Yes. Sam Smith is credited on about 98% of their catalogue, co-writing nearly every song rather than performing material written entirely by others. Their most frequent partner is Jimmy Napes, who helped write hits like 'Stay with Me' and 'Too Good at Goodbyes.' Smith, who uses they/them pronouns, is a genuine songwriter, not just a vocalist.
By the Numbers
5
Studio Albums
56
Tracks Credited
98%
Self-Written
19
Years Active
86
Collaborators
Authorship Breakdown 55 / 56 self-written
Who wrote the songs?
Across all 56 tracks: how many Sam Smith wrote alone, how many they co-wrote, and how many were written by others. The bracket marks every track they hold any writing credit on.
Sam Smith has a writing credit98%
98%
2%
Sole author0tracks0%
Co-written55tracks98%
Outside writers1tracks2%
Role Fingerprint how they contribute
Sam Smith's roles across the catalogue
Share of all 56 tracks where they are personally credited, by role.
Lyricist (words)98%
Composer (music)98%
Producer41%
Performer100%
Authorship Over Time writing credit per album
Sam Smith's writing credit per album, in release order. Hover any bar for the album.
avg 98%
100%
100%
100%
92%
100%
2014In the Lonely Hour
2017The Thrill of It All
2020Love Goes
2023Gloria
2026Hazel Eyes
Early · 100% written
Late · 96% written
Authorship by Decade track-weighted
100%
2010s
In the Lonely Hour, The Thrill of It All
97%
2020s
Love Goes, Gloria +1 more
Authorship Spectrum pure performer to complete author
Where Sam Smith sits on the scale from a pure performer (0%, sings songs written by others) to a complete author (100%, writes everything). The bright marker is their catalogue authorship score, plotted against other artists on the site.
Sam Smith
Other artists on the site
Reference artists spread across the scale, closest by genre and era.
Bubble size = tracks worked on together. JN Jimmy Napes · SF Steve Fitzmaurice · SA Simon Aldred · MS Mikkel S. Eriksen · TE Tor Erik Hermansen
The Authorship Story
Data Insight
Sam Smith co-writes every track in their catalog, giving them a near-100% lyricist score across all four studio albums. Their primary creative partner is Jimmy Napes, who appears as a co-writer and co-producer on the majority of tracks across all four records. Smith does not self-produce, so their composer score is lower, production is consistently delegated to collaborators including Steve Fitzmaurice, Stargate, Ilya, and others. The lyricist/composer split is characteristic of a pop songwriter who focuses on melody and words while outsourcing sonic production.
Quick Facts
GrammysWon four Grammy Awards at the 2015 ceremony, including Record and Song of the Year for 'Stay with Me'
Academy AwardWon the Oscar for Best Original Song for 'Writing's on the Wall' from Spectre
Stay with Me settlementTom Petty and Jeff Lynne were added as co-writers after a claim over its similarity to 'I Won't Back Down'
Main collaboratorJimmy Napes has co-written and co-produced most of their catalogue
UnholyTheir 2022 hit with Kim Petras reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100
Creative Fingerprint
A co-writer with one steady partner: Sam Smith is credited on about 98% of their catalogue, co-writing nearly every song, most often with Jimmy Napes, rather than singing songs written entirely by others.
The Story
Sam Smith (born Samuel Frederick Smith, 19 May 1992) is a British singer-songwriter from London. They rose to prominence with the debut single "Money on My Mind" in 2014 and achieved mainstream breakthrough with "Stay with Me," which won Grammy Awards for Record of the Year and Song of the Year in 2015. Smith came out as non-binary in October 2019 and has since been one of the most prominent non-binary voices in mainstream pop. Their music blends pop, soul, and R&B with intimate, emotionally direct songwriting. Smith co-writes virtually every song in their catalog, primarily alongside longtime collaborator Jimmy Napes, while working with a rotating roster of external producers.
Awards & Recognition
Won four Grammy Awards at the 2015 ceremony, including Best New Artist, Record of the Year, and Song of the Year for 'Stay with Me'
Won the Academy Award and Golden Globe for Best Original Song for 'Writing's on the Wall' (Spectre)
In the Lonely Hour (2014) won the Grammy for Best Pop Vocal Album
'Unholy' with Kim Petras reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 in 2022
Frequently Asked Questions Sam Smith
Does Sam Smith write their own songs?
Yes. Sam Smith is credited on about 98% of their catalogue, co-writing nearly every song rather than performing material written entirely by others. Their most frequent partner is Jimmy Napes, who helped write hits like 'Stay with Me' and 'Too Good at Goodbyes.' Smith, who uses they/them pronouns, is a genuine songwriter, not just a vocalist.
Why do Tom Petty and Jeff Lynne have credits on 'Stay with Me'?
'Stay with Me' was written by Sam Smith and Jimmy Napes, but after release Tom Petty and Jeff Lynne were added as co-writers over its similarity to Petty's 'I Won't Back Down.' A 2014 settlement gave them a share of the royalties. Smith has said the resemblance was a coincidence.
Who wrote 'Too Good at Goodbyes'?
'Too Good at Goodbyes,' the lead single from The Thrill of It All (2017), was co-written by Sam Smith with Jimmy Napes and others. It returned Smith to the top of the UK chart and continued the confessional ballad style of their debut.
Did Sam Smith win a Grammy?
Yes, four at once. At the 2015 Grammys, Sam Smith won Best New Artist, Record of the Year and Song of the Year for 'Stay with Me,' and Best Pop Vocal Album for In the Lonely Hour. They later won an Oscar for 'Writing's on the Wall.'
Who wrote 'Unholy'?
'Unholy,' from Gloria (2023), was co-written and performed by Sam Smith and Kim Petras along with a team of writers. It became Smith's first US number one and made history for its performers at the Grammys.
Jimmy Napes is a British songwriter and producer who is Sam Smith's closest collaborator. He co-wrote and co-produced much of their catalogue, including 'Stay with Me' and 'Writing's on the Wall,' and shares in Smith's Grammy and Oscar wins.
What genre is Sam Smith?
Sam Smith makes pop, soul, and R&B, known for emotional ballads like 'Stay with Me' and 'Lay Me Down' alongside dance-pop moments like 'Unholy.'
Sam Smith