Simon Cowell has sparked plenty of debate after admitting he’s “not a fan of Bob Dylan” — and even suggested the legendary musician wouldn’t make it past the audition stages on one of his TV talent shows.
The veteran judge, who discovered One Direction, Little Mix and several other major pop acts through his label Syco, is gearing up for the release of his new Netflix series, Simon Cowell: The Next Act, landing on December 10. The docuseries follows him as he attempts to build what he describes as the next global boyband phenomenon.
Speaking to Rolling Stone ahead of the premiere, Cowell said that artists with “unconventional voices” — including figures like Bob Dylan and Frank Ocean — wouldn’t necessarily progress far on shows such as The X Factor, where commercial appeal and performance polish tend to dominate.
He recalled hearing Dylan’s original version of Make You Feel My Love, the song later made famous by Adele, and admitted he didn’t initially realise Dylan was the writer. “When I heard Bob Dylan’s version of that Adele song, ‘Make You Feel My Love’, I didn’t know he wrote the song,” he said. “I think if he’d walked in and sang that version, I’m not gonna lie, I would’ve gone, ‘Forget it’. Seriously.”
Cowell added, “Look, I’m not a fan of Bob Dylan, but if people like him, then they like him, and if you don’t, that’s fine.”
The comments are already stirring reaction online, particularly among music fans who see Dylan’s raw, distinctive voice as central to his influence on modern songwriting. But Cowell’s stance reflects a broader conversation about how talent shows prize certain kinds of vocals and presentation — a formula he has used for decades to produce mainstream chart success.
With his new Netflix series promising a behind-the-scenes look at his latest attempt to shape pop culture, Cowell appears ready to lean into his long-standing reputation for blunt honesty, even when it comes to icons.
