• Features
  • Reviews
  • New Music
  • Interviews
  • Polls
  • About
  • Search
Menu

Albumism

Street Address
City, State, Zip
Phone Number
Celebrating our love affairs with albums past, present and future

Albumism

  • Features
  • Reviews
  • New Music
  • Interviews
  • Polls
  • About
  • Search

The Best Albums of the 2010s: Sam Smith’s ‘In the Lonely Hour’

November 3, 2019 Justin Chadwick
Sam Smith debut album In the Lonely Hour

Editor’s Note: The Albumism staff has selected what we believe to be the 110 Best Albums of the 2010s, representing a varied cross-section of artists, genres, and styles. Click “Next Album” below to explore each album in the list or for easier navigation, view the full introduction & album index here.

SAM SMITH | In the Lonely Hour
Capitol/Method (2014)
Selected by Justin Chadwick 

BUY ON AMAZON
[As an Amazon affiliate partner, Albumism earns commissions from qualifying purchases.]

Most of us first discovered Sam Smith’s precocious vocal prowess upon first hearing the skin-tingling, instant-classic single “Latch” by Disclosure back in 2013. After those initial goosebumps subsided, I recall wondering “who is this guy singing and where in the world can I find more of his songs?” The immediate answer was the acoustic version of “Latch” that, more so than the original version, allows Smith’s remarkable voice to rise to the forefront. That was it. I was hooked. Thankfully, Smith rewarded my (and all of our) patience and intrigue by releasing their first proper long player in the spring of 2014. Full of sweeping ballads (“Stay With Me,” “Lay Me Down,”) and a stellar uptempo stomper (“Money On My Mind”) sprinkled in for good measure, In the Lonely Hour netted Smith six —count ‘em, six—GRAMMY nominations, of which they won four, including Best Pop Vocal Album.

NEXT ALBUM >

LISTEN & WATCH:

Tags Sam Smith
← The Best Albums of the 2010s: A Tribe Called Quest’s ‘We Got It From Here... Thank You 4 Your Service’The Best Albums of the 2010s: Apollo Brown & Guilty Simpson’s ‘Dice Game’ →

Featured
Sananda Maitreya’s ‘Vibrator’ Turns 30 | Album Anniversary
Sananda Maitreya’s ‘Vibrator’ Turns 30 | Album Anniversary
a-ha’s Debut Album ‘Hunting High And Low’ Turns 40 | Album Anniversary
a-ha’s Debut Album ‘Hunting High And Low’ Turns 40 | Album Anniversary
Sting’s Debut Solo Album ‘The Dream Of The Blue Turtles’ Turns 40 | Album Anniversary
Sting’s Debut Solo Album ‘The Dream Of The Blue Turtles’ Turns 40 | Album Anniversary

©2025 Albumism | All Rights Reserved. Use of any portion of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy. The content on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Albumism.