The Nominees: Beck | Beyoncé | Pharrell Williams | Ed Sheeran | Sam Smith
It’s not unheard of for a young artist from outside the U.S. to pull a “Sam Smith” and go from promising newcomer to multiple Grammy nominee in the span of a year, all on the strength of a debut album. It is, however, quite rare. Lorde (who, like Smith, was pegged as one of Vevo LIFT’s emerging artists to watch early in her career), did something similar with Pure Heroine, which dropped in 2013 and put her in contention for four gramophone statuettes in 2014, but even the New Zealand phenom wasn’t able to garner a nomination for Album of the Year. Smith has a shot at that very prize, as well as five others, including Best New Artist.
Why all the hype? In the Lonely Hour is that rare debut that presents a truly original artist with a fresh look and sound. Born in London in 1992, Smith is soulful and versatile beyond his years. His first burst of fame came via a guest appearance on “Latch,” the smash 2012 single by the U.K. electronic duo Disclosure (another Vevo LIFT artist), and if listeners had Smith pegged as merely a singer of dance hooks, “Lay Me Down” was soon to change their minds.
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Vital Info |
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| Release Date | June 17, 2014 |
| Label | Capitol |
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Billboard 200 peak |
No. 2 |
| Album sales (as of Feb. 2, 2015) |
1.34 million |
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Fun Fact: In the Lonely Hour was 2014’s biggest-selling full-length debut album in the U.S. |
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Released way back in February 2013, the leadoff single from In the Lonely Hour is a yearning ballad co-written by Smith, who had a hand in penning every song on the record.
“Lay Me Down” only reached No. 25 on Billboard’s Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles chart, but it helped set the stage for the massive success of Smith’s breakout third single, “Stay With Me.” That one dropped in April 2014, mere weeks after Smith performed the tune — as well as “Lay With Me” — on Saturday Night Live, and just like that, the then-21-year-old Brit with the cool haircut and aching voice was on his way. “Stay With Me” peaked at No. 2 on the Hot 100, paving the way for the gospel-tinged follow-up “I’m Not the Only One,” which reached No. 5, proving Smith was no one-hit wonder.
While Smith is known for the raw vulnerability heard in some of his slower songs, In the Lonely Hour isn’t without its up-tempo tracks. The album opens with “Money on My Mind,” a twitchy dance jam that finds Smith delivering something of a mission statement: “I don’t have money on my mind / I do it for the love.” The deluxe edition of the album features an acoustic version of “Latch,” wherein this emerging superstar again sends a message perfect for his growing legion of fans: “Got you shackled in my embrace / I’m latching on to you.”
