Moby: 'The X Factor cheapens music'

Dance DJ Moby has claimed that The X Factor "debases" and "cheapens" music.

The 44-year-old musician criticised the reality series, arguing that he was not interested in popstars who are told how to "sound" and "look".

"I think shows like that are awful. I have no interest in it at all. I think it debases music and cheapens everything that I care about," he told Live From Studio Five. "I think that some great talent has come from that but the musicians who I love are the ones who write their own songs.

"If you look at someone like Joe Strummer or John Lennon, when you heard their music you knew that they wrote it and they cared about it. They're the ones who decided how they were going to sound and what they were going to look like.

"So the more disposable 'Top 40' side of things, I think if it makes someone happy then God bless them, but I have no interest in it."

When asked about Simon Cowell, he added: "He's probably a very smart businessman but I don't understand when people get to be exceptionally wealthy - why do you want more? Who wakes up when they're worth £120 million and says, 'I'm happy today but if only I had an extra £2 million!'."

Live From Studio Five airs weekdays at 6.30pm on Five.