Beginning in 2021, while still enrolled at the State Technical College, Barber released videos on short-form social media platform TikTok performing original songs as well as covers. His first video on the platform displaying his music was posted on March 14, 2021. Barber first gained popularity on the platform when he posted a video of himself performing a cover of Lynyrd Skynyrd's "Simple Man", followed by videos of covers of "Dancing in the Sky" by English duo Dani and Lizzy—which he later released as a single—and "Ophelia" by The Lumineers.
On September 6, 2021, Barber would release his first single, "Run Away High", via digital download and streaming.
In late 2021 and early 2022, Sam Barber auditioned during the filming of the twentieth season of American Idol. Although he received a golden ticket to Hollywood Week following his performance, he was eliminated and neither his audition nor his performance at Hollywood Week would air.
Barber's next release wouldn't be until May of the following year with the single "Ramblin Man" on May 8, 2022. Another long release gap appeared before the releases of "Straight and Narrow" on November 30 and "As Time Passes" on December 15, 2022. The former would eventually become his first charted song and certified gold by the RIAA.
2023–present: Million Eyes and Restless Mind
Barber headlined his first event on June 11, 2023 during a sold-out performance at The Basement, a concert venue in Nashville, Tennessee. Shortly following this, Barber performed at Bruce Springsteen's BST Hyde Park series on July 8, and opened for Ed Sheeran on July 14 at a performance at the Royal Oak Theater. Only three months after his first headliner, Barber made his official Grand Ole Opry debut on September 23.
On September 21, 2023, Barber released his debut EP, Million Eyes, through Lockeland and Atlantic. This EP includes five previously released singles as well as three new songs. Barber has stated that his favorite song off the EP is "Save Me", a ballad about struggles with mental health.
On January 5, 2024, Barber released a live EP, Live EP 001, which includes live performances of some of the songs from Million Eyes and other singles.
On February 9, 2024, Barber released his first single of the year, "S.O.B." Prior to the release of the single, Barber held a fan vote on social media platform Instagram between three potential songs, which "S.O.B." ultimately won. One month later, on March 14, 2024, Barber released his second single of the year, "Streetlight"
On July 19, 2024, Barber released "Tear Us Apart" as a single from the soundtrack album, Twisters: The Album.
On August 9, 2024, Barber announced via Instagram his 25-city "Restless Mind" concert tour and the release of his next single, "Better Year". On August 23, 2024, Barber released a two-song single which contained "Better Year" and a cover of an unreleased song written by Tyler Childers, "Jersey Giant". On October 11, 2024, Barber released another single, "Thought of You". Three days later, Barber announced the release of his debut album, Restless Mind, which was released on November 1, 2024. The album contains 28 tracks, including "Streetlight", "S.O.B.", and "Straight and Narrow", as well as his three most recent singles. The album became Barber’s breakthrough onto the Billboard 200, peaking at 48.
Barber released the single "Man of the Year" on April 18, 2025, and "Home Tonight" on July 18, while announcing a forthcoming third EP. The EP, Music for the Soul, was released on August 1, and contains 7 songs including "Man of the Year" and "Home Tonight".
In April 2026, Sam Barber released his second full-length studio album in 2026 titled Broken View, adding onto the reflective and emotionally-charged music that made him famous. The songs in the album have an array of sounds ranging from simpler acoustic numbers to more complex and richly-layered productions, showcasing his progression as an artist, lyrically and musically.
The main themes explored in the album revolve around reflection and change in one's life, as well as complicated relationships. Some of the songs in "Broken View" have become very popular with listeners and critics alike because of their vulnerable lyrics and more coherent style of music compared to his previous album. The album is considered as a more polished piece of work by many people, helping cement Barber's position among emerging artists in the field.
