# @popbase on Instagram

- **Type:** Video
- **Original URL:** https://www.instagram.com/p/DcsSUuPBjfv
- **Gondola URL:** https://gondola.cc/posts/69782536-popbase-instagram
- **Thumbnail:** https://img.gondola.cc/tr:w-,h-,fo-auto/postThumbnails/e5b95135d1.jpg
- **Posted:** 2026-08-31T05:00:07.000+00:00
- **Account Owner:** Pop Base (@PopBase) — https://gondola.cc/PopBase

## Caption

12 years ago today, Sam Smith released ‘I’m Not The Only One.’

Jimmy Napes co-wrote and produced 'I'm Not the Only One' alongside Sam Smith, recording it primarily at RAK Studios in London during 2013, with additional string arrangements handled by Simon Hale and recorded at Angel Studios. It became the second US single (third in the UK) from Smith's debut album, 'In the Lonely Hour,' released to radio on August 31, 2014, following the massive success of earlier tracks 'Stay with Me' and 'Money on My Mind.' Rather than pulling from personal romantic experience, Smith wrote the song as an observational piece about a woman going through a troubled marriage, showcasing a storytelling side of their songwriting beyond the raw confessional style that had already defined the album.

Musically, the piano-led, gospel-structured soul ballad builds around strings, drums, and bass into a slow, marching midtempo arrangement, drawing comparisons at the time to songwriting greats like Elton John and Billy Joel. The track went on to earn a lasting reputation as one of the album's most quietly powerful moments, later reevaluated by critics as an early, influential example of openly queer longing expressed in mainstream pop, contributing meaningfully to the broader cultural impact of 'In the Lonely Hour.'

A decade later, the song found new life through several reworkings: a 2015 deluxe edition paired it with a guest verse from A$AP Rocky, and in 2024, Smith marked the album's 10th anniversary with fresh collaborations, including a version featuring Alicia Keys and another with South Korean singer Taeyeon. That continued reinvention helped keep the song culturally present well beyond its original release, reinforcing its status as one of the defining singles of Smith's breakout era.

#samsmith #music #popculture

## Stats

- **Views:** 12,073
- **Likes:** 646
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- **Comments:** 12

## Tags

music, samsmith, popculture

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