Artist James Blunt has committed to officially altering his name to the highest recommended choice from fans – with a stipulation.
The 50-year-old performer has pledged that if the re-issue of his initial album Back to Bedlam achieves the top position on the charts, he will legally change his name through a formal ballot.
In a video message shared on X, Blunt announced that the album – which includes hits such as You’re Beautiful, Goodbye My Lover, and High – is set to be re-released on 11 October to celebrate its 20th anniversary.
“I will allow the audience to make the decision,” Blunt is heard stating in the brief video. He continues: “However, if it doesn’t reach number one, I will not be changing my name.”
Accompanying the video message, the artist employed the hashtag #jameswho and encouraged fans to post their name suggestions in the comments, with the most popular one declared the winner.
And fans did not let him down. Within hours of being posted on Wednesday, the video amassed over 800,000 views and more than 2,000 comments.
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The most favored suggestion at the time of writing was Blunty McBluntface – the precise name the artist indicated he wished to avoid during an interview on The Chris Moyles Show on Radio X on 30 September.
Other notable suggestions included Blames Junt, James Corden (named after the presenter and Gavin & Stacey star), and Nick Pope (inspired by the Newcastle United and England footballer).
Back to Bedlam became one of the top-selling albums in the UK during the 2000s and ranks 17th in the history of best-sellers according to the Official Charts website. His single You’re Beautiful achieved number one status in both the UK and US.
Blunt subsequently released seven more albums, with the latest being Who We Used To Be, launched in 2023.
As part of the anniversary celebration, the artist is undertaking a tour throughout the UK and Europe, performing at London’s The O2 Arena on 16 February next year, along with additional dates in Belfast, Dublin, Leeds, Glasgow, and Manchester.