“Too Good at Goodbyes” tells of a turbulent personal relationship, and is Sam Smith’s first solo release since their 2015 James Bond theme “Writing’s on the Wall.” The song is the lead single from their sophomore album, The Thrill of It All.

In a Beats 1 interview, Sam explained that only four songs on the album are about them, and “Too Good at Goodbyes” is one of them. They told Zane Lowe how the song was inspired by a real relationship:

[The song is] about a relationship I was in and it’s basically about getting good at getting dumped. […] I’m still very, very single. I think I’m even more single than I was when I released In the Lonely Hour.

They also said,

At the time I was trying to convince myself I was tough, to protect myself. I was gearing up for what I knew would happen. I’m really not like that at all.

In an interview with Nick Grimshaw on BBC Radio 1 on the morning the song dropped, Nick introduced Sam by saying that “the vibes around Sam have definitely changed,” and Sam agreed. They explained that the album, due in November, is a tribute to the family and friends who supported them over the years, focusing on ‘their lives — their ups and downs —, rather than Sam’s own.