In the Lonely Hour cover art

  Studio Album · No. 1

In the Lonely Hour Songwriting Credits by Sam Smith

2014 Capitol / Method Records 10 tracks 32 min

Produced by Jimmy Napes, Steve Fitzmaurice, Two Inch Punch, Eg White, Fraser T Smith  ·  Engineered by Steve Fitzmaurice

Capitol / Method Records PopSoulR&B
100%
Authorship
Complete Artist

Holds writing credit on 10 of 10 tracks

Authorship Breakdown 10 / 10 documented

Who wrote the songs?

Scored across the 10 tracks with documented writers, by whether Sam Smith carries a lyricist or composer credit.

100%
10 trackswritten by Sam Smith 0 tracksoutside writers
Sam Smith's roles on this album

Share of the 10 tracks where a band member is credited, by role.

Lyricist100%
Composer100%
Producer0%
Performer100%

By the Numbers

10
Tracks
11
Lyricists
6
Producers
12 million
Worldwide Copies Sold
2014
Released

Awards & Recognition 5

Record of the Year (2015)
Song of the Year (2015)
Best New Artist (2015)
Best Pop Vocal Album (2015)
Best Pop Solo Performance (2015, Nominated)
Data Insight

Sam Smith co-wrote the album with a tight circle of collaborators led by Jimmy Napes (James Napier), who shares writing credit across most of the record alongside producers Eg White, Steve Fitzmaurice, Two Inch Punch and Fraser T Smith. The breakout single 'Stay with Me' later added Tom Petty and Jeff Lynne as co-writers, granting them a 12.5 percent share, after Petty's publisher flagged a melodic likeness to his 1989 song 'I Won't Back Down' and the parties settled in early 2015. The songs draw on confessional pop-soul, built around heartbreak and unrequited love.

In the Lonely Hour is Sam Smith's debut studio album, released 26 May 2014 in the UK. Produced primarily by Jimmy Napes and Steve Fitzmaurice, the album blends soul-inflected pop with confessional ballads addressing unrequited love. The lead single "Stay with Me" became a global phenomenon, spending multiple weeks atop charts worldwide and winning Grammy Awards for Record of the Year, Song of the Year, and Best Pop Vocal Album in 2015. That track's melody later prompted retroactive co-writing credits for Tom Petty and Jeff Lynne due to its similarity to Petty's "I Won't Back Down." Smith co-wrote every track on the album, cementing them as a genuine songwriter from their commercial debut.

Track Listing & Credits 10 tracks

Written by the artist Written by outside writers
#TitleLyricist(s)Composer(s)Producer(s)Performers
1
Money on My Mind
Sam SmithBen Ash Sam SmithBen Ash Two Inch Punch Sam Smith (Vocals)
2
Good Thing
Sam SmithEg White Sam SmithEg White Eg White Sam Smith (Vocals)
3
Stay with Me #2
Sam SmithJimmy NapesWilliam PhillipsTom PettyJeff Lynne Sam SmithJimmy NapesWilliam PhillipsTom PettyJeff Lynne Jimmy NapesSteve Fitzmaurice Sam Smith (Vocals)
4
Leave Your Lover
Sam SmithSimon Aldred Sam SmithSimon Aldred Jimmy NapesSteve Fitzmaurice Sam Smith (Vocals)
5
I'm Not the Only One #5
Sam SmithJimmy Napes Sam SmithJimmy Napes Jimmy NapesSteve Fitzmaurice Sam Smith (Vocals)
6
I've Told You Now
Sam SmithEg White Sam SmithEg White Eg WhiteJimmy NapesSteve Fitzmaurice Sam Smith (Vocals)
7
Like I Can #99
Sam SmithMatt Prime Sam SmithMatt Prime Jimmy NapesSteve FitzmauriceMojam Sam Smith (Vocals)
8
Life Support
Sam SmithBen Ash Sam SmithBen Ash Two Inch Punch Sam Smith (Vocals)
9
Not in That Way
Sam SmithFraser T Smith Sam SmithFraser T Smith Fraser T Smith Sam Smith (Vocals)
10
Lay Me Down #8
Sam SmithJimmy NapesElvin Smith Sam SmithJimmy NapesElvin Smith Jimmy NapesSteve Fitzmaurice Sam Smith (Vocals)

Songwriter & Credit Spotlight 14 contributors

SS
Sam Smith
Writer · Vocals
On this album10 written
JN
Jimmy Napes
Writer · Producer
On this album3 written
EW
Eg White
Writer · Producer
On this album2 written
BA
Ben Ash
Writer
On this album2 written
FT
Fraser T Smith
Writer · Producer
On this album1 written
ES
Elvin Smith
Writer
On this album1 written
JL
Jeff Lynne
Writer
On this album1 written
MP
Matt Prime
Writer
On this album1 written
SA
Simon Aldred
Writer
On this album1 written
TP
Tom Petty
Writer
On this album1 written
WP
William Phillips
Writer
On this album1 written
SF
Steve Fitzmaurice
Producer
On this album6 produced

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Frequently Asked Questions In the Lonely Hour

Did Sam Smith write In the Lonely Hour themselves?
Yes, Sam Smith co-wrote every song on In the Lonely Hour. Their most frequent writing partner was Jimmy Napes (James Napier), who shares credit across the bulk of the album, with additional co-writing from Eg White, Two Inch Punch and Fraser T Smith. The record was built around Smith's own experiences of unrequited love.
Why do Tom Petty and Jeff Lynne have a writing credit on Sam Smith's Stay with Me?
Tom Petty and Jeff Lynne were added as co-writers of 'Stay with Me' after Petty's publisher pointed out a melodic similarity to Petty's 1989 song 'I Won't Back Down.' The parties reached a settlement in early 2015 that gave Petty and Lynne a 12.5 percent songwriting share. The Recording Academy treated the resemblance as an interpolation rather than a sample, so it did not affect the song's Grammy eligibility.
How high did Stay with Me by Sam Smith chart?
'Stay with Me' peaked at number 2 on the Billboard Hot 100, where it spent two weeks held off the top spot. It became Sam Smith's signature single and the album's biggest hit. The song won both Record of the Year and Song of the Year at the 2015 Grammy Awards.
What was the lead single from Sam Smith's In the Lonely Hour in the US?
'Stay with Me' served as the album's breakout single in the United States and reached number 2 on the Billboard Hot 100. 'I'm Not the Only One' followed and peaked at number 5. 'Lay Me Down' later reached number 8 after a 2015 re-release.
How many Grammys did In the Lonely Hour win?
Sam Smith won four Grammys at the 2015 ceremony connected to the album and its singles. In the Lonely Hour took Best Pop Vocal Album, 'Stay with Me' won Record of the Year and Song of the Year, and Smith was named Best New Artist.
How many copies has Sam Smith's In the Lonely Hour sold?
In the Lonely Hour has sold about 12 million copies worldwide, making it one of the best-selling albums of the 2010s. In the US it is certified 5x Platinum by the RIAA, and in the UK it is certified 10x Platinum by the BPI.
Is In the Lonely Hour a soul album?
In the Lonely Hour blends pop, soul and R&B, with Sam Smith's vocal-led ballads drawing heavily on a soul tradition. Tracks like 'Stay with Me' and 'Lay Me Down' lean on gospel-tinged backing vocals, while singles like 'Money on My Mind' add a more uptempo pop edge.

Sources

Wikipedia: In the Lonely Hour Wikipedia: Stay with Me (Sam Smith song) Wikipedia: 57th Annual Grammy Awards MusicBrainz release group Cover Art Archive front cover Cover Art Archive: In the Lonely Hour by Sam Smith