Portrait of James Arthur

Birthday profile

James Arthur

English singer and musician (born 1988)

Born
March 2, 1988
Age in 2026
38
Zodiac sign
Pisces
Birth year
1988

About James Arthur

James Andrew Arthur (born 2 March 1988) is an English singer and songwriter. He rose to fame after winning the ninth series of The X Factor in 2012. His debut single, a cover of Shontelle's "Impossible", was released by Syco Music after the final, and debuted at number 1 on the UK Singles Chart. Since then, it has gone on to sell over 2.5 million copies worldwide, making it the most successful winner's single in the show's history. The follow-up single, "You're Nobody 'til Somebody Loves You", reached number 2 on the UK Singles Chart. He released his first album James Arthur in November 2013. The album debuted and peaked at number 2 on the UK Albums Chart. After this, he was involved in a series of controversies that led iTunes to offer refunds for the album. Arthur parted ways with Simon Cowell's record label Syco in 2014. In 2015, he signed a new deal with Columbia Records and released his second studio album, Back from the Edge, in 2016. He then went on to re-sign with to Syco in the same year of 2016. The album's lead single, titled "Say You Won't Let Go" and released in September 2016, saw great success, peaking at number 1 on the UK Singles Chart and selling close to 2.7 million copies as of February 2021. Back from the Edge was released on 28 October 2016, and debuted at number 1 on the UK Albums Chart. On 18 October 2019, after releasing numerous singles throughout the prior two years, Arthur released his third studio album, You; this album debuted and peaked at number 2 on the UK Albums Chart. In February 2021, Arthur signed with Columbia Records UK and Columbia Records Germany after Syco had ceased operations.

Biography source: Wikipedia. The profile adds birthday-specific historical context from the Celebs Birthday Today editorial database.

James Arthur timeline

  1. He released his first album James Arthur in November 2013.
  2. Arthur parted ways with Simon Cowell's record label Syco in 2014.
  3. The album's lead single, titled "Say You Won't Let Go" and released in September 2016, saw great success, peaking at number 1 on the UK Singles Chart and selling close to 2.7 million copies as of February 2021.
  4. In February 2021, Arthur signed with Columbia Records UK and Columbia Records Germany after Syco had ceased operations.

The world when James Arthur was born

James Arthur was born in 1988. The year snapshot below places that birthday in its cultural and historical setting: the music and films people were following, the headlines shaping public life, and the everyday prices families encountered.

Culture in 1988

  • #1 song"Faith" – George Michael
  • Top movieRain Man
  • Top TV showThe Cosby Show
  • Best-selling bookA Brief History of Time – Stephen Hawking

Headlines and milestones

  • Major sports momentBen Johnson stripped of Olympic 100m gold for doping
  • Top headlineGeorge H.W. Bush elected president
  • Technology milestoneFirst transatlantic fiber optic cable
  • Defining fadKoosh balls
  • Notable inventionFirst disposable contact lenses
  • World population5.11 billion

United States snapshot

  • U.S. leaderRonald Reagan
  • Sports championLos Angeles Dodgers (World Series)
  • Also wonLos Angeles Lakers (NBA)
  • U.S. population244.5M

1988 versus 2026

These figures put everyday life in James Arthur's birth year beside the site's latest United States snapshot.

Measure19882026
Gas$0.95$3.45/gal
Average home$89,300$435,000
Average income$32,191$67,500
Minimum wage$3.35$7.25/hr (federal)
Movie ticket$4.11$11.95
Postage stamp$0.25$0.73
Population244.5M341 million

Sources and editorial standards

This profile combines a biographical source with structured birthday and historical context. Sources recorded for this profile: Wikipedia, MusicBrainz. See our editorial policy for sourcing, corrections, and review standards.

Read the source biography on Wikipedia. Wikipedia text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License.