Simon Cowell to 'X Factor' Hopefuls: Don't Sing These 5 Songs

Drum Roll Please: The five songs Simon Cowell never (EVER) wants to hear again at an audition are as follows:our editor recommends'American Idol' Creator Sues Fox For Millions in 'X Factor' Money (Exclusive)'The X Factor': 5 Things We Learned From Sunday's 8-Minute Promo (Video)'The X Factor's' Simon Cowell Calls His New Show a 'Game Changer,' But Is It?Fox's Fall Launch Eco-Casino Party: Red Carpet Interviews PHOTOS: 'The X Factor': First Look at Simon Cowell's New Judging Team - R. Kelly's "I Believe I Can Fly" - Etta James' "At Last" ("I'm allergic to it," he says.) - The Righteous Brothers' "Unchained Melody" ("Whoever said that was my favorite song was joking.") - Jason Mraz's "I'm Yours" - John Legend's "Ordinary People" ("It's never as good as the original.") STORY: 'X Factor's' Simon Cowell Slams Simon Fuller, Admits Anger at 'Idol,' Reveals He and Cheryl Cole No Longer Speaking Cowell delivered his list Tuesday afternoon during a conference call to promote the Sept. 21 premiere of X Factor on Fox. During the call, Cowell was his customary self, declaring the show's superiority to NBC's The Voice, stressing the X Factor's back stories, praising Antonio "L.A." Reid and taking pot shots at Nicole Scherzinger and Paula Abdul. "L.A. Reid is a revelation," Cowell said of his fellow judge's TV work to date, which will air taped shows up until the first week of November. "Nicole was (odd) in a fantastically self-centered way and she wasn't even aware of it. In every city she changes her accent. In NY City, she has a Brooklyn accent; in Dallas she has a twang. VIDEO: Paula Abdul, Steve Jones Discuss Nicole Scherzinger's 'X Factor' Judging Style "With Paula, within five minutes of a shoot she's not aware that the cameras are not on any more and she's still prepared to argue." Their reunion? "It's like getting your old dog back from the pound." Listing the contestant's tales of struggles and successes as second only to talent, Cowell is bullish on the back stories that he feels will be crucial to the show's success. "Can you be bothered to invest time in [the show]? It's more than a subtle difference. If you don't have [singer profiles], people will switch off. THR Cover Story: What the X Is This All About? "[The Voice] didn't do it as well as us. I kind of expected them to -- that's the nature of the game. It's a necessary part of the format. Anyone can mentor, but can you mentor and create a star? You have to recognize what we have done [in the U.K.], where our third runner-up One Direction is going to have the [fastest-selling] single of the year. "I got frustrated [on Idol] when we weren't allowed to do things with the contestants on a weekly basis. That's why some contestants haven't done that well. [It became] a popularity contest, which is why you have to update the process and take risks." Related Topics Simon Cowell The X Factor

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