Music legend Elton John didn’t hold back when it came to revealing his true feeling about TV talent shows and modern pop music in a recent magazine interview.

The veteran singer songwriter branded talent shows like the X-Factor “boring” and admitted he’d even turned down the chance to appear on the US version of the show, American Idol. The 63-year-old singer admitted that if he had sat on the judging panel he “wouldn’t have lasted” due to his strong opinions.

However the Candle in the Wind singer does believe that the hit ITV show has unearthed some great acts, although he believes the show winners walk a very fine line between success and failure where the release of one bad record could spell the end of their career.

When it comes to carving out a successful career in show business, the key to longevity, according to Elton, is “hard graft.” The singer believes TV talent shows offer a quick-fix to stardom which can easily fizzle out.

On the subject of modern pop music, the world renowned singer is equally as opinionated as he declared, “songwriters today are pretty awful” revealing that his main issue with contemporary pop music is that in his opinion, “everything sounds the same.”

However on a more positive note, Elton revealed he’s a big fan of the work of Lady Gaga, Amy Winehouse and Lily Allen as he applauds their ability to create their own music and unique sound.