To be one of only two artists to sell a million LPs in the UK in a calendar year is an achievement. To similarly smash that same landmark figure in the US (and pick up six Grammy nominations) is even more impressive. To achieve all of that with a debut album is, frankly, quite staggering.

While he may have been pipped to 2014’s official artist albums top spot by Ed Sheeran’s second LP, Smith’s rise from an unknown featured ...