IN THE LONELY HOUR (SAM SMITH)

The fighting doesn’t just end after they come home.

Dear Donald Trump, I’m Proud That My Parents Are Immigrants

A MUST.

3D Edit of Sam Smith’s I’m Not The Only One

Must listen with earphones/headphones

SAM SMITH — BEST ARTIST OF 2014

There are many times that we Americans have had to flag a major #latepass to our friends in the U.K. Sam Smith is a prime example. Brits have been jamming to his vocals since 2012, thanks to the breakout success of Disclosure’s “Latch.” The 22-year-old singer even began the year atop the BBC’s coveted Sound of 2014 shortlist, though he remained a slow-boiling breakthrough overall as the year began. Considering his debut album, In The Lonely Hour, is holding steady at #5 on the Billboard 200 more than 20 weeks after its initial release — and is nominated for an astonishing six Grammys — I can only assume that this is no longer the case.

The tear-stained agony of a love unrequited on “Stay With Me” captured the imagination of heartbroken Americans like it was the second coming of Adele’s “Someone Like You.” Still, the most remarkable part of that success might be that this relatable message was communicated by a gay man. The most well-known LGBT narratives in music were still mostly being sung and rapped by straight artists in 2013, so I’d say Sam’s rise to prominence is incredibly significant, to say the least. – JW