It’s official – James Blunt can keep his given birth name.
The singer made a recent pledge that gripped the nation, vowing to legally change his name to one of the British public’s choosing (they chose ‘Blunty McBluntface’) should the 20th anniversary edition of his 2004 debut album Back to Bedlam return to Number 1 this week.
In a series of hilarious video posts on social media, fans have been following Blunt’s exploits as he prepares for the moment of truth. It can now be confirmed by Official Charts that the album has just missed the top spot but, landing at Number 7, Back to Bedlam secures its first Top 10 appearance in 18 years and continues James’s flawless run of Top 10 hits on the Official Albums Chart.
Congratulations, James!
Originally released in October 2004, the record became an Official Charts blockbuster that went on to spend 10 non-consecutive weeks at Number 1 and spawned the chart-topping single You’re Beautiful. 20 years on, Back To Bedlam remains one of the UK's best-selling albums of all time.
Elsewhere, following its release on physical formats, Lady Gaga’s Harlequin breaks into the Top 20 for the first time, vaulting to Number 11 this week. A ‘companion album’ to musical thriller movie Joker: Folie à Deux, which sees Gaga play DC Comics character Harley Quinn, the LP previously peaked at Number 59 in the UK.
The Last Dinner Party’s former chart-topper Prelude to Ecstasy scales the Official Albums Chart once again, with the release of its Acoustics & Covers edition seeing it rebound back into the Top 20 (14). Earlier this year, Prelude to Ecstasy earned the biggest opening week for a debut album by a band since 2015.
And finally, Wakefield indie-soul trio Skinny Living - made up of Ryan Johnston, Danny Hepworth and Will Booth - net their first-ever Official Top 40 album with Day by Day (24).
