Atlantic-signed English singer-songwriter James Blunt was virtually unknown at the beginning of the year. But yesterday (July 17), he completed a remarkable double on the U.K. charts as his single “You’re Beautiful” moved to No. 1 while his debut album, “Back To Bedlam,” started a second week at the top. The set is due for U.S. release in September.
“Bedlam” now has U.K. sales of 600,000, according to Atlantic managing director Max Lousada. The single, which debuted last month at No. 12, has shown almost unheard-of stamina to reach the summit in its seventh chart week. It replaced “Ghetto Gospel” (Interscope), by 2Pac and Elton John, which fell 1-2. Meanwhile, John’s new U.K. single, the ballad “Electricity” (Rocket/Mercury) from the “Billy Elliot” musical, debuted at No. 4.
Also arriving in the top 10 of the new singles chart was Brooklyn-born dance/soul singer-writer Inaya Day’s “Nasty Girl,” which provides another substantial hit for north of England dance label All Around the World.
Also debuting on the chart was “Say Hello” (Positiva) by dance production duo Deep Dish at No. 14,and “Blood” (Kitchenware) by Birmingham rock quartet Editors at No. 18.
The top of the album chart remained unchanged, with Blunt staying ahead of Coldplay’s “X&Y” (Parlophone), which is No. 2, followed by “Forever Faithless-The Greatest Hits” (Cheeky) at No. 3 and Kaiser Chiefs’ “Employment” (B Unique/Polydor), ) at No. 4. The highest new entry, and the only one in the top 30, is “Tissues & Issues” (Sony BMG) by classical-turned-pop vocalist Charlotte Church, at No. 5.
Surveying charts across the continent, the Coldplay set is spending its fifth week at the top of the composite European Top 100 Albums chart, while Crazy Frog’s “Axel F,” which originates on the German label Mach1, is No. 1 on Eurochart Hot 100 Singles for a fourth week.
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