21 (Adele album)

21
A black-and-white close-up of Adele, shown with her eyes closed and leaning her head on her hand. The singer's name and the album title are written at the bottom.
Studio album by
Adele
Released24 January 2011 (2011-01-24)
RecordedMay 2009 – October 2010
Studio
Genre
Length48:01
Label
Producer
Adele chronology
19
(2008) 		21
(2011) 		Live at the Royal Albert Hall
(2011)
Singles from 21
  1. "Rolling in the Deep"
    Released: 29 November 2010
  2. "Someone Like You"
    Released: 24 January 2011
  3. "Set Fire to the Rain"
    Released: 4 July 2011
  4. "Rumour Has It"
    Released: 5 November 2011
  5. "Turning Tables"
    Released: 5 November 2011

21 is the second studio album by the English singer-songwriter Adele. It was released on 24 January 2011[4] in Europe by XL Recordings and on 22 February 2011 in North America by Columbia Records. The album was named after the age of the singer during its production. 21 shares the Motown and soul influences of her 2008 debut album 19, but also draws influence from the American country and Southern blues music that Adele started listening to during the North American leg of her tour An Evening with Adele. Composed in the aftermath of the singer's separation from her then partner, the album explores themes of heartbreak, healing, introspection, and forgiveness.

Adele began writing 21 in April 2009, while still involved in the relationship that subsequently inspired the record. Looking to deviate from the brooding sound of her first album, she had intended to compose a more upbeat and contemporary follow-up. However, studio sessions ended prematurely due to a lack of inspiration. She resumed production immediately after the breakdown of her relationship, channelling her heartbreak and depression into her songs. Adele collaborated with various songwriters and producers, including Columbia Records co-president at the time Rick Rubin, Paul Epworth, Ryan Tedder, Jim Abbiss, and Dan Wilson.

21 was met with universal acclaim upon its release and capitulated Adele into global superstardom. It defied the modest commercial expectations of her independent record label, XL. A sleeper hit, it topped record charts in more than 30 countries and became the world's best-selling album of the year for both 2011 and 2012, helping to revitalise the lagging sales of the global music industry. In the United Kingdom, it is the best-selling album of the 21st century and the fourth best-selling album of all time, while its 23-week tenure atop the UK Albums Chart is the longest by a female solo artist. In the United States, it is the best-performing Billboard 200 album of all time,[5] holding the top position for 24 weeks, longer than any other album since 1985 and the longest by a female solo artist in Billboard 200 history.[6] It was certified Diamond by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), denoting sales of over 10 million copies in the US. In addition, three of the five singles released in its promotion – "Rolling in the Deep", "Someone like You", and "Set Fire to the Rain" – became international number-one songs, while "Rumour Has It" charted in the top 20 in countries across Europe and North America. With sales of over 31 million copies worldwide, 21 is the best-selling album of the 21st century, and the seventeenth best-selling album of all time.[7][8]

Propelling Adele into international stardom, it was credited for reviving the music industry with a large number of physical and digital sales rather than downloading and streaming. Praised for its understated production, vintage aesthetic, and Adele's vocal performance, 21 was shortlisted for the 2011 Mercury Prize. Adele received a record-tying six Grammy Awards, including Album of the Year along with the Brit Award for British Album of the Year. Widely considered to be one of the greatest albums of the 21st Century, it has since been ranked amongst Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Albums of All Time and is included in the book 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die.

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference ew was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference guardian was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ "25 Going on 40". Slate. 24 November 2015. Retrieved 18 October 2024.
  4. ^ "Adele – 21 – MP3 Downloads". 7digital. Archived from the original on 2 April 2019. Retrieved 24 January 2011.
  5. ^ "Greatest of All Time Billboard 200 Albums Chart". Billboard. Retrieved 24 August 2021.
  6. ^ Caulfield, Keith (12 November 2015). "Greatest Billboard 200 Albums & Artists of All Time: Adele's '21' & The Beatles Are Tops". Billboard. Archived from the original on 10 December 2018. Retrieved 12 November 2015.
  7. ^ "BBC Radio 2 - Pick of the Pops - The Top 40 Best Selling Albums of the 21st Century so far..." BBC. Retrieved 2 January 2023.
  8. ^ Serjeant, Jill (31 October 2016). Osterman, Cynthia (ed.). "Adele says she battled depression, before and after son's birth". Vanity Fair. Reuters. Retrieved 14 February 2017.