James Blunt's 'Beautiful' Rip-off?
Oct. 27 2008, Published 7:07 a.m. ET
ONE-NOTE JAMIE Blunt(Photo: Getty Images)
Could James Blunt be a falsetto-singing fraud?
That's what L.A. music producer Lukas Burton is claiming in a British court. Burton, who has worked with Dido and Sir Paul McCartney, claims he co-wrote six tracks on Blunt's hit album Back to Bedlam, which sold 14 million copies worldwide and got nearly as many romantically challenged dudes laid. Now the songwriter is seeking royalties. "His stuff was crude, occasionally laughably direct, and betrayed his relative lack of musicianship or discernible influence," wrote Burton on his blog.
Music pub house EMI, which releases his sophomore effort September 18, confirmed the lawsuit but declined to comment.