James Blunt News

The singer faces a courtroom battle in a long running dispute over the authorship of six songs from his 2005 debut album Back To Bedlam.

Lukas Burton, a Los Angeles producer, claims he co-wrote the tracks with Blunt. Due to the claims, royalty payments to the singer have been suspended since last year, reports The Independent.

Burton, who has worked with Paul McCartney and Dido, is seeking royalties for the songs "Goodbye My Lover," "No Bravery," "Cry," "I Don't Believe," "I Really Want You," and "Don't Lose Yourself."

Blunt insists he wrote the songs for the huge-selling album either while serving as an officer with the British Army in Kosovo in 1999, at his flat in Bristol, or at his parents' home in Hampshire in early 1989.

The singer's publicist confirmed that he and his publishing company EMI are asking Britain's High Court to settle the dispute.

She said: "This is true. It is all a matter for the public record."

Writing on his blog, Burton said of Blunt's music: "His stuff was crude, occasionally laughably direct, and betrayed his relative lack of musicianship or discernible influence...it would probably be an overstatement to say that in terms of his professional musical aspirations James had nothing going on, but he definitely had next to nothing going on."

According to Burton, Blunt was ordered to sever all ties with him when he signed a new management deal.

Burton said: "I simply couldn't believe that the universe was going to repay me with such abject treachery."

For more on James Blunt, check out his NME.com page.