James Blunt

James Blunt, born James Hillier Blount on 22 February 1974, is an English singer, songwriter and musician whose breakthrough came with the international hits “You’re Beautiful” and “Goodbye My Lover.” Before his recording career, he served as a captain in the British Army. In the aftermath of the Kosovo War, he was involved in the British refusal to engage Russian troops at Pristina Airport.

After leaving the army, Blunt rose to fame in 2004 with his debut album, Back to Bedlam. The record topped the UK Albums Chart and reached number two in the United States, while “You’re Beautiful” hit number one in thirteen countries, including the UK and US. By December 2009, Back to Bedlam had sold more than 12 million copies worldwide. It was the UK’s best-selling album of the 2000s and, as of 2018, remained among the best-selling albums in British chart history.

His 2007 follow-up, All the Lost Souls, reached number one in twelve countries. Blunt subsequently released Some Kind of Trouble in 2010, Moon Landing in 2013, The Afterlove in 2017, Once Upon a Mind in 2019 and Who We Used to Be in 2023. As of 2021, he had sold more than 23 million albums worldwide.

Blunt’s awards include two Brit Awards, including Best British Male in 2006, two MTV Video Music Awards and two Ivor Novello Awards. He has also received five Grammy Award nominations. In 2016, the University of Bristol awarded him an Honorary Doctorate of Music.