Syco was founded in 2002 as a trading name for Simco Ltd. Currently under the banner of Syco Entertainment are, Syco Music, Syco Television and Syco Film. Information on the different parts of the company can be found using the menu tabs.
Syco Entertainment is one of the world’s leading global music, film and television production companies responsible for some of the world’s most successful global TV and music franchises. Syco Entertainment is also the world’s most successful producer of international talent with Syco Music being the record label home for such diverse international recording artists as Labrinth, One Direction, Leona Lewis, Susan Boyle, Little Mix, IL Divo, Emblem3, Fifth Harmony, James Arthur, Ella Henderson, and Alex & Sierra amongst others. Syco's television assets include the
leading global franchises The X Factor and Got Talent.
The “Got Talent” format is the biggest-selling television format in the world and continues to deliver outstanding audience shares in key territories including the U.S. and the U.K. “America’s Got Talent” airs in 193 countries worldwide and was the #1 summer reality series of 2013, maintaining the leadership position it has held with NBC for the last four seasons. Local versions of the show have been sold to 58 territories. “Got Talent” Italia ranks as the number 1 entertainment show, with a peak audience of 8.2 million. “Got Talent” is also the number 1 show in Romania and Ukraine. The 2013 premiere of “Britain’s Got Talent” had a peak audience of 13 million, making it the best series launch to date. The series finale had a peakaudience of 17.4 million, the highest peak since the 2009 finale, which discovered Susan Boyle and garnered a peak audience of over 18 million.
In addition, the 'Britain’s Got Talent” YouTube channel has generated over a billion views, making it the most watched ever YouTube channel for a television series. “Got Talent” has launched the careers of global recording stars Susan Boyle (21 million records sold), Jackie Evancho and Paul Potts amongst others. In August 2013 the debut album from “Britain’s Got Talent” finalists Richard & Adam debuted at No. 1 on the UK albums chart and held the top spot for four consecutive weeks. “America’s Got Talent” discovered ventriloquist Terry Fator in season 2 who has gone on to headline
a nightly show at The Mirage in Las Vegas (reportedly worth $100 Million).
Syco Entertainment signed a new three year deal with ITV in 2013 which will keep the X Factor and Britain’s Got Talent on our screens until 2016. Simon Cowell announced a deal that will see Britain's Got Talent return again in 2014. ITV2 will continue to broadcast the Xtra Factor and Britain’s got more talent.
In December 2010 the CEO of Syco Entertainment Ellis Watson resigned from the post. New appointments were released on 4th March 2011. Charles Garland is COO for Syco Entertainment Simon Jones is the COO for Syco Television USA and will look after the TV operations in the US. George Levendis is now Head of International for Syco Television and is responsible for the international development, including global TV. Syco Music is run by Sonny Takhar, a former Head of Marketing for RCA Records who has served as Managing Director of both S Records and Syco Music since their formation. Tim Byrne is Creative Director. David Gray is Senior Vice President, A&R and Mark Hardy is Marketing Director. Simon Jones is SYCO Music’s PR Consultant. Ex Daily Mail Showbiz correspondent, Ben Todd was recently appointed SYCO UK's Head of Media.
Charles Garland, the former chief operator of Simon Fuller's 19 Entertainment is Global CEO, responsible for the day-to-day operations of the company. Retail billionaire Sir Philip Green, a close friend of Simon Cowell, serves as an advisor to the company. Karren Brady, television personality and vice-chairman of West Ham United F.C., also serves as an advisor to the company.
Local versions of “The X Factor” are commissioned in 45 territories, and around the world “The X Factor” is now watched by more than a half billion people. The show has increased the average demographic for broadcasters by up to 250%. The X Factor launched in 2013 in Israel and Portugal and quickly became the #1 show in both countries. In Denmark, the 2013 season of X Factor won at 59% audience share and was the #1 program for the 6th consecutive year, a television phenomenon for the country. The 4th season of X Factor in Australia attracted its highest rate launch ever, rated #1 in its time slot, with a 30% share, outperforming its competition by 52%.
The US XFactor became the #1 social TV show after sports and their YouTube channel has had over 1 billion views since it’s launch in 2010. The X Factor Hungary in 2013 rated the #1 show in the country for all viewers and adults 15-29 for the third consecutive year. In the U.K. “The X Factor” remains an annual event for the country and a cultural phenomenon.
Artists discovered by The X Factor format have sold more than 150 million records worldwide, including 130 number ones and 250 top 10 records. The X Factor UK series in 2010 discovered and put together One Direction, who have since sold more than 30 million albums worldwide and have won countless awards across the globe, most recently two Brit Awards – Global Success and British Video (‘Best Song Ever’). One Direction has made US chart history as the first group to ever have their first three albums debut at #1 and were named IFPI’s No. 1 global recording artist of
2013.
Their latest album ‘Midnight Memories’ broke the iTunes pre-order record, was the biggest pre-order in Sony Music history, and reached No. 1 in 31 countries.
Other artists discovered by the hit TV show include Little Mix, Leona Lewis, James Arthur, Cher Lloyd, Ella Henderson, Olly Murs, Fifth Harmony, Emblem3, and Alex and Sierra.
Little Mix’s debut album ‘DNA’ made Billboard Chart history as the highest charting debut album for a UK girl group – even beating the Spice Girls, and their second album, “Salute,” debuted at No. 6 on the Billboard chart.
Leona Lewis has sold over 30 million records, her debut single ‘Bleeding Love’ reached #1 in over 30 countries, and was the fastest selling debut album of all time in the UK. Lewis is the first British female solo artist to score eight UK Top 5 singles.
The single “Impossible” from the 2012 U.K. winner James Arthur became the fastest selling single of the year, and was the biggest worldwide X Factor single ever- selling over 2.5 Million copies. Emblem3’s album Nothing To Lose debuted at #7 on the Billboard 200 Albums Chart and reached #1 in 14 countries. Fifth Harmony’s EP Better Together debuted at #6 on the Billboard Chart - giving them the biggest debut album from any US television competition series in 2012 - and reached Top 10 on iTunes in 41 countries. Emblem3 headlined their first tour #Bandlife and Fifth Harmony is supporting Demi Lovato’s ‘Neon Lights’ tour alongside Syco artists’ Little Mix an Cher Lloyd.
In 2013, Alex & Sierra won season 3 of The X Factor USA, and during the live shows the duo reached #1 on the iTunes singles chart twice with no less than six singles also breaking into the iTunes top 20.
In August 2013 Syco, in conjunction with Sony Pictures, released the 3D movie “One Direction: This Is Us.” Academy Award® nominated director Morgan Spurlock (Best Documentary, Super Size Me, 2004) and producerSimon Cowell gave fans a captivating and intimate, all-access look at the journey of One Direction, chronicling the group’s rise to superstardom. “This Is Us” was the #1 movie worldwide in its opening weekend.
Simon Cowell, in association with the Weinstein Company, released “One Chance,” a film based on the success story of Paul Potts, the first winner of “Britain’s Got Talent.” Simon Cowell is executive producer. One Chance opened in late 2013 in the UK and opens in the U.S. this year. Taylor Swift received a Golden Globe nomination for Best Original Song - Motion Picture for her ballad ‘Sweeter Than Fiction’ that is featured on the “One Chance” soundtrack.
Syco TV launched its YouTube channel, You Generation, in partnership with Skype in 2013. You Generation is a pop culture channel andmonthly talent competition that gets viewers closer to global stars, their favorite YouTubers, and the chance to show off their skills to the world’s leading talent scouts. The You Generation is now one of the fastest growing YouTube channels in the world and is the #1 Entertainment channel in Europe and is in 26 countries.
Syco Entertainment has partnered with Stage Entertainment to create a comedy musical based on “The X Factor” called ‘I Can’t Sing.' Opening on March 26, 2014 in London, the musical is written by comedian Harry Hill,music by Steve Brown, and directed by double Olivier award winner Sean Foley.
