
On 6 October 2017, Smith released "Pray", a gospel-tinged ballad in collaboration with Timbaland, prompted by time spent in Iraq with the charity War Child as a promotional single from the album. " Baby, You Make Me Crazy" was released as the fourth single from the album on 29 June 2018. On 27 March 2018, Smith announced that " Pray" would serve as the third single, and would feature newly recorded guest vocals from American rapper Logic. " One Last Song" was sent to radio in the United Kingdom on 3 November 2017, on the day of album release as its second single. It topped the UK Singles Chart and peaked No.

" Too Good at Goodbyes" was released as the album's lead single on 8 September 2017. I was actually just trying to make something personal and like a diary." Singles "I wasn't trying to make a big pop record when I made this album. "I went through, like, this vortex, came out, I feel like I've rebuilt myself as a stronger thing and I'm just gonna go into the vortex again," they say in a preview that features a montage of studio sessions. Speaking to Billboard about the album, Smith said:

It is Smith's second full album of material after their hugely successful debut album In the Lonely Hour (2014), which has sold 12 million copies worldwide. On 6 October 2017, Smith announced via Twitter that their second album, titled "The Thrill of It All", was to be released on 3 November 2017. It was released on 3 November 2017 through Capitol Records. The Thrill of It All is the second studio album by English singer and songwriter Sam Smith.
