is also executive producer, and "Britain's Got Talent."
In 2002, Cowell founded SYCO, a U.K.-based media and entertainment company. Cowell has since sold over 150 million records worldwide, which have included more than 100 No. 1 records in the U.S. and the U.K., and over 50 million dollars in "American Idol" record sales.
Cowell's insatiable appetite for music and entertainment has led him to international acclaim and recognition. In 2007, he became the first producer to simultaneously have the No. 1 program in the U.K. and the U.S. as "Britain's Got Talent" and "America's Got Talent" topped television charts. "Britain's Got Talent" is Europe's leading entertainment format and was the fastest-selling format in 2007 as well as 2008, and is now airing in over 40 countries. "The X Factor," having recently completed its fifth season, was awarded Best Entertainment Show for the past two years by the BAFTAs and Entertainment Show of the Year by the National Television Awards.
In addition to serving as a celebrity judge on "American Idol," "The X Factor" and "Britain's Got Talent," Cowell is the creator and executive producer of "America's Got Talent," which is returning for its sixth season. SYCO Entertainment currently has over 10 new series in production and development for worldwide television.
For the past few years, Cowell has been recognized as one of the world's most powerful celebrities in Forbes magazine's "Celebrity 100 Power List," ranking in the Top 25 in both 2007 and 2008. Cowell was acknowledged as one of the top faces in television, ranking at No. 3 on Forbes TV Faces list in 2007. That same year, GQ magazine featured Cowell in their Men of the Year issue, assigning him the "Mastermind" title. In 2006, Cowell was named 2006 United Kingdom Personality of the Year by Variety and in 2004, Entertainment Weekly named him one of the Top Entertainers of the year. He has been featured on the cover of Forbes, Rolling Stone and the Radio Times in the United Kingdom.
