News

Blunt Banned

Sick of hearing James Blunt's "You're Beautiful" wafting out of your car stereo every morning? Well, you're not alone. According to British radio station Essex FM, they received so many listener complaints about that song and Blunt's other big UK hit, "Goodbye My Lover," that they decided to pull all James Blunt songs off the air indefinitely.

"The number of specific comments about James Blunt were more than we have ever seen for one particular artist," program controller Chris Cotton said in explaining the station's Blunt ban. "It was quite staggering. People said, 'Can you get rid of him?' 'Can you ban him?' Even people who say they are fans of his songs go on to express that they’re sick of it.

"We don’t have anything against James Blunt and we’re pleased he has been so successful, but we really need a break."

For his part, Blunt is clearly feeling the heat from the backlash. While accepting two prizes at the Ivor Novello Music Awards in Britain last week, the sensitive singer-songwriter actually seemed a bit testy, announcing during one acceptance speech: "To all those bastards who don't like my music -- you're all adults, you can switch your radio off." And when he accepted the award for Most Performed Work for "You're Beautiful," he declared, "I should probably be rude about it before anyone else is, so thank you very much for the Most Overplayed Song award."

Later at the awards show, when asked if he was tired of hearing "You're Beautiful," Blunt shot back, "I don't have to listen to it, I'm the one who sings it. And it's continued to get me laid."

--The ARTISTdirect Staff
05.30.06