[6] On 1 September, Spotify put up billboards in New York City, Los Angeles, and London to announce the release date of Smith's new music.

[9] The sheet music for "Too Good at Goodbyes" shows the key of D minor in common time with a tempo of 92 beats per minute.

'"[13] Chris Willman of Variety said about the track, "Once again, Smith is plumbing the depths of melancholia with a flawless, effortlessly flexible tenor that seems to be on loan to the underworld from somewhere in the heavens.

There's not a lot in the track that he, carry-over collaborator Jimmy Napes, and songwriter-producer duo Stargate have come up with to detract from that instrument.

Eventually a light beat kicks in, then a gospel choir, as if to almost mock Smith’s romantic lamentation by raising it to the level of spiritual battle.

"[14] Marc Hogan of Pitchfork was more negative, and opined "'Too Good at Goodbyes' doesn't so much reflect a person exceptionally skilled in ending relationships as it feels equal parts calculating and convoluted.

[17] "Too Good at Goodbyes" topped the UK Singles Chart on 15 September 2017 - for the week ending dated 21 September 2017 - with 33,000 downloads and 4.4 million streams, dethroning Taylor Swift's "Look What You Made Me Do" from the summit and giving Smith their sixth number-one single on the chart.

[20] It also stayed atop the UK charts for three consecutive weeks giving Smith their longest run at number one there.