X Factor judge LA Reid calls show 'worst thing I've ever done' after it took him away from work at Epic Records 

By Pete D'amato For Daily Mail Online

Published: 00:53 EST, 8 June 2015 | Updated: 03:16 EST, 8 June 2015

Epic Records boss Antonio 'LA' Reid described the two seasons he spent on the X Factor as the 'worst thing I've ever done' during a Q&A session in Cannes.

'The first season, yes, I had a great time. It was a little bit of a vacation,' Reid said at the event, according to the Hollywood Reporter.

'I'd been making music, working at running labels for a long time, and it was a little bit of, "Let me just have some fun." But the second season I was fully engaged trying run a label, and it wasn't fun anymore.'

Musical crimes: LA Reid (left) called his time on the X Factor the 'worst thing I've ever done' 

Musical crimes: LA Reid (left) called his time on the X Factor the 'worst thing I've ever done' 

Reid has been enjoying more success at the top of the label, with Meghan Trainor's 'All About that Bass' earning the longest streak for an Epic Records single last year.

The founder of LaFace Records who earlier helmed Island Def Jam was put in charge of rescuing the restructured recording company when songwriter Amanda Ghost left as CEO after only a year.

More importantly, it really affected my taste — it almost destroyed it,' Reid continued about X Factor. 'It completely threw me off — what works for television isn't necessarily the thing that works in the traditional journey of music, so I adjusted my taste for television.' 

'The truth is, I lowered my bar — my bar was quite high, if I'm being honest, and as a result I didn't have the same level of success.'

Reid, who has nurtured artists such as Usher, Outkast, Toni Braxton, TLC and Mariah Carey throughout his career, felt the influence of another judge, Simon Cowell, on his opinions.

'I worked with Simon Cowell, who I love and have great respect for and he has great taste, but being around him for that long, I started to take on his taste.'

Tough to adjust: Reid, who has discovered and nurtured many important artists throughout his career, said he tried to take on fellow judge Simon Cowell's taste and failed

Tough to adjust: Reid, who has discovered and nurtured many important artists throughout his career, said he tried to take on fellow judge Simon Cowell's taste and failed

'I'm an amateur at having his taste — I'm good at my kind of taste,' Reid added.

When Frank Cooper, the Pepsi CMO sharing the stage with Reid, mentioned the show had pulled in more than 10 million viewers, Reid responded that ratings were lower than promised. 

'I think he made the statement that if we didn't do 20 million viewers, it was a failure,' Reid said, when the show only pulled in 12 million according to THR.

'To be honest? The truth is The Voice cleaned our clock.'

 

 

 

 

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