James Blunt Tops Charts Worldwide with New Album, All the Lost Souls

Press release
Source: Atlantic

In its first week of release, All the Lost Souls, the eagerly anticipated second album from Custard/Atlantic recording artist James Blunt, has hit the top spot in numerous countries around the world. The critically acclaimed collection has debuted at #1 in the UK, Canada, France, Ireland, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Italy, Australia, and New Zealand. It has also landed in the #2 spot in Holland, Sweden, Spain, and Mexico. On the international iTunes front, the album is #1 in the UK, Canada, Germany, France, Austria, Belgium, Greece, Italy, Luxembourg, Norway, Portugal, and Spain.

In the U.S., where All the Lost Souls debuts at #7 on the Billboard 200/SoundScan chart, with over 92,000 sold, Blunt's digital sales represent a remarkable 24% of his total market share. Prior to its release, All the Lost Souls became the first-ever album on iTunes where the pre-order allowed streaming of snippets of every song before purchasing. Also on iTunes, the album's first single, "1973," was #1 during its entire first week of release.

"What is so satisfying about James's first-week sales is that it dramatically affirms his place as a global, career artist," said Atlantic Chairman/CEO Craig Kallman. "Not only has he evolved artistically, recording a brilliant album that represents musical growth on every level, but his fans around the world are welcoming him back in a huge way. To follow up a history-making record like Back to Bedlam is no easy task, and the out-of-the-box success of All the Lost Souls is a tangible validation of James's enormous talent and of the power of true long-term artist development."

Blunt's #1 debut in the UK mirrors his success around the world. As Billboard noted, "Blunt's speedy new success... was in marked contrast to the slow burn of its predecessor, Back to Bedlam, which took about nine months to reach the top of the British chart." In the UK, Blunt ended Kanye West's one-week reign in the top spot, while in many other territories, he unseated 50 Cent after a single week at #1. Meanwhile, the album's first single, "1973," continues to reign at #1 in numerous countries, remaining #1 in European airplay for the third consecutive week, and climbing to the top spot on the overall Eurochart Hot 100 this week.

Blunt heralded the album's release with special sold-out performances in New York and Los Angeles. He played two shows last week at New York City's Highline Ballroom, followed by a show last night at the El Rey in L.A. Blunt will begin a full-fledged tour of North America in February.

As part of an extensive slate of media activities, Blunt has been making a string of major television appearances, including Today, Late Night with Conan O'Brien, Nightline, The Ellen DeGeneres Show, and Jimmy Kimmel Live!

The album was premiered on The Leak on VH1.com beginning on September 11 and is featured on Live@VH1. The companion video for "1973" was added to the channel in Gung Ho rotation, and is currently #5 on the "VSPOT Top 20 Countdown." Over at MTV, Blunt made a special appearance on TRL last week.

Blunt has been selected as Artist of the Month on MSN, and September Featured Artist on MySpace. On October 8th, imeem will begin streaming an exclusive James Blunt live concert, presented by Dentyne. The show was recorded last week at Blunt's performance at the Highline Ballroom in New York.

The album has already been reaping critical praise. "He shows the abandon and confidence of a long-term artist," raved Billboard. "Sounding like John Mayer channeling Jeff Buckley in the middle of Abbey Road, each of Blunt's songs are infused with love, loss and confusion, but are rendered so elegantly that it sounds like he's got everything figured out... There's not a misstep throughout."

All the Lost Souls was recorded and mixed in Los Angeles with producer Tom Rothrock, who also oversaw Back to Bedlam. The new collection features several songs that became road-tested favorites in the course of Blunt's marathon touring during 2006 - including "1973," "I Really Want You," "Same Mistake," and "Annie." Backing Blunt throughout All the Lost Souls is his long-standing live band of keyboardist Paul Beard, guitarist Ben Castle, bassist Malcolm Moore, and drummer Karl Brazil.

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