Building an Empire Cowell rebooted his career with S Records, signing acts like 5ive, Westlife, and Jerome, whose cover of “Unchained Melody” became a hit. Yet it was talent shows that truly skyrocketed his career. In 2001, Cowell and Simon Fuller launched Pop Idol, making Cowell an instant celebrity. The show’s success led to American Idol on Fox, where Cowell’s blunt critiques and...