Stay With Me" is a song by English recording artist Sam Smith from his debut studio album In the Lonely Hour (2014). It was released in the United Kingdom as a digital download on 18 May 2014. "Stay With Me" is a gospel-inspired ballad that details the protagonist pleading with his one-night stand not to leave him. The song was written by Smith, James Napier, and William Phillips, with Tom Petty and Jeff Lynne also receiving co-writer credits due to the song's similarity to Petty's single "I Won't Back Down". The song is about the moment in the morning after a one night stand, where the person you are with leaves your house, and you are left by yourself, and it's just a second, where you are just like: 'I wish, I wish'. You don't even love them, you don't really fancy them that much, it's just nice to have someone in the bed next to you.
On 25 March 2014, the song was played for the first time on Zane Lowe's BBC Radio 1 show at 7:30pm. On 29 March, he performed the song live on Saturday Night Live in the United States. On 16 May, he performed the song on The Graham Norton Show. In June, he returned to the United States as part of his tour where he performed the song on Good Morning America, at the Apollo Theater in New York with Mary J. Blige, and David Letterman.
The song has become Smith's most successful single to date, peaking at number one in the UK Singles Chart (becoming his third chart-topper there, second as a solo artist), topping the charts in Canada and New Zealand, and reached number two on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100. It has also reached top 10 status in over twelve countries worldwide. In December 2014, Smith was nominated for six Grammy Awards, and won four in February 2015 : Best New Artist, "Stay with Me" for Record of the Year, Song of the Year, and In the Lonely Hour for Best Pop Vocal Album. Smith said that "I want to thank the man who this record is about who I fell in love with last year. Thank you so much for breaking my heart because you got me four Grammys.