Many considered Sam Smith to be the ghost of Adele when he rose to fame after she abruptly dropped off the face of the Earth circa 2012.
But Sam carved out his own place in the industry with his rich vocals, heavily produced instrumentals, and lyrical style that tugged on the heartstrings.
He’s still producing new music, and his career has taken on several variations in the past few years. If you listen closely enough, you can hear Sam’s distinctive sound span several genres.
Sam Smith’s Music Genres
Pop
Sam’s pop isn’t exactly eight counts and a bounce. His pop music is typically more subdued and, in some cases, quite dark and eerie.
“Latch” is pop with a side of techno. It’s got well-defined beats that are overlaid with Sam’s loosely enunciated lyrics.
“Unholy” is one of his more recent pop offerings that reflects today’s souped-up production standards with its intricate use of sound effects.
Sam really soared in the pop genre because his sound struck a totally different and unique chord as compared to his contemporaries.
Soul
Sam Smith is soul. Soul is Sam Smith. One of Sam’s many allures is that his voice carries a kind of soulful elegance that isn’t common for performers today.
“I’m Not The Only One” is a slow burn with prominent strings that harken back to the soul music of the 1970s.
One of his more upbeat pieces, “Like I Can,” hears Sam belting it out against a pulsating guitar and tight percussion.
Sam’s flavor of soul can’t be completely separated from the pop genre, but his work in this space achieves its own fullness that’s rarely heard from other current artists.
R&B
Sam can certainly hold his own against some of the major R&B artists of yesterday and today.
“Stay With Me” is a melodrama that’s quintessential R&B. It has a rich bass, a slow progression, and needy lyrics about begging a lover to stick it out.
Other R&B works, like “Too Good at Goodbyes,” let Sam’s vocals stand mostly on their own with minimal interruption from the instrumentals.
Sam’s voice fits the R&B genre like a sparkly glove, and his voice’s natural richness amplifies all of the tracks he’s produced in this category.
Conclusion
One thing about Sam Smith is that he’s not afraid to break barriers and find his own style. Whether that’s wearing a dress to the Grammy’s or debuting a unique new sound, Sam is always on the forefront of the latest and greatest.
No matter what genre he’s testing out, his quality and unmistakable sound guarantee that it’s going to be a hit.