CHART REWIND. Almost six years have passed since James Blunt got his 2005 breakthrough with the debut album Back to Bedlam. Released in June of that year, the set was an incredible success including four singles. The first single was actually “High” which was released in October 2004. It peaked at No.16 in the UK, unable to match its No.3 peak in Italy. “High” was followed by “Wisemen” which bombed – it only reached No.44 in the UK upon its release in March 2005.
All this changed with “You’re Beautiful.” Released a month ahead of the release of Back to Bedlam, this was the track that would put James Blunt on the map. While “You’re Beautiful” actually was the third single off the debut album, it was the first single to be issued in Canada and the U.S.
“You’re Beautiful” is the biggest James Blunt hit to date. It was followed by the UK No.9 hit “Goodbye My Lover.” In total, Back to Bedlam sold more than 12m copies worldwide, becoming the biggest-selling album in 2005 in the UK. Eight of the ten songs included on the set has been licensed for use in TV shows, ads and promo/trailer spots.
James Blunt returned in 2007 with All the Lost Souls which was preceded by “1973.” The track topped several charts across Europe, peaking at No.4 in the UK and No.73 in the US. It was also the biggest hit single off the set, which spawned five singles.
In November 2010, James Blunt returned with his third album Some Kind of Trouble. The lead single – “Stay the Night” was issued in October last year. Not one for the record books, the single went rather un-noticed in the UK as it only managed to reach No.26. It topped the Swiss chart and reached the top ten in Italy, Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany and Austria.
Look out for “So Far Gone” – the third single which is expected to bow on the UK singles tally this Sunday. It has already been released in advance in Austria. The track was produced by Steve Robson, whose biggest hit to date is “What Hurts the Most” by Rascal Flatts.
