Convergence pays off for ‘American Idol’ creator
12 May 2010
Los Angeles, California - “American Idol” creator Simon Fuller marked a digital music milestone recently when his roster of singers sold 160 million songs on iTunes, according to his artist management company 19 entertainment.
In a rare interview, “Idol” creator Simon Fuller told Reuters earlier this week he was looking to the Internet and other digital platforms for the next big thing in global entertainment.
The British entrepreneur teamed up “Idol” with iTunes at the Apple music store’s 2003 launch, spotting its potential to capitalise on the TV singing show’s appeal and the tens of millions of fans who watch it weekly.
“I felt there was a real synergy with what I do, which is launching new artists and TV shows, and what iTunes does, which is to sell music in an immediate and interactive way,” Fuller said.
Fred Bronson, author of “The Billboard Book of Number One Hits”, called Fuller’s 160 million iTunes tally “historic” in a decade which has seen album sales slump and cheaper, digital sales soar.
The British entrepreneur’s roster of talent includes “Idol” winners Kelly Clarkson and Carrie Underwood. The artists Fuller represents have also sold more than 100 million CDs in North America over the last 10 years, according to 19 Entertainment.
Meanwhile, Fuller is placing his bets on a future in global entertainment based on the Internet. In March, he launched his multimedia interactive reality TV project “If I Can Dream”, which follows a group of aspiring singers, dancers and actors living together in a “Big Brother” style house as they try to break into Hollywood.
Speaking to Reuters, he described “If I Can Dream”, which streams on Hulu.com, as a “fascinating experiment”.
“I consider what I am doing right now as being the scientist in the laboratory doing endless experiments, most of which may not work, but I will learn more and more,” he said
“This is the Wild West,” Fuller said. “You throw seeds down. Some grow and some don’t.”
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