Syco Music, originallyS Records, was a division ofSyco Entertainment which operated from 2002 until 2020. The label was founded by British entrepreneur, record executive and media personalitySimon Cowell, who was formerly employed atBertelsmann Music Group (BMG).

Early-on, the label oversaw music releases by such acts asRobson & Jerome,Five,Westlife andTeletubbies. Eventually, BMG (renamed toSony BMG) bought Cowell's share in both Syco Music and Syco Television. In 2010, Cowell and Sony Music entereda joint venture agreement that would see Cowell and Sony each own 50% of the newSyco Entertainment company, which encompassed both the previous Syco TV and Syco Music divisions.

Over its 18-year run, Syco had multiple, globally-known acts signed, such as thegirl groupsFifth Harmony andLittle Mix (as well as the solo efforts of former Fifth Harmony memberCamila Cabello, following her departure), BritishboybandOne Direction, and the Latin American boybandCNCO. In July 2020, Sony sold the rights to the television formats and assets back to Cowell, effectivelydivesting all of Syco's non-music divisions. As part of the venture, Syco Music, its current roster, and back catalogs remain with Sony Music as a wholly ownedsubsidiary. However, as of September 2020, at the height of theCOVID-19 pandemic, and according to industry magazineMusic Week, the label is now defunct—staff either left or were redeployed elsewhere withinSony Music Group.

Syco Music had offices inLondon andLos Angeles and was home to several artists. As S Records, the company oversaw music releases byRobson & Jerome,Five,Westlife andTeletubbies.^[1][2][3]

Later following television franchises, Syco had the exclusive right to sign winners and finalists ofThe X Factor andGot 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.^[4] Between 2004 and 2009,Il Divo achieved four multi-million selling albums^{[citation needed]} and in 2007,Leona Lewis became one of the most successful talent show winners when her second single, "Bleeding Love", propelled the albumSpirit to 9 million global sales.^[5]

In 2010, Syco began diversifying by adding producer/singer-songwriterLabrinth.^[6]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.^[7] 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 aThe X Factor winner -Matt Cardle.^[8] That same year, Sony Music bought Cowell's share of Syco, for around £27 million.^[9][10]

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.^[11][12] 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 labelRCA Records, or have left completely.^[13]

• 
  2002–2013
• 
  2013–2020

Some of the artists signed by Cowell, such as bandWestlife, released their music through S Records, another company formed by Cowell whose share he then sold to BMG in 2003.^[14] Syco Music started releasing music as a label in 2004.^[15]

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 ofLeona Lewis' unfinished demos and leftover songs from the recording process were leaked online. An investigation was launched by theInternational Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI), in-tandem with the record label and police, to identify those responsible.^[32][33]Alexandra Burke was also targeted, having two demo versions of songs from her debut album,Overcome, leaked before the album's release.^[34] 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.^[35]

Following the second incident of leaks, Cowell contacted theFBI to track down those responsible. Included amongst the leaked music was a newly recorded version of Burke's "All Night Long", featuring Cuban-American rapperPitbull, which was tipped-off to be the singer's third single in March 2010.^[36] According to Burke, the songs were leaked by "Two little boys in Germany on work experience" who had been interning for Syco.^[37] It was later revealed, in 2011, that songs recorded forEcho 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.^[38] In June 2011, DJ Stolen was caught and subsequently jailed for 18 months.^[39]

In 2011, in a change of course, Syco found itself being taken to court forplagiarism when it was reported that a new Lewis song, "Collide", significantly used elements of "Fade Into Darkness", a 2010 song by Swedish house music DJAvicii. The DJ took both Lewis and Syco to theBritish High Court^[40] 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.^[41][42] In February 2013, it was announced thatOne Direction would be releasing amashup cover version of "One Way or Another" (1978 song byBlondie) and "Teenage Kicks" (1977 song bythe Undertones) as the 2013Comic 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".^[43]

Syco was the label that allX Factor winners were signed to as part of their contract for winning the show, along with other acts hand-picked by Cowell.Most of the artists who were once signed to the record label had complained about their deals with the music mogul, which often saw them making little to no money from their contracts; they were also overworked, while many had also complained about creative differences concerning the music they wanted to release.^[44]

In 2021, musical twinsJedward claimed the record label Syco was 'toxic' and 'abusive'.^[45] It came after news broke thatThe X Factor would not be returning to television, prompting the duo to reflect on their time on the show, which they appeared on back in 2009. The duo took to social media and said "Every contestant on the X Factor was a slave to the show and got paid zero while they made millions! The fact every contestant has to act like their judge mentors them! When in reality all they care about is their paycheck!."^[45] Jedward also alleged that artists on the show and under Cowell's record label, Syco Music, were unable to speak freely and were blacklisted if they did. They were isolated from their families and were watched and reported on by security. They claimed that the judges onThe X Factor did not actually mentor the contestants as the show made it appear.^[46]

Their comments came after formerX Factor contestants spoke out about the conditions they were expected to work under while signed to the label, including Rebecca Ferguson and Cher Lloyd. Lloyd took toTikTok to take a sly dig at the label, which she appeared to accuse of 'exploiting' her and taking all the money made by her music. Meanwhile, Ferguson met with Digital, Culture, Media, and Sport Secretary Oliver Dowden earlier that year, calling for better protection for artists in the music industry.^[45]

• 2002 establishments in the United Kingdom
• British record labels
• Companies based in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea
• Companies based in Los Angeles
• Music production companies
• Music publishing companies of the United Kingdom
• Pop record labels
• Publishing companies established in 2002
• Record labels established in 2002
• Sony Music
• 2020 disestablishments in the United Kingdom
• Publishing companies disestablished in 2020

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