James Blunt announces full details of his forthcoming special remastered version of Back To Bedlam, one of the top ten best-selling albums of the Noughties, on October 11th, twenty years to the day of its initial release.
James will also take to the road in February next year to embark on a special run of UK arena dates for the ‘Back To Bedlam 20th Anniversary Tour’, where he will perform the Back To Bedlam album in its entirety, along with other classic hits from his career. The tour will also mark James’ return to London’s O2 Arena on February 16th.
Included in this special 20th anniversary release comes a special version of the original album remastered for 2024 by Stuart Hawkes at Metropolis, in addition to previously unreleased demos of the core songs from the album, plus previously unreleased songs from the Bedlam era.
Formats include a single red recycled colour vinyl, 2 CD, 6 panel softpak with 16 page booklet, and available digitally.
In true James Blunt fashion, he explains; “I’ve released seven studio albums, but Back To Bedlam was the one people actually bought. So on its twentieth anniversary, the record label and I thought we should repackage it with some early demos, and milk it for all it’s worth. It was one of the biggest selling albums of the Noughties, so here’s hoping it makes a dent in the 20’s.”
Back To Bedlam featured the global smash hit ‘You’re Beautiful’ and is one of the top ten best-selling albums of the Noughties. He’s won two Brit Awards, two Ivor Novello Awards and has received five Grammy nominations. As James humbly approaches national treasure status in his native UK, he is widely regarded for his honesty, wit and charm, as showcased on record, on stage and with his ever-engaging social media banter.
Just last year, he released his seventh studio album Who We Used To Be. With “Tunes that press emotional buttons with military precision” (Financial Times) and Retropop Magazine hailing it as “His best in a long time”, Who We Used To Be was James’ first studio album since the acclaimed, Top 3 Once Upon A Mind in 2019. His recent greatest hits collection, The Stars Beneath My Feet, went Gold, selling over 100,000 copies, and James took on a world tour, and brought his show to arenas all across the globe.
Next year, James will play five dates across the UK, kicking off February 11th in Belfast, and finishing February 16th at London’s O2 Arena on February 16th. Tickets on sale below.
“I’ve been touring now for twenty years, and really, it’s only Back To Bedlam that people want to hear… so on that album’s twentieth anniversary, what better way to celebrate than to head out on the 'Back To Bedlam 20th Anniversary Tour'!” explains James. “I’ll play all the songs from Back To Bedlam in full, from start to finish, and chuck in the better known songs from later albums to finish. It’s going to be, well, it pains me to say it… beautiful.”
And that….it will be. It’s time to celebrate one of the UK’s most esteemed solo artists of our time.
Back To Bedlam 20th Anniversary Tour Dates
February 2025
Tue 11th BELFAST, SSE Arena
Thu 13th LEEDS, First Direct Arena
Fri 14th GLASGOW, OVO Hydro Arena
Sat 15th MANCHESTER, Manchester AO Arena
Sun 16th LONDON, The O2 Arena
Back To Bedlam - Reissue Track Listing
1. High (2024 remaster)
2. You’re Beautiful (2024 remaster)
3. Wisemen (2024 remaster)
4. Goodbye My Lover (2024 remaster)
5. Tears and Rain (2024 remaster)
6. Out Of My Mind (2024 remaster)
7. So Long, Jimmy (2024 remaster)
8. Billy (2024 remaster)
9. Cry (2024 remaster)
10. No Bravery (2024 remaster)
11. High (demo)
12. You’re Beautiful (demo)
13. Wisemen (demo)
14. Goodbye My Lover (demo)
15. Tears and Rain (demo)
16. Out Of My Mind (demo)
17. So Long, Jimmy (demo)
18. Billy (demo)
19. Cry (demo)
20. No Bravery (demo)
21. Sugar-Coated (bonus b-side)
22. Butterfly (bonus demo)
23. Dancing Days (bonus demo)
24. Close Your Eyes (bonus demo)
25. Standing All Alone (bonus demo)
