Simon Dunmore is the British A&R man and DJ who founded Defected Records in London in 1999. Before Defected he signed hits at Cooltempo and AM:PM, and he went on to create Glitterbox, Defected Croatia and one of the biggest house music brands in the world, before stepping down as CEO in 2022.
Simon Dunmore at a glance
- Known for: founding Defected Records (January 1999)
- Earlier roles: A&R at Cooltempo and at AM:PM, A&M Records’ UK dance division (1994 to 1998)
- Created: Glitterbox (2014) and Defected Croatia (2016)
- Stepped down as CEO: 2022, staying on as an A&R consultant
The AM:PM years
After working in A&R at Cooltempo, Dunmore joined AM:PM, the UK dance division of A&M Records, where he worked from 1994 to 1998. The label had major club-to-chart hits in that time, including Ultra Naté’s Free, Mousse T’s Horny and MJ Cole’s Sincere.
Founding Defected Records
In January 1999 he launched Defected in London with initial funding from Ministry of Sound. The very first release, Soulsearcher’s I Can’t Get Enough, went to No.5 in the UK. Hits followed fast:
- Roger Sanchez, Another Chance: UK No.1 in 2001
- Kings of Tomorrow, Finally (2002)
- Shakedown, At Night: UK No.6
- Bob Sinclar, Love Generation (2005)
- CamelPhat and Elderbrook, Cola (2017): Grammy-nominated and platinum in the UK
- Endor, Pump It Up!: UK No.8 in 2019
Glitterbox, Croatia and Ibiza
Dunmore came up with Glitterbox in 2014, a disco and house party that started at Space Ibiza and moved to Hï Ibiza in 2017. Defected Croatia has run every August since 2016 at the Garden Resort in Tisno. In Ibiza, Defected has held residencies at Pacha, Eden and Ushuaïa. The label now runs around 30 sub-labels, including Glitterbox Recordings, Soul Heaven, Faith and Sondela.
Stepping back
In 2022 managing director Wez Saunders led a management buyout of Defected, and Simon Dunmore stepped down as CEO. He stayed on as an A&R consultant. By then the label was expecting billions of streams a year, hundreds of events and more than 600,000 tickets sold.
Why he matters
Few people have shaped modern house music as much. His ear for songs, his loyalty to vocal and soulful house, and his talent for building a brand that DJs, producers and clubbers trust turned a London label into a global community.
Frequently asked questions about Simon Dunmore
Who founded Defected Records?
Simon Dunmore founded Defected in London in January 1999.
What did he do before Defected?
He worked in A&R at Cooltempo and at AM:PM, A&M Records’ UK dance division.
Is he still involved with Defected?
He stepped down as CEO in 2022 after a management buyout and stayed on as an A&R consultant.
What was Defected’s first release?
Soulsearcher’s I Can’t Get Enough, which reached No.5 in the UK.
Sources: Wikipedia and DJ Mag.
Keep listening
Steve Bell plays soulful, deep and vocal house across the UK, Ibiza and beyond. Catch his monthly DancersHip show and live sets, or see the media pack to book Steve for your event.
