Syco Music

Eventually, BMG (renamed to Sony BMG) bought Cowell's share in both Syco Music and Syco Television. In 2010, Cowell and Sony Music entered a joint venture agreement that would see Cowell and Sony each own 50% of the new Syco Entertainment company, which encompassed both the previous Syco TV and Syco Music divisions. Over its original 18-year run, Syco had multiple, globally-known acts signed, such as the girl groups Fifth Harmony and Little Mix (as well as the solo efforts of former Fifth Harmony member Camila Cabello, following her departure), British boyband One Direction, and the Latin American boyband CNCO. In July 2020, Sony sold the rights to the television formats and assets back to Cowell, effectively divesting all of Syco's non-music divisions. The label returned in 2026, partnering with Universal Music's EMI and Republic Records to release music from December 10, a boy band formed on Simon Cowell's Netflix series The Next Act in 2025.

• Bgcolor — #000000 • Founded — 2002 • Founder — Simon Cowell • Defunct — 2020 (originally) • Distributor — Sony Music (until 2020) Universal Music (since 2026) • Genre — Various • Country — United Kingdom

Syco Music had offices in London and Los Angeles and was home to several artists. As S Records, the company oversaw music releases by Robson & Jerome, Five, Westlife and Teletubbies. Later following television franchises, Syco had the exclusive right to sign winners and finalists of The X Factor and Got Talent. Susan Boyle's debut album, I Dreamed a Dream, has sold over 9 million copies, making it one of the best selling releases of the 2000s and Syco's most successful release to date. Between 2004 and 2009, Il Divo achieved four multi-million selling albums and in 2007, Leona Lewis became one of the most successful talent show winners when her second single, "Bleeding Love", propelled the album Spirit to 9 million global sales. In 2010, Syco began diversifying by adding producer/singer-songwriter Labrinth. Savan Kotecha, who had been writing for Syco acts for several years, also became an A&R Director and set up a joint venture, Kanani Songs. Syco also began forming closer partnerships with other Sony Music Entertainment UK labels. For the first time, Syco entered into an agreement with Columbia Records that would see them work together to launch the career of a The X Factor winner - Matt Cardle. That same year, Sony Music bought Cowell's share of Syco, for around £27 million. On 15 July 2020, it was announced that Cowell would buy Sony's stake in Syco Entertainment; Sony Music will retain Syco Music's artists and back catalogue. By September 2020, managing director Tyler Brown and head of digital Tom Hoare had left. Music Week reported that the label is no longer operational and is now defunct; artist staff have been redeployed elsewhere within Sony Music, including at sister label RCA Records, or have left completely.

• Illustration — 2002–2013 (black background) • Illustration — 2002–2013 (white background) • Illustration — 2013–2020

Some of the artists signed by Cowell, such as band Westlife, released their music through S Records, another company formed by Cowell whose share he then sold to BMG in 2003. Syco Music started releasing music as a label in 2004.

• Bars and Melody (Leondre Devries and Charlie Lenehan) • James Arthur (joint deal with Columbia Records) • Susan Boyle (full UK deal and joint US deal with Columbia Records) • Collabro • CNCO • Labrinth • Digital Farm Animals • PRETTYMUCH • Grace VanderWaal • Grace Davies • LSD • Acacia & Aaliyah • Courtney Hadwin (joint deal with Arista Records) • Megan McKenna • Real Like You

• Steve Brookstein (2004–2005) • Bianca Ryan (2006–2008) • George Sampson (2008) • Angelis (2006–2007) • Leon Jackson (2007–2009) • Same Difference (2007–2009) • Rhydian Roberts (2007–2010) • Paul Potts (2007–2010) • Escala (2008–2010) • Shayne Ward (2005–2011) • Joe McElderry (2009–2011) • Westlife (2007–2011) • Matt Cardle (2010–2012) • Jackie Evancho (2010–2013) • Ronan Parke (2011–2012) • Alexandra Burke (2008–2012) • Loveable Rogues (2012–2013) • Leona Lewis (2006–2014) • Jonathan and Charlotte (2012–2014) • Bars and Melody (2014–present) • Sam Bailey (2013–2015) • Tamera Foster (2014–2016) • Melanie Amaro (2011–2013) • Forte (2013–2014) • Rachel Crow (2011–2015) • Emblem3 (2012–2015) • Chris Rene (2011–2014) • Bea Miller (2013–2017) • Ben Haenow (2014–2016) • One Direction (2010–2016) • Reggie 'n' Bollie (2016–2017) • Fleur East (2014–2017) • Ella Henderson (2013–2018) • Alex & Sierra (2013–2015) • Rebecca Ferguson (2010–2016) • Louisa Johnson (2015–2018) • Little Mix (2011–2018) • Rak-Su (2017–2018) • Fifth Harmony (2013–2018) • Louis Tomlinson (2017–2020) • Dalton Harris (2018–2020) • Tokio Myers (2017–2020)

Syco Music and its artists have been the targets of illegal hacking on several separate occasions; in 2009, ahead of the release of her sophomore album, Echo, a number of Leona Lewis' unfinished demos and leftover songs from the recording process were leaked online. An investigation was launched by the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI), in-tandem with the record label and police, to identify those responsible. Alexandra Burke was also targeted, having two demo versions of songs from her debut album, Overcome, leaked before the album's release. At the end of March 2010, it was reported that Syco had suffered, once again, from hackers who had managed to obtain 14 of Burke's previously-unheard studio recordings, as well as 26 more from Lewis. Following the second incident of leaks, Cowell contacted the FBI to track down those responsible. Included amongst the leaked music was a newly recorded version of Burke's "All Night Long", featuring Cuban-American rapper Pitbull, which was tipped-off to be the singer's third single in March 2010. According to Burke, the songs were leaked by "Two little boys in Germany on work experience" who had been interning for Syco. It was later revealed, in 2011, that songs recorded for Echo were targeted by German hacker "Deniz A." (also known as "DJ Stolen"); in July 2010, the Rasch law firm logged a criminal complaint against DJ Stolen for "constantly placing hacked songs on the internet". Within the songs listed in the complaint was one titled "Pulse", described at the time as a new recording by Leona Lewis. In June 2011, DJ Stolen was caught and subsequently jailed for 18 months. In 2011, in a change of course, Syco found itself being taken to court for plagiarism when it was reported that a new Lewis song, "Collide", significantly used elements of "Fade Into Darkness", a 2010 song by Swedish house music DJ Avicii. The DJ took both Lewis and Syco to the British High Court just prior to the track's release. However, the case was resolved out-of-court, by agreeing to release the song as a joint effort between both artists; the single was released on 4 September 2011. In February 2013, it was announced that One Direction would be releasing a mashup cover version of "One Way or Another" (1978 song by Blondie) and "Teenage Kicks" (1977 song by the Undertones) as the 2013 Comic Relief single; an unfinished version of the track was leaked online and, on 7 February 2013, Syco launched an investigation. A spokesperson told the press, "It is very disappointing that the song has been leaked and we are currently investigating the matter".

• Artist — Single — Year — Countries • Westlife — "Unbreakable" — 2002 — UK, IRE, SCO • Westlife — "Tonight/Miss You Nights" — 2002 — IRE • Westlife — "Mandy" — 2003 — UK, IRE, SCO • Steve Brookstein — "Against All Odds (Take a Look at Me Now)" — 2004 — UK, IRE • Westlife — "You Raise Me Up" — 2005 — UK, IRE, SCO • Shayne Ward — "That's My Goal" — 2005 — UK, IRE • Westlife — "The Rose" — 2006 — UK, IRE, SCO • Shayne Ward — "No Promises" — 2006 — IRE • Leona Lewis — "A Moment Like This" — UK, IRE • Leona Lewis — "Bleeding Love" — 2007 — UK, AUS, AUT, CAN, GER, IRE, NZ, SWI, US • Shayne Ward — "If That's OK with You" — IRE • Leon Jackson — "When You Believe" — UK, IRE, SCO • Leona Lewis — "Run" — 2008 — UK, AUT, IRE • Leon Jackson — "Don't Call This Love" — SCO • Alexandra Burke — "Hallelujah" — UK, IRE, SCO • Alexandra Burke — "Bad Boys" — 2009 — UK, IRE, SCO • The X Factor Finalists 2009 — "You Are Not Alone" — UK, IRE, SCO • Joe McElderry — "The Climb" — UK, IRE, SCO • Helping Haiti — "Everybody Hurts" — 2010 — UK, IRE • Olly Murs — "Please Don't Let Me Go" — UK • Alexandra Burke — "All Night Long" — IRE • The X Factor Finalists 2010 — "Heroes" — UK, IRE, SCO • Alexandra Burke — "Start Without You" — UK, SCO • Matt Cardle — "When We Collide" — UK, IRE, SCO • Cher Lloyd — "Swagger Jagger" — 2011 — UK, SCO • Jackie Evancho featuring Barbra Streisand — "Somewhere" — US Class • Olly Murs featuring Rizzle Kicks — "Heart Skips a Beat" — UK, GER, POL, SWI • One Direction — "What Makes You Beautiful" — UK, IRE, MEX, SCO • Olly Murs — "Dance with Me Tonight" — UK, SCO • The X Factor Finalists 2011 featuring JLS and One Direction — Wishing on a Star — UK, IRE, SCO • Little Mix — "Cannonball" — UK, IRE, SCO • Chris Rene — "Young Homie" — 2012 — NZ • Little Mix — "Wings" — UK, IRE, SCO • One Direction — "Live While We're Young" — IRE, NZ • Olly Murs featuring Flo Rida — "Troublemaker" — UK, HUN, SCO • One Direction — "Little Things" — UK, SCO • Labrinth featuring Emeli Sandé — "Beneath Your Beautiful" — UK, IRE, SCO • James Arthur — "Impossible" — UK, IRE, POL, SCO, SPA, GRE, LUX, SLO • One Direction — "One Way or Another (Teenage Kicks)" — 2013 — UK, DEN, IRE, POL, NL, SCO • Olly Murs — "Dear Darlin'" — AUT • One Direction — "Story of My Life" — DEN, FIN, IRE, NZ • Sam Bailey — "Skyscraper" — UK, IRE, SCO • Ella Henderson — "Ghost" — 2014 — UK, IRE, SCO • Ben Haenow — "Something I Need" — UK, SCO • Fifth Harmony featuring Kid Ink — "Worth It" — 2015 — ISR, LBN, MEX • Little Mix — "Black Magic" — UK, SCO, EUR • One Direction — "Drag Me Down" — UK, SCO, HUN, IRE, NZ, AUT, AUS • One Direction — "Perfect" — IRE, SCO, SLOV • Fleur East — "Sax" — 2016 — CRO, HUN • Fifth Harmony featuring Ty Dolla $ign — "Work from Home" — NZ, NL, CRO • James Arthur — "Say You Won't Let Go" — UK, SCO, IRE, AUS, EUR, SWE, NZ, NL, PHI • Little Mix — "Shout Out to My Ex" — UK, SCO, IRE, EUR, PHI • Artists for Grenfell — "Bridge over Troubled Water" — 2017 — UK, SCO • Camila Cabello featuring Young Thug — "Havana" — AUS, SCO, UK, IRL, CAN, ISR, SLO, LTV, CZ R, EUR (digital), HUN, US, ECU, FRA, GRE, MEX, PAR, PHI, POL, • Camila Cabello — "Never Be the Same" — 2018 — BEL, CRO • Little Mix feat. Nicki Minaj — "Woman Like Me" — 2018 — ISR • Dalton Harris feat. James Arthur — "The Power of Love" — 2018 — SCO