A NOTE FROM BEER: SAM SMITH IS BIGGER THAN YOU THINK

Do not underestimate the impact Sam Smith is having—and will continue to have—on the marketplace. Having “locked in” on key platforms, the British crooner has clearly become the artist of choice for the same adult audience that gave Adele another giant run recently. And he’s not going anywhere.

You probably recall that his sophomore album for Steve Barnett’s Capitol, The Thrill of It All, bowed at #1 in the U.S. with 225k (and also debuted at #1 in the U.K. and elsewhere). It’s still in the Top 10 on our latest SPS chart.

You may also have some memory of his smash “Too Good at Goodbyes” slaying at retail, radio and streaming (it’s pretty much living in the Top 10 at iTunes, is closing on half a million singles sales and remains Top 15 U.S. and Global at Spotify).

More recently, the track “Palace” has been launched into the iTunes Top 20 thanks to its placement in a ubiquitous Apple Earpods commercial. The spot is simply so good, so touchingly beautiful, that it’s a reason to watch live TV. (When’s the last time you said that about an ad?) That genuine emotional connection is the essence of Smith’s appeal—and there’s a lot more where that came from; just wait until the world hears the provocative, powerful “HIM.”

Look for Sam to get bigger, and to loom large (figuratively, at least—he’s very svelte these days) well into next year.