Record producer Pete Waterman, who was Simon Cowell's mentor when he started his first label in 1980s, says the present day TV mogul knows "very little" about music.
Waterman referred to the "The X Factor" boss as a money-making machine with no interest in real talent, reports femalefirst.co.uk.
"Simon knows very little about music. His knowledge comes out of the 'Guinness Book of Hits'. He'd keep a copy on his desk, and whenever an act came in he'd skim it for an old number one, look at the sales figures and then do it again," Event magazine quoted the 68-year-old as saying.
"I love Simon, he's the smartest man I know, but he isn't in it for the music," he added.