21 (Adele album)

Early writing sessions In April 2009, 20-year-old Adele, who had recently embarked on her first serious relationship with a man 10 years her senior, He arrived four hours early to their first studio session, buying time to better familiarise himself with some of her previous work. In an interview, he commented on the nature of the recording sessions: After recording the album with Rubin, Adele was dissatisfied with many of the songs. From her collaboration with Rubin, only five songs appeared on the album: "Don't You Remember," "He Won't Go," "I'll Be Waiting," "One and Only," as well as the U.S.-only track "I Found a Boy." Weeks after her stint with Rubin, Adele learned of her ex-lover's recent engagement, inspiring the composition of the album's final track "Someone like You." Adele's record label was initially dissatisfied with the song's sparse production, which comprised Adele's voice alongside a sole piano, and requested that it be re-recorded with Rubin's band. However, the singer opted to keep the arrangement, stating that the song was personal to her and that she wrote it to "free herself." Titling Adele first intended to title the album Rolling in the Deep, her adaptation of the slang phrase "roll deep," which summarises how she felt about her relationship; in her loose translation, the phrase refers to having someone "that has your back" and always supports you. However, the singer later deemed the title too confusing for some of her audiences. Although she had wanted to avoid the number motif of her debut, Adele considered "21" the most fitting title as it represented her age at the time of the album's composition, serving as an autobiographical period piece and symbolising the personal maturity and artistic evolution since her debut. == Music and influence ==

21 is a primarily pop, J.D. of Rolling Stone said that Adele "created a burnished R&B sound that harks back to Sixties soul and mid-20th century jazz yet felt utterly present in our own moment". == Songs ==

The sequence of the tracks on the deeply autobiographical album correlates with the range of emotions Adele experienced after the break-up, progressing from themes of anger and bitterness to feelings of loneliness, heartbreak, and regret, and finally, acceptance. Opening with an understated acoustic guitar strum, the song's first lines set the foreboding tone of the album. "Rumour Has It," the singer's tongue-in-cheek retort to the hurtful gossip that surrounded her break-up, was aimed at her own friends for their part in spreading these rumours. Its lyrics entreat a past lover to remember the happier moments at the beginning of a now broken relationship. In "Set Fire to the Rain," the singer delineates the conflicting stages of a troubled union and wrestles with her inability to fully let go. Accentuated by ornate orchestral flourishes, swirling strings, crescendos, In his review of 21, Allmusic's Matt Collar called the song the album's centrepiece, "an instant classic" in the same vein as "And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going" and "All by Myself," a "cathartic moment for fans who identify with their idol's Pyrrhic lovelorn persona." And "Lovesong" (a cover of a song by the Cure) was dedicated to Adele's mother and friends, in whom she found solace when she grew homesick and lonely while recording in Malibu. The song's lyrics describe a protagonist's attempt at dealing with her heartbreak after she learns of her ex-lover's recent marriage and happy new life. Sean Fennessey of The Village Voice praised the singer's nuanced vocal performance in the song, which ascends "into a near-shrieked whisper" during parts of the chorus, after which she once again regains composure. One of the more commended songs on the album, "Someone like You" was praised for its lyrical depth and understated simplicity. == Release and promotion ==

, Washington. For the North American release of 21 on 22 February, Columbia Records executives employed the "'long tail' sales theory" In some countries, "Turning Tables" was released as the fourth single. It was the fifth single to be released to US mainstream stations, although it received limited airplay due to an unofficial release. Even though "I'll Be Waiting" was never released as a single, it charted at No. 29 on the US Triple A chart. == Critical reception ==

21 is widely considered to be Adele's magnum opus. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalised rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream publications, the album received an average score of 76, based on 34 reviews. In The New York Times, Jon Pareles applauded the singer's emotive timbre, comparing her to Dusty Springfield, Petula Clark, and Annie Lennox: "[Adele] can seethe, sob, rasp, swoop, lilt and belt, in ways that draw more attention to the song than to the singer." == Commercial performance ==

Globally, 21 is the best-selling album of the 2010s according to the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry, and topped the charts in more than 30 countries. 21 was the best-selling worldwide release in 2011 with 18 million units sold, and it remained the best-selling release with an additional 8.3 million units sold the following year. Europe 21 debuted at number one on the UK Albums Chart on 30 January 2011 with first-week sales of 208,000 copies. 21 sold over 5.08 million copies as of May 2018, making it the biggest-selling album since 2000 in the UK. As of October 2018, the album sold 5.11 million copies, making it the second biggest-selling studio album in the UK, and fourth best-selling album of all time. The success of 21 brought attention to Adele's previous work. 19 climbed to number four on the UK Albums Chart, making Adele the first living act since The Beatles in 1964 to have two UK top five albums and singles simultaneously. In December 2019, 21 was unveiled by the Official Charts Company as the decade's best-seller, with 5.17 million chart sales. In July 2012, the album was certified decuple platinum by the IFPI, denoting sales of ten million copies across Europe, making it the highest-certified album in Europe since the IFPI Platinum Europe award was launched in 1996. The album lodged 35 weeks atop the Irish Albums Chart, and sold over 270,000 copies. Americas Released on 22 February in the US, 21 debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 with first-week sales of 352,000 copies. the top five for a record 39 consecutive weeks, and the top 10 for a total of 84 weeks. The album is tied with Bruce Springsteen's Born in the U.S.A. for the second-most weeks in the top 10 of the Billboard 200. By November 2012, it had sold 10 million copies, a feat achieved in 92 weeks, making it the fastest album to sell 10 million since NSYNC's No Strings Attached in 2000. In February 2015, the album reached 208 straight weeks, or four years, on the Billboard 200 chart, spending only 24 of those weeks outside the Top 100. 21 is credited with saving the first quarter album sales of 2012 in the United States. Without 21, the first quarter of 2012 would have been down 3.4% compared to the first quarter of 2011. 21 sold more copies in the first quarter of 2012 than any album since 2005 and is the oldest album to be the best-selling album in the first quarter of the year since No Doubt's Tragic Kingdom in 1997. On 28 November 2012, the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) certified it Diamond after having sold more than 10 million copies in the United States alone, made it the first album released in the 2010s to achieve Diamond certification. In December 2012, it was announced that 21 was the best-selling album on iTunes for two years in a row. 21 was the best-selling album of both 2011 and 2012 in the United States and Canada despite being over a year old. It is the first album to be the best-selling album two years in a row since Michael Jackson's Thriller was the best-selling album of 1983 and 1984. Despite being over a year old, 21 sold more copies in 2012 than the best-selling albums of 2006 through 2010 sold in their respective years. It is also one of only four albums in the Nielsen SoundScan era to sell over 4 million copies in each of two calendar years. Due to these successes, Billboard declared Adele the Artist of the Year for the second year in a row, making her the first solo female artist to receive the honor twice. In February 2013, 21 reached two full years on the Billboard 200, never charting lower than number 35 on the chart. This makes 21 the best-selling album of the past 10 years and the fifth best-selling album released since January 2000. In March 2013, after Adele won an Academy Award for "Skyfall", the album reentered the top 10 of the Billboard 200. This marked the album's 81st week in the top 10. Only two other albums have spent as much time in the top 10: Born in the U.S.A. and The Sound of Music. In November 2013, it was announced that 21 had become the first album to sell three million digital copies in the United States and that the album is the 13th best-selling overall in the United States since Nielsen SoundScan began tracking sales in 1991. In November 2019, Billboard named 21 the best selling album of the 2010s. As of January 2020, 21 has sold 12 million copies in the United States, becoming the ninth largest-selling album since Nielsen Music started tracking sales in 1991 and best selling album of the 2010s decade. The album's performance on the Billboard 200 chart earned 21 the distinction of all-time number one album on the chart, according to a summary performed by Billboard in November 2015. In February 2019, 21 has been listed on the Billboard 200 album chart for 400 non-consecutive weeks. 21 also became the first album by a woman to reach 450 weeks on the Billboard 200 in February 2020. In February 2021, 21 made history as the first album by a woman to reach 500 weeks on the Billboard 200. In December 2021, it was announced that 21 was the first album by a woman to spend an entire decade on the Billboard 200 chart. In Canada, 21 spent 35 weeks at number one and was certified diamond in January 2012 by Music Canada for the shipment of 800,000 copies of the album. 21 had sold over 1.489 million copies by January 2013, making it the third best-selling album in Canada since Nielsen SoundScan started tracking sales. Asia–Pacific 21 spent 32 weeks at number one on the Australian ARIA Top 50 Albums Chart, 10 of which were consecutive. Adele also replicated her UK chart record when she achieved two titles in the top five of the ARIA Album and Singles chart simultaneously. In January 2020, 21 was announced as the biggest album of the 2010s in Australia. On the New Zealand RIANZ Albums Chart, 21 debuted at number one in January 2011 and spent 28 weeks at the summit in 2011. Its 38 accumulated weeks at the top are the longest in New Zealand chart history. == Accolades ==

Rankings 21 was ranked as the number one album of all time on the Billboard Top 200 Albums of All Time. 21 appeared on many year-end best-of lists. Metacritic ranked 21 at number two on their list of 2011's most well-received records, based on inclusions in publications' year-end lists. The album was ranked the best album of the year by the Associated Press, As of January 2015, Billboard named 21 as the third-best album of the 2010s (so far). The album was also included in the book 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die. In 2019, Rolling Stone, Consequence, Cleveland.com, Paste, and The Sydney Morning Herald named it the 8th, 19th, 47th, 55th, and 1st best album of the 2010s, respectively. Consequence of Sound also named it the fifth-best pop album of the 2010s. In 2020, the album was ranked at 137 on Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Albums of All Time list. Consequence of Sound ranked the album at number seven on their list of "The 10 Greatest Second Albums of All Time". 21's commercial success effectively transformed Adele's image from a blue-eyed soul singer-songwriter to a global pop phenomenon. Entertainment Weekly considered it the record representing the year of 2011 on their 2020 list of the "30 essential albums from the last 30 years". Industry awards The album was nominated for the 2011 Barclaycard Mercury Prize, losing to Let England Shake by PJ Harvey. In November 2011, Adele won three American Music Awards including Favorite Pop/Rock Album for 21 at the American Music Awards of 2011. At the 2012 Billboard Music Awards, the singer was nominated for twenty categories, winning a record-breaking twelve, including Top Billboard 200 Album and Top Pop Album for 21, and Top Streaming Song (Audio) for "Rolling in the Deep". In May 2013, Adele received five nominations at the 2013 Billboard Music Awards, including Top Billboard 200 Album and Top Pop Album for 21 two years in a row; she won the latter award. The album earned Adele seven Grammys. In February 2012, she won the Grammy Awards for Album of the Year and Best Pop Vocal Album for 21, Record of the Year, Song of the Year, and Best Short Form Music Video for "Rolling in the Deep," and Best Pop Solo Performance for "Someone like You" at the 54th Annual Grammy Awards. Additionally, her producer Paul Epworth won Producer of the Year, Non-Classical. Adele, who was named Best New Artist in 2009, is only the second artist and the first female in history to win all four major Grammy categories. Christopher Cross achieved the same feat in 1981 with a four-award sweep. She is only the eighth artist in Grammy history to win six or more awards in one night, matching the record set among female artists by Beyoncé in 2010. With her wins, Adele became only the sixth artist to win "Grammy's Triple Crown" in one night. She was only the second female solo artist to achieve this feat, following Carole King in 1972, and only the second British artist, after Eric Clapton in 1993. At the age of 22, Adele was the youngest artist at the time to achieve this feat. In February 2013, a live rendition of the album's third single "Set Fire to the Rain," included on Live at the Royal Albert Hall, won the Grammy for Best Pop Solo Performance at the 55th Annual Grammy Awards, making her the first artist to win consecutively in this category. On 21 February 2012, 21 won the British Album of the Year at the 2012 BRIT Awards. It also won the International Album of the Year at the Juno Awards of 2012. == Legacy ==

The album's success has been attributed to its cross-cultural appeal, while Pitchfork praised the album for "cementing her legacy as an artist who could make once-in-a-generation milestones out of her music". Atwood Magazine compared the album to Frank Ocean's Blonde, as they are both second albums, and commented that both albums "could slide into the catalogues of greats like Amy Winehouse and Aretha Franklin and no one would be the wiser" and called Adele "one of the most captivating songwriters of the 21st century". NME described 21 as a "heartbreak pop classic" and further emphasized that it is "so classic in a way that stands the test of time". In an article explaining Adele's record-breaking achievements and impact, The Recording Academy wrote that "Plenty of albums have tapped into emotional truths; few have endured like 21", and further commented that 21 "continues to resonate with audiences in 2021 as much as it did in 2011". Both Junkee and Consequence of Sound credited the album for revitalizing pop music, heralding "a new era of relatable pop", and inspiring a new generation of artists. == Track listing ==

;Notes • "Lovesong" is a The Cure cover. • "If It Hadn't Been for Love" is a The SteelDrivers cover. • "Hiding My Heart" is a Brandi Carlile cover. • "Need You Now" is a Lady A cover. == Personnel ==

Adapted from AllMusic and 21s liner notes. Production • Jim Abbiss – producer and mixing (3, 7) • Adele – design, producer (11) • Philip Allen – engineer (11) • Beatriz Artola – engineer (5) • Phillip Broussard Jr. – assistant engineer (4, 6, 9, 10) • Lindsay Chase – production co-ordination (4, 6, 9, 10) • AJ Clark – assistant engineer (2) • Tom Coyne – mastering • Ian Dowling – mixing (3, 7) • Lauren Dukoff – photography • Tom Elmhirst – mixing (1, 2, 8, 11) • Paul Epworth – producer (1, 8) • Greg Fidelman – engineer (4, 6, 9, 10) • Sara Lyn Killion – assistant engineer (4, 6, 9, 10) • Phil Lee – design • Dana Nielsen – editing, Pro Tools • Dan Parry – assistant mixing (1, 2, 8, 11), vocal engineer (2) • Steve Price – strings engineer (5) • Mark Rankin – engineer (1, 8) • Rick Rubin – producer (4, 6, 9, 10) • Andrew Scheps – mixing (4, 6, 9, 10) • Isabel Seeliger-Morley – assistant engineer (5) • Fraser T Smith – producer and mixing (5) • Ryan Tedder – producer, engineer, programming and arranger (2) • Dan Wilson – producer (11) Music • Adele Adkins – lead vocals • Jo Allen – violin (5) • Stephanie Bennett – harp (4, 6, 9, 10) • Jerrod Bettis – drums and acoustic guitar (2) • Rachel Stephanie Bolt – strings (3) • Natalie Bonner – violin (5) • Harry Brown – horn arrangements and trombone (8) • David Campbell – string arrangements (4, 6, 9, 10) • Ray Carless – tenor saxophone (1, 8) • Carmen Carter – choir (4, 6, 9, 10) • Lenny Castro – percussion (4, 6, 9, 10) • Stephanie Cavey – violin (5) • Neil Cowley – piano (1, 3, 7, 8) • Caroline Dale – strings (3) • David Daniels – strings (3) • Rosie Danvers – string arrangements and violin (5) • Chris Dave – drums (4, 6, 9, 10) • Chris Elliot – string arrangements (3) • Paul Epworth – bass, acoustic guitar, electric guitar, percussion, and background vocals (1, 8) • Jimmy Gilstrap – choir (4, 6, 9, 10) • David Hidalgo – accordion and banjo (4, 6, 9, 10) • Smokey Hormel – guitar (4, 6, 9, 10) • Patrick Kiernan – strings (3) • Boguslaw Kostecki – strings (3) • Peter Lale – strings (3) • Noel Langley – trumpet (1, 8) • Chris Laurence – strings (3) • Julian Leaper – strings (3) • Rita Manning – strings (3) • Eleanor Mathieson – violin (5) • Stephen Morris – strings (3) • Jane Oliver – strings (5) • Emma Owens – strings (5) • Pino Palladino – bass (4, 6, 9, 10) • Tom Pigott-Smith – strings (3) • Ruston Pomeroy – violin (5) • Hayley Pomfrett – violin (5) • Josef Powell – choir (4, 6, 9, 10) • James Poyser – piano (4, 6, 9, 10) • Jenny Sacha – violin (5) • Kotono Sato – violin (5) • Jackie Shave – strings (3) • Lucy Shaw – strings (5) • Emlyn Singleton – strings (3) • Ash Soan – drums (5) • Fraser T Smith – bass guitar and piano (5) • Amy Stanford – strings (5) • Matt Sweeney – guitar (4, 6, 9, 10) • Leo Taylor – drums (1, 8) • Ryan Tedder – electric guitar, bass, piano, Hammond B3, drums, and string arrangement (2) • Ben Thomas – acoustic and electric guitar (8) • Cathy Thompson – strings (3) • Julia Tillman Waters – choir (4, 6, 9, 10) • Carmen Twillie – choir (4, 6, 9, 10) • Lorna Maxine Waters – choir (4, 6, 9, 10) • Oren Waters – choir director (4, 6, 9, 10) • Bruce White – strings (3) • Dan Wilson – piano (11) • The Wired Strings – strings (5) • Chris Worsey – strings (3) • Terry Young – choir (4, 6, 9, 10) • Warren Zielinski – strings (3) == Charts ==

Weekly charts Decade-end charts Year-end charts == Certifications and sales ==