Simon Fuller, creator of the Pop Idol shows, has been named the most influential person in the UK music business in a top 50 chart of the industry's key decision-makers, published by Music Week. The top ten predominantly consists of chief executives and managing directors of labels, as well as the entertainment manager for the Asda supermarket chain.
Simon Cowell is up there (6), as is Jonathan Ross (38), and Daily Mirror gossip columnists the 3am Girls (50). Bono was the only artist to appear in the list (11).
Fuller's crimes against music include running the management company, 19, who gave us the Spice Girls and S Club 7, and as a result of Pop Idol Will Young, Gareth Gates and Darius Danesh. Since 1985, he's had 96 number one singles and 79 charted albums in both the US and UK. The Sunday Times Rich List says he's worth £90m.