Sam SmithBest Sam Smith Albums Ranked

The Thrill of It All

thelineofbestfit

8.5

“Truly thrilling: Sam Smith’s second album serves up brutal realism”

Gloria

nme

8.0

“When Sam Smith announced this album in October, they described it as “an emotional, sexual and spiritual liberation” – quite an audacious strapline. “Oddly, it feels like my first-ever record,” added the Oscar and Grammy-winning singer. “And it feels like a coming of age.” Of course, no pop star sells their latest album by calling it “more of the same”, but Smith hasn’t oversold this one. ‘Gloria’”

Gloria

rollingstone

8.0

“The singer’s fourth LP features guests like Kim Petras, Koffee, and Ed Sheeran, but their own personal growth is at the heart of the music.”

In the Lonely Hour

Ryan1Nunez

6.2

“I still remember hearing “Stay With Me” on the radio for the first time and immediately wondering, Who is this? There was something about Sam Smith’s voice that grabbed my attention right away. It was emotional without feeling forced, vulnerable without trying too hard, and honestly just sounded different from a lot of what was playing on the radio at the time. That song was my introduction to Sam, and it eventually led me to In the Lonely Hour. I wouldn’t necessarily call myself a die-hard Sam Smith fan, but I became a casual fan because of this album, and I think that’s what makes In the Lonely Hour so memorable to me. It’s one of those debut albums where you can immediately understand why an artist connected with so many people. Obviously, “Stay With Me” is the song everyone remembers, but there’s so much more here. “I’m Not the Only One,” “Leave Your Lover,” “Lay Me Down,” “Not in That Way,” and “Like I Can” all show different sides of Sam’s heartbreak and vulnerability. The album definitely lives in a very specific emotional space..loneliness, unrequited love, wanting somebody who doesn’t want you back and yes, after a while you might think, Sam, are you okay? 😂 But somehow that consistency works. What really carries the album, though, is Sam’s voice. It’s powerful, but there’s also this fragility underneath it that makes the songs feel personal. Even when the production is relatively restrained, Sam can make a song feel enormous just by the way they deliver a lyric. I also appreciate that this album doesn’t feel like it was made solely to produce hit singles. There’s a genuine sense of someone processing their emotions through music. It can be melodramatic at times, and I don’t think every song hits as hard as the best ones, but the sincerity is hard to ignore. Looking back, In the Lonely Hour feels like one of those defining early-2010s pop albums. It introduced me to an artist whose voice I immediately recognized, even if I eventually remained more of a casual listener than a hardcore fan. And honestly, that’s still a pretty meaningful connection to have with an album. “Stay With Me” may have been the song that introduced me to Sam Smith, but In the Lonely Hour is what made me understand why people were paying attention.”

Hazel Eyes

Ryan1Nunez

6.9

“Sam Smith has been one of those artists I’ve casually followed since In the Lonely Hour, so listening to Hazel Eyes feels surprisingly familiar in the best way. I wouldn’t call myself a die-hard Sam Smith fan, but I’ve always appreciated his voice and the emotional honesty they bring to their music. After Gloria explored a much more provocative and experimental side of Sam, this album feels like a return to the qualities that made me connect with them in the first place. What I really love about Hazel Eyes is how warm and cohesive it feels. There’s something comforting about hearing Sam lean back into soulful vocals, intimate songwriting, gospel touches, and more organic instrumentation. It reminds me of the Sam I first became familiar with, but it doesn’t feel like they’re simply trying to recreate In the Lonely Hour. The perspective is different now. Instead of constantly singing from heartbreak and loneliness, Sam sounds like someone who has finally found a sense of love, peace, and emotional security. Songs like “Everlasting Love,” “Hazel Eyes,” “Thief,” and “To Be Free” really capture that feeling for me. I especially appreciate how much space Sam gives their voice instead of relying on huge pop production to carry the songs. The album feels like something I can put on and simply let play from beginning to end, which is something I value more and more as a listener. That familiarity is probably my favorite part of the album. I recognize the Sam Smith I’ve known since their debut, but there’s also a maturity here that comes from where they are in life now. Hazel Eyes feels less like Sam trying to prove something and more like Sam being comfortable with who they are and what they want to say. As a casual fan, I honestly didn’t need Hazel Eyes to reinvent Sam Smith. I just wanted a cohesive album that reminded me why I liked his music to begin with, and this delivers that for me. It’s warm, intimate, soulful, and emotionally sincere. Not every song hits me equally, but as a complete listening experience, Hazel Eyes feels like a very natural and welcome chapter in Sam’s career.”

The Thrill of It All (Special Video Edition)

Ryan1Nunez

7.2

“As someone who considers myself more of a casual Sam Smith fan, I think The Thrill of It All is a really interesting follow-up to In the Lonely Hour. I was first introduced to Sam through “Stay With Me,” so I already knew what they were capable of vocally, but this album made me appreciate their artistry a little more. What immediately stands out is how much bigger and more soulful this album feels. The gospel influences, backing vocals and dramatic production give these songs a weight that the debut didn’t always have. “Too Good at Goodbyes” is obviously the big standout, but I actually find myself returning to songs like “Pray,” “HIM,” “Palace,” “Scars,” and “No Peace” more often. “Pray” especially feels like Sam trying to expand beyond the heartbreak narrative that defined the first album. And “HIM” is probably one of the most interesting songs here because there’s something genuinely vulnerable about the way Sam wrestles with faith, identity and wanting to be accepted. That said, I don’t think every song hits equally. There are moments where the album feels a little too polished or overly dramatic, and occasionally I found myself wishing the songwriting was as interesting as Sam’s voice. When you have a vocalist this powerful, the songs need to give them something equally memorable to work with. But that’s also what makes this album work for me. Sam doesn’t have to reinvent pop music here. They’re leaning into what they do best: big emotions, gorgeous vocals, heartbreak, vulnerability and songs that sound like they’re meant to be screamed along to when you’re going through something. As a casual fan, I wouldn’t necessarily say The Thrill of It All turned me into a hardcore Sam Smith stan, but it definitely made me respect them more as an artist. It’s a record that feels more confident and mature than the debut while still carrying that emotional honesty that made me notice Sam in the first place. Favorite tracks: “Pray,” “HIM,” “Palace,” “Scars,” “No Peace” & “Too Good at Goodbyes””