hm, i wonder why it’s so “easy to paint this picture of Syco as this dark awful place where all we’re trying to do is rip artists off and make them unhappy.” Let’s take a look at their track record…
Leona Lewis: “In 2013 [Leona Lewis] released Motown-inspired album Christmas, with Love, on which Lewis showed off her classical training with a stunning recording of “Ave Maria”. The album was made on the condition that her next album would be a studio album, but that didn’t happen. Instead, when she said no to a covers album she was left with nothing to work on for about a year.”
Louisa Johnson: XF signed to Syco for three years without getting to release an album, cut loose this summer. (She was shuffled to another Sony label, MOS.)
Alex & Sierra: Dropped from Syco/Columbia without even being given a heads up, Simon Cowell cutting off contact entirely.
Ella Henderson: after releasing a #1 album and completing her sophomore album in 2016, she was strung along for 2 more years before being dropped. [x,x]
Reggie n Bollie: dropped after releasing 2 singles, their promised album never released.
Steve Brookstein: “Within nine months [of winning The X Factor], Brookstein’s “million pound” record deal with Simon Cowell’s label was terminated. He had barely seen his former mentor, hadn’t even released a single, and walked away without a penny.”
Fleur East: Dropped after 1 album and two years of no new releases.
Ben Haenow: Dropped a year after releasing his debut album.
Bea Miller: Had a joint deal with Hollywood Records/Syco - despite that, Syco failed to release her album in the UK and her second album released only via Hollywood records was her first international release. [She remains with Hollywood records and released three EPs and an album with them.]
Chris Rene: Joint Epic/Syco deal–released one EP in 2012 and has gone completely silent since, no trace of him on any Sony site.
Emblem3: dropped after releasing their first album.
Rachel Crow: Joint Syco/Columbia deal, released one EP in 2012, went silent for 5 years before emerging with a single from a different label.
Sam Bailey: released a #1 album and was dropped within the year.
Melanie Amaro: winner of XF US season one: her album was never released and she was dropped.
Ronan Park: Joint Epic/Syco deal, released one album and was dropped less than a year later.
Alexandra Burke: Released one album with Syco, was shuffled onto RCA and dropped after releasing another album with them. “I think no artist should ever be restricted in what they want to do in life, because it’s their music, voice and face going out in the world to promote whatever they want to put out there.” x // “ Fingers crossed for progression and improved efficiency (sic.)” x
Loveable Rogues: Released one single and were subsequently dropped.
Matt Cardle: Joint deal with Columbia/Syco, was de-prioritized by One Direction. “I just wanted to be a priority - at that stage of the game I had to be. If I wasn’t, I would have rotted on Sony and nothing would have happened.“I would just have been left to get on with it while One Direction ruled the planet.”
Cher Lloyd: Joint Epic/Syco deal. Second album was delayed and received no promotional push. She was dropped and she lamented that Simon’s control issues made her time with Syco difficult. (x / x)
Westlife: Split from Syco after 13 years after being de-prioritized. They were shuffled to RCA and released one GH album before disbanding. (They have reunited under a different label.)
Shayne Ward: Dropped from Syco after releasing the album they pushed back for nearly 3 years.
Joe McElderry: Dropped two months after releasing his debut album, which was plagued by bad timing and marketing.
Paul Potts: Dropped from Syco after his second album peaked at #5, seemingly de-prioritized for Susan Boyle, moved to Sony Music.
Escala: released one album in 2009 and re-emerged with an independent album 7 years later.
Bianca Ryan; Signed a 5 record deal with Syco/Sony but was dropped after releasing only one. She also stated she didn’t have a say on what went on her album at all and recorded in 2 weeks as per Syco’s demands [x].
George Sampson: Released one single under Syco and was subsequently dropped, claiming “Things aren’t going so well with me and Simon. I suppose he’s realised he can make more money out of other people.‘But I thought we were tight. I had one of the best-selling DVDs at the start of the year. We sold loads of copies. But I’ve just found out that Simon’s company takes 90 per cent of the revenue. I get 10 per cent, but I have to pay the production costs out of that. So I ended up owing them money. I’m not quite sure how it all works, but that can’t be fair, can it?”
Angelis: A group created by Simon and who released a #2 album and were fired by him shortly after its release.
Leon Jackson: Dropped from Syco after releasing one album, has complained about his XF/Cowell pushed image.
Same Difference: Dropped from Syco after releasing one album.
Rebecca Ferguson: Has spoken out extensively about her experiences in the industry.
so there seems to be a bit of a pattern, doesn’t it? regardless of what mr cowell wants to push.