Kungashiwo ukuthi umculi Sam Smith waqala i-2014 engaziwa ngokuphelele, ngaphandle kokubambisana kwakhe ne-electronic duo Disclosure, futhi wakhulula izingoma ezimbalwa kuphela ngaphandle kwempumelelo enkulu. Ezinyangeni eziyishumi nambili ezedlule ukuthandwa kwakhe kunyuke kakhulu, kwashintsha le ntokazi yaseLondon eneminyaka engu-22 ubudala isihlabani sase-United Kingdom, muva nje e-United States, kanti izingoma zayo sezidume umhlaba wonke.
Ngokwezinombolo ezivela kumagazini weBillboard, 'Ngehora Lomzwangedwa', i-albhamu yokuqala yalo mculi waseBrithani ekhishwe ilebula iCapitol, isidayise amakhophi ayisigidi kulo nyaka, okuyisibalo esimvumele ukuthi athole i-platinum disc e-United States. I-albhamu kaSmith ibekwe ohlwini lwama-albhamu athengiswa kakhulu onyakeni eNyakatho Melika, ngemuva kwabaholi, i-Frozen soundtrack (amakhophi ayizigidi ezi-1) kanye nekaTaylor Swift ka-3.4 (amakhophi ayizigidi ezi-1989).
Ukuvala lo nyaka wempumelelo, ezinsukwini ezimbalwa ezedlule i-albhamu kaSmith iqokwe kuma-Grammy Awards ayisithupha futhi usanda kukhipha ividiyo ethi 'Njengoba Ngingakwazi', okuyingxenye yegama lakhe lokuqala, elithi 'In the Lonely Hour', futhi eliyingoma yesihloko se-EP yakhe elandelayo, ehlanganisa ama-remix amathathu ale single.