Category: News

October is ending with arguably the wildest week for the best of new pop music. Two of the biggest pop stars released brand new albums on the same day. One of the previously-mentioned powerhouse performers broke a ton of records with said album, and even released a special 3am Edition with seven new songs as a surprise. In addition, a certain Disney actor returned with another single this week. (It rules.)

Continue scrolling to see everything pop-focused that Uproxx loved this week. Here’s the best new pop music this week.

Taylor Swift — “Sweet Nothing”

On Taylor Swift’s Midnights album, “Sweet Nothing” serves as the soft side to all the hints of Reputation-era energy early on in the tracklist (“Karma” and “Vigilante Sh*t”). Co-written with her longtime partner, the two find comfort in one another and the little moments as they manage to ignore all the external drama surrounding them. However, as most Swift songs go, the bridge stands out as the most heartbreaking part. “And the voices that implore, you should be doing more / To you, I can admit, that I’m just too soft for all of it,” she notes, tying it with “You’re On Your Own, Kid” and “Would’ve, Could’ve Should’ve” as the album’s saddest.

Carly Rae Jepsen – “Surrender My Heart”

Carly Rae Jepsen opens her new album with “Surrender My Heart,” a song that sparkles as the arpeggiating synths propel it forward. Despite being one of the shortest run times on the record, it sets the tone for the themes to come. “I’m trying not to f*ck this up,” Jepsen declares just before the pre-chorus kicks in. There’s tinges of sadness, but at its core, it is a carefree dance anthem about craving openness in a relationship.

Ellie Goulding — “Let It Die”

“Let It Die” carries a similar dance floor energy, just with the production over Ellie Goulding’s vocals giving the song more of an EDM feel rather than pure pop. As a single, it’s not quite Goulding’s strongest — compared to her past hits of “Love Me Like You Do” and “Lights” — as the electronic style seems to take over the track. She has a powerful and recognizably unique voice, which deserves the chance to shine. It is, however, perfect if you take it as a quick-paced party play, earning it a spot on this list.

Blu DeTiger — “Elevator”

Bass queen Blu DeTiger is back with a new single, “Elevator.” Gritty and incredibly catchy, she brings a blend of retro indie rock vibes with a story about a nighttime party scene. “Call your mama, call your karma, I don’t wanna dance with you,” DeTiger detests before recognizing, “I can be a big shot too.” It’s one of those nights where you just want to do your own thing, and won’t let anybody stop you.

Joshua Bassett — “I’m Sorry”

Opening with a somber acoustic guitar line, Joshua Bassett’s latest weekly single, “I’m Sorry,” is a sympathetic message to someone he used to love. He paints pictures, from writing songs after a few drinks late at night to wondering whether someone’s mother hates him. At the end of all of it, he takes the blame and is incredibly apologetic to the unnamed person.

Caroline Polachek — “Sunset”

“Sunset” is a fast-paced, flamenco-inspired single from Caroline Polachek that shines on the instrumental and production style. The music video finds Polachek at a party, driving through the streets of Barcelona, and wandering the beach… just as the sunset comes. Through it all, she encapsulates wanting to run away with a relationship — all while providing some fun claps in the background.

Katherine Li — “Miss Me Too”

Katherine Li opens “Miss Me Too” with a sample of a voice recording, where she warns listeners that she “just woke up” and “it might be a little rough.” The exact opposite proves true, as Li glides through the song, despite the emotional detailing about her feelings of reminiscing on a relationship. Her message boils down to one line in the chorus: “I hope that you still miss me too.”

Emlyn — “Girl’s Girl”

Bringing the pop-rock fire, “Girl’s Girl” is Emlyn’s take on supporting fellow women when it comes to handling toxicity. Each line is biting, bringing a unique rhyme as it digs at a certain type of man. “So, she broke your PS4 / But didn’t you go and break her to her core?” Yeah.

Bishop Briggs — “Superhuman”

Bishop Briggs’ “Superhuman” places her powerful vocals at the forefront, with a soft piano ballad about making it through tough times. By the chorus and second verse, Briggs transforms the song by introducing layered harmonies and percussion. The enthusiasm she has for someone surviving “the eye of the storm” explodes by the end, truly carrying home the message.

Kenzie — “100 Degrees”

Kenzie might be most recognizable for her past appearances on Dance Moms. However, her new single “100 Degrees” proves she has the power to propel her career in music forward. A synth-heavy pop hit-in-the-making, Kenzie weaves in autobiographical lyricism to piece together the picture about missing someone. “Tell me, is your halo heavy?” she poses on the second verse. Sleek and seamless, there is serious potential for this one to go far, especially with TikTok’s popularity.

Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

Things are a bit of a mess in England right now, and not even Jeopardy! can keep up with all the drama. The English government has been thrown into chaos in recent weeks following a series of scandals and resignations in the Conservative Party, currently in leadership of the island nation.

Earlier in the summer, prime minister Boris Johnson resigned following a long list of scandals. In his place, the Torys put forward Liz Truss to lead the government. It was nothing short of a disaster, with an economic plan that cratered the economy and the value of the pound, and contributed to increasing inflation. Faced with enormous pushback, Truss resigned after just 50 days, making her the shortest-serving prime minister in the history of the United Kingdom. The next closest person on the list, to give you some context here, died in 1827 of tuberculosis after 119 days in office.

Her resignation late last week sparked a rushed search to find a replacement and will make Rishi Sunak, the new Tory leader, the nation’s third prime minister in just months. It’s a lot to keep track of, which is perhaps why everyone blanked on Truss’s name when it was an answer on Monday’s Jeopardy! game. Appearing in the “News Makers and Writers 22” category of the show’s second round, the question was in context of the late Queen Elizabeth’s final public act before her death in September.

“Queen Elizabeth II’s last appearance was to appoint this woman as the 15th prime minister of her majesty’s reign,” host Ken Jennings asked three contestants in the show’s Second Chance Tournament. Which would mean this episode taped sometime after the death of Queen Elizabeth and before Truss resigned last week. It’s amazing that the show managed to future-proof the question a bit so she’s not mentioned as the current PM because that would have been amazingly incorrect just weeks after the episode taped.

It’s small, but it’s yet another slight that Truss has to deal with now, with Jeopardy! viewers knowing her fate as PM has already been sealed well before this question made it to air. What’s worse, no one could come up with her name on the show despite it being very recent news at the time of taping. Which means that, until the sun explodes and civilization is finally put to bed, Liz Truss will be a great answer to a very obscure set of trivia questions. Maybe Jeopardy! can mention the infamous head of lettuce that outlasted Truss next time she comes up, too.

YG’s new album, I Got Issues, is out now via Def Jam, and in between releasing videos like “How To Rob A Rapper,” “Maniac,” and “Alone” to promote it, he’s just released the dates for his upcoming tour. The Red Cup Tour will start in January in Denver and run through February, concluding in Honolulu. He’ll be supported on the tour by fellow Los Angeles area artists OhGeesy and Kalan.FrFr, as well as his own 4Hunnid artists Day Sulan and D3szn. Tickets go on sale on October 28 at 10 am local time. You can see the full tour dates below.

01/20 –- Denver, CO @ Fillmore Auditorium^
01/22 –- Salt Lake City, UT @ The Great Saltair^
01/24 –- Garden City, ID @ Revolution Concert House & Event Center^
01/26 –- Seattle, WA @ WAMU Theater^
01/28 –- Vancouver, BC @ PNE FORUM^
01/29 –- Portland, OR @ Theater of the Clouds^
01/31 –- Reno, NV @ Reno Events Center^
02/1 –- Oakland, CA @ Oakland Arena!
02/2 –- Los Angeles, CA @ Kia Forum!
02/4 –- San Diego, CA @ Viejas Arena!
02/6 –- Phoenix, AZ @ Arizona Financial Theatre^
02/15 -– Minneapolis, MN @ The Armory^
02/17 -– Detroit, MI @ The Fillmore Detroit^
02/18 –- Toronto, ON @ HISTORY^
02/19 –- Queens, NY @ The Knockdown Center^
02/20 –- Boston, MA @ MGM Music Hall at Fenway^
02/23 –- Honolulu, HI @ Neal S. Blaisdell Center^*

^Support from OhGeesy, Kalan.frfr, Day Sulan, and D3szn
! Support from OhGeesy, Day Sulan, and D3szn

What’s exciting about a Stray Kids album promotion is the fact that Stay (their fans) get spoiled like it’s the 12 Days Of Christmas. The lead single of their EPs or studio albums isn’t the only thing getting a music video. Some of their own B-side tracks get the video treatment as well.

Dropping earlier today at midnight KST, Stray Kids goes from realizing how madly in love they are with someone in “Case 143” to curiously wanting to know more about their love interest in “Give Me Your TMI.” (For context, TMI is shortened for “too much information.” But in Korean lingo, it’s used as a phrase to get to know someone better by basically asking them what’s something, either personal or random, about them they haven’t told anyone.) Dressed like young James Bonds as if it were spinoff of The Kingsman: Secret Service (but better), Stray Kids’ “Give Me Your TMI” music video is a metaphorical visual telling the story of overcoming obstacles (check out the hi-tech watches, goggles and umbrellas) in order to get to know more about the person they’re interested in.

The B-side track off of the group’s MAXIDENT! album was written by Stray Kids’ Bang Chan, Changbin, and Han — best known as 3RACHA — and also co-composed by them with NEWTYPE’s TAK and 1Take.

The Minnesota Timberwolves got thumped by the San Antonio Spurs on Monday night in a rather dismal performance at home, dropping them to 2-2 on the season despite opening the year as heavy favorites in all four games — their two wins have been against the Thunder and the other loss was to the Jazz.

It has not been the start Minnesota was hoping for coming off the Rudy Gobert trade that was supposed to vault them further into the contender class out West. While it still might do that, the early returns indicate there’s a lot more work to do to get everyone on the same page this season, with defensive issues standing out in particular. Anthony Edwards took responsibility for looking flat in the second game of a back-to-back after the loss, as he had just nine points against the Spurs, and Karl-Anthony Towns was asked what he can do as a leader to help get Edwards at the level he needs to be.

Towns had an interesting response, calling out Edwards’ eating habits and wanting the young star to take more care of his body so he can be more consistent game-to-game with his energy.

The last two years, Edwards has made clear his love of Popeyes and McDonald’s in postgame pressers, as KAT references, but these comments are particularly interesting considering Edwards made a declaration prior to camp that he had cut out his beloved fried foods this season.

Either that’s not been the case and Edwards has been still on the Uber Eats grind to start the year, or Towns hasn’t realized his young co-star has made those changes already to try and be in better shape this season. Neither option is great, but the latter might be worse because for Towns to call out something like this publicly when that change has already been made feels like adding unnecessary stress to the locker room.

All of this falls away if the Wolves can piece together a winning streak, but it’s certainly not been an ideal start to the season in Minnesota where there is apparent work to do on the court and off to bring everyone onto the same page.

Welcome to the Fresh Pair post-show huddle! After episodes of Fresh Pair, we’ll link up with Katty Customs to talk about the latest episode and dig deep behind the scenes to uncover hidden gems from the design process that didn’t make the main show.

On the latest episode, Katty and Just Blaze were joined by Harlem rapper and one half of The Diplomats, Jim Jones, who was gifted a custom one-of-one mid-rise Air Force 1 that touched on several aspects of Jones’ career and general vibe and paid tribute to his El Capo and Vampire Life albums.. If Jones’ “Vamp Life” brand were a sneaker, it’d be this custom AF-1, without question.

We linked up with Katty to talk the concept of her design for Jones and how she and Just Blaze collaborated to make this sneaker something truly special. Let’s dive in.

Take us behind the custom sneaker for Jim Jones. What was the concept here?

Jim Jones’ sneaker was really fun to work with. We did a few things, we wanted to incorporate the E.K.G. symbol because his sister has a health situation and he once saved his photographer after they passed out. Luckily he was there to perform CPR. So we thought there was something great there == with him being the heart of the collective, the Diplomats, and having a hero’s heart. In addition to the CPR, he basically was raised to help his sister with her condition growing up. We put his logos on there, the Vamp Life. We incorporated roses to represent the El Capo album.

Jim and the Diplomats operated a lot like a military organization — their structure. So we used a Nike Air Force 1 boot to conjure that. He’s like a rockstar — so we put the chains on there, we wrapped it. We put the Velcro strap. Those rockstar chains shine and show a little bling. We added reflective material and used his “Vamp Life” tag and his El Capo logo, which is the skull logo, we put that on the shoes.

We wanted to give him his roses. So on the Nike Swoosh, we drew roses on there to give him his flowers. We also made his shoes out of chalk, the front part, the mud guard. We also incorporated that, because he’s done a great job dropping game to the young generation.

In relation to the E.K.G. stuff and referencing his sister’s health condition, was it hard to get that personal or was that kind of an inspiring aspect of the design for you?

I think that was a very inspiring and it was definitely hard to make too, because we had to add to the Air logo and make it look just as good as the Air logo that’s on the side of the shoe on the mid sole. So, that was crazy.

Why the Air Force 1? Was that the kind of militant vibe the shoe has?

Yeah, we definitely felt like it was the perfect shoe for the military intent for sure.

What was your relationship to Jim Jones’ music before making this sneaker?

I was definitely listening to Jim Jone’s music. I was a fan, but we have to learn more about the artist before even putting the shoe together, I definitely learned a lot about him before creating his shoes. He’s tough, but he has a good heart and that’s really good to know about him, those are things that I just didn’t know.

I just love to see real things, you know what I’m saying? Real things from real people, so it was pretty cool. I was already a fan before, but learning about him and making him a one-of-one shoe made me even a bigger fan.

In your opinion, what was Just’s best contribution to this one? What did he lay out that really inspired you and pushed you to make a dope design?

Just was so involved in this design. He talked about the reflective material on the black colorway. He suggested that we make the shoe black, we wanted make the shoes really dope, but we didn’t want to use a lot of color. So we wanted to do something really cool and wondered, how can we make these shoes dope without using so many colors? He thought it would be cool to do the reflective material for Vamp Life print. And the roses, giving him the flowers and the E.K.G. element, to make it glow, that was really cool.

And how’d you feel about Jim Jones’ reaction?

Oh, he loved it. I felt good about his reaction. He’s a cool guy, so he wasn’t like, “Ooh,” but you could tell that he really liked his shoes. He said, “We did our thing,” so I’m happy.

What’s a good price for this pair?

I’ll say about 4,500.

So 1k more than TI? Are we going to keep going up until the season finale?

Yeah, we’re going to go up. We’re going to keep going up! The more we do on the shoes, the more that is going to go up, for sure.

What would be on the Jim Jones 2 and what sneaker are you using?

Oh, I say we should do either a low top Air Force 1 or a Nike Air Max. I know he likes Air Max 1’s. So if we could do the second pair, I say let’s do an Air Max 1, for sure. I know he likes Air Maxes. And we’d probably do something with more color, more towards his personal style.

Nicolas Cage was one of the highest-paid actors of the early 2000s, reportedly raking in $20 million for Gone in Sixty Seconds, Windtalkers, and National Treasure. Not $20 million total, but $20 million each. By the late 2010s, however, he was making a fraction of that. Between 2017 and 2019, Cage appeared in 15 live-action films, and his fee for the predominantly VOD-type movies fell in the $1 million to $1.5 million range. Some of those films, like cult classic Mandy and Color Out of Space, were critical hits and he probably earned decent money for voice roles in Teen Titans Go! To the Movies and Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, but, well, dinosaur skulls don’t pay for themselves.

Things changed for Cage once Pig came out.

The eccentric actor didn’t get the Oscar nomination he deserved, but the quietly bonkers, expectations-defying drama was the most critically-acclaimed film of his career. Its humble success “allowed the actor to raise his price. One indie movie source says Cage’s quote is now $4 million,” according to the Hollywood Reporter.

He returned in earnest with The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent… then he booked a chewy role as Dracula in Universal’s upcoming vampire thriller Renfield. Sources tell THR that the actor was paid $7 million to lead Massive Talent and received close to $3 million for Renfield for a supporting role.

$7 million is no $20 million, but Cage is in “various stages of discussions for sequels” to National Treasure and Face/Off, so give him a few more years. He’ll be back to buying king cobras in no time (keep them away from the cats, though).

Taylor Swift appeared on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon last night to discuss everything about her brand new album, Midnights. Between discussing her early track reveals via TikTok, teasing a potential tour, and breaking down cameos from her new music video for “Bejeweled,” Swift also opened up about her process of making the record. Despite the lyrical content, she had a blast working alongside everyone from Zoë Kravitz, Lana Del Rey, Dylan O’Brien, and many more collaborators.

“I’m beside myself, really,” Swift responded to Fallon, following his list of the album’s current record-breaking accomplishments. “It’s a concept record, but it’s my first directly autobiographical album in a while because the last album I put out was a re-record.” Last year, Swift dropped re-recorded versions of her early studio albums in the form of Red (Taylor’s Version) and Fearless (Taylor’s Version). Before that, her sister album releases, Folklore and Evermore, relied on imaginary storytelling.

“I think that the experience of making something is just as important as how proud you are of it in the end,” she continued. “I think it informs how proud I am of something if I had a really joyful experience making something. This is a pretty dark album, but I’d say I had more fun making it than any album I’ve ever made.”

Watch Taylor Swift’s full interview on The Tonight Show above.

Steve Lacy is no overnight sensation, but he has been experiencing a greater level of success than ever before thanks to his new album, Gemini Rights, and its surprise hit single “Bad Habits.” You’d think that’d be a good thing — and it is — but with the increased attention comes increased aggravation, as well. Lacy, who’s currently on his Give You The World Tour supporting the album, ended a recent show early after fans repeatedly threw objects on the stage, even after he asked them to stop — something artists like Baby Keem have been having trouble with all year.

He taught one fan an important lesson personally, though. After pleading with the audience to stop throwing things on the stage, someone in the crowd thought it’d be funny to immediately pelt him with a disposable camera. Perhaps, in their exuberance they thought they’d get a cool photo from on the stage. After all, Lacy’s audience generally trends pretty young. It’s possible it was that fan’s first show ever, and they really haven’t been taught the etiquette of front row behavior yet. However, there’s really no excuse for chucking anything at another person, performer or no.

Steve impressed this on the fan by asking for the camera back after it hit him and bounced back into the crowd. The fans obliged, only for Lacy to immediately (and rightly) throw the camera at the ground with all his might, completely smashing it before walking off the stage.

Look, I’m with Steve on this one: Play stupid games, win stupid prizes. This behavior is totally unacceptable, just like crashing the stage. It’s a risk to the artist, who could trip over a fallen object or get hit in the face, it’s a distraction during the performance, and it’s inconsiderate to other fans should the artist decide (again, rightly) to pack it up and leave rather than be treated like a monkey in a zoo (also, do not throw things at monkeys in zoos. Just don’t throw things at all, kids.). Sometimes, it’s also gross. Besides, a disposable camera is 25 bucks; not the most expensive lesson but costly enough that no one will be willing to just throw that money away.

Sam Smith has hit a new stride. As they prepare for the January 2023 release of Gloria, their newly-announced fourth studio album, the singer has achieved the biggest hit of their career thus far. The project’s lead single “Unholy” — a scandal-driven pop hit featuring Kim Petras that debuted at No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 thanks to a anticipation-stirring TikTok pre-release campaign — is the highest-charting debut of their career. Having lingered between the chart’s second and third slots since its release, the record hit No. 1 just four weeks after its release. It’s Smith’s first release to top the chart, surpassing even the success of their 2014 breakthrough single “Stay With Me,” and the first No. 1 single from publicly non-binary (Smith) and transgender (Petras) artists.

Over a decade into their career, Smith is playing hardball in the pop arena in a way that they have never before. Until this point, they have been known for heartbreaking ballads about yearning, unrequited love, and the lasting aftermath of emotional damage — from “Lay Me Down” on their debut album In The Lonely Hour to “No Peace” and “To The Lovers That I Lost” on The Thrill of It All and Love Goes, respectively. Smith’s endeavors into rhythmic pop on singles like “Dancing With A Stranger” featuring Normani and dance pop on their Disclosure collaborations “Omen” and “Latch” have been career highlights for a performer whose evolution process occurs more gradually than many of their peers.

But even as they enter this new era, which thus far has found them playing narrator to scandalous things that go bump in the night, Smith has already constructed an arsenal of hits and deep cuts alike that make a case for their essential placement among the defining musicians and songwriters of their generation. A look back at their discography through the lens of 20 of their greatest songs informs not just where Smith has been, but where they have the undeniable range to go next.

20. “My Oasis” (Love Goes, 2020)

Released as one of the lead singles from Love Goes, “My Oasis” became an immediate stand-out record in Sam Smith’s catalog. Most of Smith’s collaborations appear on ballads, but the single finds them instead teaming up with Nigerian superstar Burna Boy. Together, they whipped up a silky, mid-tempo ode to physical touch at a time when lockdown protocols made that kind of connection slightly difficult. “My Oasis” is rooted in a sense of surrender, finding both Burna Boy and Smith embracing the desire they’ve kept at bay, singing: “There’s nothing I can do when it comes to you.”

19. “Leave Your Lover” (In The Lonely Hour, 2014)

Sam Smith may be a true romantic, but that doesn’t mean that their search for love hasn’t been colored with a few selfish moments. On the somber piano ballad “Leave Your Lover,” they put it all on the line, pleading for the person they want to choose them instead. But they aren’t trying to tempt anyone with promises they can’t fulfill. Admitting that there isn’t much they can offer beyond their deepest devotion, Smith proposes: “I will give you all of me.” If that isn’t enough, they’re willing to walk away knowing they took the difficult step onto that ledge on the unknown.

18. “Unholy” (Gloria, 2023)

Sam Smith hit the ground running with the lead single to their forthcoming fourth studio album Gloria. For most of their career, their massive career-defining hits have usually fallen somewhere in between Adele-esque ballads and mid-tempo rhythmic anthems. But on “Unholy,” Smith made a declaration that they’re ready to enter the competitive ring of pure pop radio smashes. Recruiting Kim Petras to accomplish the feat, they created a theatrical narrative-driven hit that succeeds in its ambitions — showcasing Smith’s unmistakable vocal range while dressing it up in a new sound that pushes the boundaries they’ve comfortably remained within — without swallowing itself whole.

17. “Omen” (Caracal, 2015)

The more Smith and Disclosure work with one another, the stronger their collaborative connection becomes. On their third team-up with the production duo, Sam Smith recounted an ominous story of love doomed to fail over a pulsating dance club beat. As they sing, the moment of realization that their relationship was built to fail comes into focus. “I’m feeling something, something different,” Smith notices, later piecing the puzzle together with newfound clarity: “My mind would rule my heart / I didn’t pay attention to the light in the dark / It left me torn apart / But now I see you tears as an omen.”

16. “One Last Song” (The Thrill Of It All, 2017)

As much as Sam Smith knows how to make the most out of their heartbreak, they also recognize when it’s time to let go and complete the healing process. On “One Last Song,” Smith delivers just that: a reminiscent farewell to a past lover. In a range-showcasing chorus, they recount the ways in which the aftermath of the relationship lingers with them. In their goodbye, they offer a tender parting message, singing: “In case you hear this, then know you’re the love of my life.” Ultimately, they decide it is truly better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all.

15. “How Do You Sleep?” (Love Goes, 2020)

On their debut album, Sam Smith penned a song about the struggle of being knowingly cheated on, but unable to let go — almost willing to endure the pain. Fast forward two albums, Smith revisits the topic on “How Do You Sleep,” embarking on a self-assured mission to stand up for who they are and how they deserve to be treated. “Oh no, how did I manage to lose? / I am not this desperate, not this crazy,” they begin to remember. Their growth shines shortly after, when they decide: “There’s no way I’m sticking ‘round to find out / I won’t lose like that, I won’t lose myself.”

14. “Scars” (The Thrill of It All, 2017)

Until The Thrill Of It All arrived, most of Sam Smith’s songs were pointedly directed at a particular “you” who had broken their heart or was going to. But on “Scars,” the singer speaks directly to their mother and father in a moving dedication to their resilience in choosing themselves. To them both, Smith offers reassurance with a sense that they have also learned from the decisions their parents made that shaped their upbringing. “How you’ve come so far / Your love has fixed all or our broken hearts,” they share warmly. “It’s a lifelong lesson and I’m not pretending then I say, you cleared up my scars.”

13. “I’m Not The Only One” (In The Lonely Hour, 2014)

On “I’m Not The Only One,” the fifth single from In The Lonely Hour, Sam Smith added cheating to the arsenal of relationship tropes presented throughout their growing discography. The record’s narrative is told from the perspective of someone in a relationship who knows their partner is being unfaithful, but begins questioning themselves in the face of not being able to let go. “I have loved you for many years / Maybe I am just not enough,” Smith admits with a sense of sadness, already weighing the aftermath. “You’ve made me realize my deepest fear / By lying and tearing us up.”

12. “Burning” (The Thrill Of It All, 2017)

The first thirty seconds of “Burning” represents one of the most arresting moments in Sam Smith’s discography. “I’ve been burnin’, yes, I’ve been burnin’ / Such a burden, this flame on my chest / No insurance, to pay for the damage / Yeah, I’ve been burnin’ up since you left,” they sing completely acapella, sonically painting an image of a large room empty except for the presence of a lone singer reeling from heartbreak and confusion. Even when the simple piano melody enters and builds throughout the song into a layered choral experience, Smith’s vocal performance remains front and center.

11. “For The Lover That I Lost” (Love Goes, 2020)

Sam Smith initially penned “For The Lover That I Lost” with StarGate and cut a demo that eventually landed in the hands of Céline Dion, who recorded the official version of the song for her 2019 album Courage. Wanting to give it another go, Smith cut another recording of the record for Love Goes. “For The Lover That I Lost,” which essentially hosts a burial for the singer’s past relationships, takes on new life when delivered by its original writer, building a more intimate connection to the music through their personal experience with its source material.

10. “Fire On Fire” (Love Goes, 2020)

Despite their masterful approach to heartbreak, Sam Smith communicates the all-consuming power of love with expert precision on “Fire On Fire.” Particularly when separated from the context of the Netflix adaptation of Richard Adams’ Watership Down, in which the song was featured, it’s an emotionally overwhelming dedication to releasing all inhibiting doubts to allow destiny to intervene, even when a relationship seems unsustainable on paper. “Fire on fire would normally kill us / But this much desire, together, we’re winners,” Smith sings in an orchestral dreamland, never having sounded more deeply in love. “They say that we’re out of control and some say we’re sinners / But don’t let them ruin our beautiful rhythms.”

9. “Pray” (The Thrill Of It All, 2017)

The second single from The Thrill Of It All functioned as an introspective songwriting exercise for Sam Smith. At 25 years old, they became hyper-aware that 99 percent of their discography was about love and heartbreak — and themselves. At the time, in 2017, many artists were turning to music to make sense of the global shifts happening before their eyes. Smith’s own reflection focused on a need for something — anything — bigger than themselves, a thematic narrative elevated by the use of a grand choir. “I’m broken, alone, and afraid,” they admit. “I’m not a saint, I’m more of a sinner / I don’t wanna lose, but I fear for the winners.”

8. “Stay With Me” (In The Lonely Hour, 2014)

Nearly a decade since its release, “Stay With Me” remains the quintessential Sam Smith single. While “Latch” represented most of their audience’s first introduction to them vocally, “Stay With Me” established their foundation as a leading artist. The record reflected their yearning to communicate the individuality of specific emotions with a sense of unspoken relatability — giving form to the feelings that aren’t often spoken out loud. “This ain’t love, it’s clear to see,” they sing on the unmistakable pop ballad, loathing the feeling of waking up alone after a one-night stand. “But darling, stay with me.”

7. “The Thrill Of It All” (The Thrill Of It All, 2017)

If Sam Smith had any deep anxieties about the pressures of sharing their highly-anticipated sophomore album, they don’t show in the music — and especially not in the title track “The Thrill Of It All,” which encapsulated all of the brooding emotions they skillfully communicated across the record. Smith once described the intense piano ballad as a goodbye letter to the era of their debut album and all that came with its success, both their fame and the relationship they immersed themselves in so deeply. They even call back lyrically to “Stay With Me,” the song that started it all: “Even though we weren’t in love / It was far from lust.”

6. “Too Good At Goodbyes” (The Thrill Of It All, 2017)

Three long years after the release of their Grammy Award-winning debut album, Smith returned with “Too Good At Goodbyes” — an introduction to their highly-anticipated sophomore record and proof that they hadn’t lost their golden touch in the time they were away. The track’s minimal production knows the precise moments it needs to swallow the space — stacking vocal harmonies, layering strings, and snapping its rhythm into place — all while centering their vocal performance without distraction. Becoming an instant classic in Smith’s discography, the single acknowledges the singer’s deep familiarity with heartbreak. Over the course of their romantic endeavors, they’ve wrapped themselves in rock-solid armor and it’s going to take an incredible amount of effort for them to bring it down.

5. “Dancing With A Stranger” Feat. Normani (Love Goes, 2020)

In the past, Sam Smith has been hyper-vocal about their love for the now-disbanded girl group Fifth Harmony. While recording their sophomore album The Thrill Of It All with StarGate, Smith ran into Normani at a recording studio where she was working with the production team and invited her to sing on “Dancing With A Stranger,” the sultry R&B duet about letting go and moving on. Having listened so intently to the body of work the group released during their time together, Smith developed an understanding of the ins and outs of their vocal performances — including where Normani was underutilized — and made a point to tap into her wealth of talent alongside their own. When her voice enters on the second verse, it soaks into the track like melted butter. All the while, Smith wields faux blame and resentment with ease: “Look what you made me do, I’m with somebody new.”

4. “Lay Me Down” (In The Lonely Hour, 2014)

Sam Smith released “Lay Me Down” first in 2013 as the lead single from their debut studio album, then re-recorded and shared it again two years later as the record’s sixth single release. The song as we know it now is a representation of Smith at their best, feeling all of the complicated and weighted emotions of love all at once with a sense of pleading that borders on obsession. “Yes, I do, I believe / That one day I will be / Where I was right there / Right next to you,” they breathe out at the start of the song, almost like a mantra they’re repeating to themself. The orchestral backdrop of the track builds like the climax of a film, exploding into the introduction of a deeply intense string session and marching drums. “Lay Me Down” in its final form remains a gold standard within the realm of modern pop ballads.

3. “Love Goes” (Love Goes, 2020)

The title track on Sam Smith’s third studio album begins with a dazzling piano progression dotted with percussive undertones that persists for an entire minute. When a voice finally does emerge, it isn’t their own. Rather, the first lyrics are uttered by singer, songwriter, and producer Labrinth: “I hope you understand that I have to send you away.” He’s one of two narrators in the song, countered by Smith as they deliver a conversational manifesto that reflects the lessons they have learned about love, loss, and sacrifice up to this point in their life. “You’re broken, we know that / And if you knew it, you won’t fight me when I say farewell,” Smith delivers in their grand send-off to a doomed relationship. The instrumentals on “Love Goes” tell a story all on their own, one that communicates freedom by way of a final departure culminating in an ethereal trumpet fanfare.

2. “No Peace” (The Thrill Of It All, 2017)

Leading the second half of Sam Smith’s sophomore album, “No Peace” sets the bar exceedingly high. The hauntingly beautiful ballad recruits powerhouse singer Yebba for a duet of epic proportions. Over an anguished piano melody, Smith and Yebba plead for any sense of release from flashbacks of the past that haunt their every waking moment. When they ask, “Will you show me the piece of my heart I’ve been missing / Won’t you give me the part of myself that I can’t get back / Cause I’d kill for you / And darling you know that,” the pair sounds genuinely held hostage by their emotions, but they aren’t pleading with desperation. There’s a mature sense of resolve and familiarity with the pain that they’re communicating, adding layers of depth to the unspoken elements of the lyrical story driven forward and contextualized by the enveloping production.

1. “Latch” (Settle, 2013)

Sam Smith had been working as a bartender in London when they were first introduced to the EDM duo Disclosure by songwriter Jimmy Napes in 2012. Locked into their first session together, they struck gold beyond measure with “Latch,” the R&B and pure pop-infused dance track that set itself apart in both the EDM and pop scenes that it catapulted its leading artists into after a two-year slow burn on the charts. Much like the commercial success of the song itself, “Latch” takes its time, embracing a smooth simmer in place of a rush to a major drop. With tiny details hidden beneath their voice, “Latch” achieved a sense of timelessness by leaving something new to discover with each listen, even a decade later. The richly atmospheric production on the track wraps itself within layers of pristine vocals as Smith delivers an intoxicating account of falling in love, dragging out its sentiments: “Feel so enamored, hold me tight within your clutch.”