James Blunt promises to change his name to Blunty McBluntface if his album reaches number one

The people have spoken

In 2004, James Blunt released Back To Bedlam, his debut album which included hits such as ‘You’re Beautiful’, ‘Wisemen’ and ‘Goodbye My Lover’.

The album went on to reach the top spot on the UK albums chart and is now certified 10x Platinum.

In celebration of the album’s 20^th anniversary, the singer re-released the album yesterday, October 11 and after a public vote, he has confirmed that if it reaches number 1 next Friday, he will change his name to Blunty McBluntface.

Speaking to Radio X’s Chris Moyles the singer said: “I have signed up to changing my name to whatever the public want – they can change my name.

“It’s a genuine thing. I swear on my life and the life of my one fan – Brian from Glasgow – I will change my name should it hit number one.”

He continued: “Yeah. I swear on Brian’s life and my life. To whatever the public want – and of course the public are going to kind, they’re not going to go for anything that rhymes with Blunt are they?

“But you know, as long as it’s not, you know, Blunty McBluntface.”

He invited his 2.2 million X followers to come up with suggestions and vote for their favourite and on Friday night he revealed his worst fears had come true - Blunty McBluntface garnered over 32,000 votes on Instagram, and more than 8,600 votes on X.

Blunt made the announcement in a short video that shows him walking into Warner Music Group and declaring he had arrived for a meeting. When the receptionist struggles to find him under the name James Blunt, he offers a number of the other names fans had suggested.

Among that list of names were ‘Jimmy Spliff’, ‘Joe Bangles’, ‘Blames Junt’, ‘Yorb Yootiful’, and ‘Itsy Bitsy Teeny Weeny Pop Star Four Chord Song Machiney’.

The people have spoken - if the 20th Anniversary Edition of Back to Bedlam is Number 1 next Friday, my new name will legally be... pic.twitter.com/CoMsjFJpy8

— James Blunt (@JamesBlunt) October 11, 2024

The receptionist is still unable to find him until he says 'Blunty McBluntface'. The receptionist immediately hands him a key with a smile, saying: “Go straight through”.

“People have no imagination,” he replies, flatly.

Blunty McBluntface is a riff on Boaty McBoatface - the name selected for the UK’s polar research ship in 2016, after the decision on what to name it was put to the public vote, and quickly went viral.

It was later renamed the RRS Sir David Attenborough with one of its robotic submarines given the title Boaty McBoatface instead.

Back To Bedlam spent 10 weeks at the top of the album charts and became the highest-selling album of 2005 in the UK.

He has released six albums since Back To Bedlam, all with varying degrees of success but Blunt, a former Captain in the British Army, remains one of Britain’s best-selling singer-songwriters.