Album Tops Charts In Eight Countries, Including The U.K.
Sam Smith’s sophomore record from Capitol Records, The Thrill Of It All debuts at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 with 237,000 equivalent album units earned during the week ending November 9th. It has also topped the charts in the U.K, Ireland, New Zealand, Norway, Sweden, the Netherlands and Belgium, selling one million units worldwide in the first week of release. The Thrill Of It All is the follow-up to In The Lonely Hour, which was the biggest selling U.K. male debut in the SoundScan era and has sold 13 million adjusted albums worldwide.
The album includes the hit “Too Good At Goodbyes,” which is certified Platinum by the RIAA. The single debuted at No. 1 on Billboard’s Digital Song Sales chart and topped the U.S. and U.K. iTunes charts with over 500 million combined streams worldwide. Views of the official video exceed 225 million.
Rolling Stone awarded The Thrill Of It All four stars and hailed Smith as “one of the mightiest, most expressive singers of his generation.” The Associated Press observed, “he’s still singing emotional songs, but his growth is evident. And perfectly executed…There’s not a miss on the 10-track album…’The Thrill of It All’ is everything, and more.” NPR said, “Sam Smith is a colossal force in contemporary pop music.” People declared the album “a stunner” and Entertainment Weekly said, “Smith has pipes that are, on their own, worth the price of admission.” Vulture noted, “‘Thrill’ successfully expands Smith’s palette into something grander and more poignant…It’s intriguing to watch (one) of the era’s finest pop vocalists standing on the power of raw talent and emotion.”
The Thrill Of It All finds Smith working once again alongside close friend and long-time collaborator Jimmy Napes plus Timbaland, Malay, Jason “Poo Bear” Boyd and Stargate. He was also joined in the studio by The Dap Kings, gospel choirs and YEBBA, a young singer he discovered on YouTube, who duets with him on “No Peace.”
The North American leg of The Thrill Of It All arena tour will kick off on June 18, 2018 at Air Canada Centre in Toronto and include shows at Barclays Center in Brooklyn (June 27th), New York City’s Madison Square Garden (June 29th) and STAPLES Center in Los Angeles (August 28th-29th). Tickets are on sale now.
Smith launched the album with television appearances on Saturday Night Live, The Ellen DeGeneres Show, and The Late Late Show with James Corden. He was also recently featured on the cover of The New York Times’ Sunday Arts & Leisure section.
In February 2015, Smith set a GRAMMY record, winning a total of four awards – the most ever received by a U.K. artist following the release of a debut album. He was named Best New Artist, In The Lonely Hour took Best Pop Vocal Album honors and his single “Stay With Me” won awards for both Record and Song of the Year. Smith has also earned an Oscar, a Golden Globe, three Billboard Music Awards and three BRIT Awards, among others.
