“Stay with Me” sees Smith yearning for a lasting relationship after a one-night stand leaves them craving more. One of their biggest hits, it’s gone #1 in countries like the United States, Canada, and Ireland, and even won two Grammy awards.

Written with Jimmy Napes and Tourist in Old Street, London studio, Smith claimed “the song just flowed out of us so naturally.” When Tourist played the first three chords, Napes quickly added a drum layer, and the rest of the track took only 30-40 minutes to write.

Upon the track’s release, listeners noticed similarities between “Stay With Me” and Tom Petty’s 1989 hit “I Won’t Back Down.” Smith’s team said that this was purely coincidental, but agreed to give Petty co-writer credits, and Petty stated that he has no ill feelings for Smith.

The music video was directed by Jamie Thraves, who also directed the music videos for Smith’s “Money On My Mind,” Radiohead’s “Just,” Coldplay’s “The Scientist,” by and Death Cab for Cutie’s “I Will Follow You into the Dark.” It features Sam walking down the street in Hackney, London, among other settings.