Someone like You (Adele song)

"Someone like You"
Single by Adele
from the album 21
Released24 January 2011 (2011-01-24)
Recorded2010
Genre
Length4:45
Label
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
  • Adele Adkins
  • Dan Wilson
Adele singles chronology
"Rolling in the Deep"
(2010)
"Someone like You"
(2011)
"Set Fire to the Rain"
(2011)
Music video
"Someone like You" on YouTube

"Someone like You" is a song recorded by English singer-songwriter Adele. She and Dan Wilson wrote and produced the track for her second studio album, 21 (2011). XL Recordings released the song as the second single from the album on 24 January 2011 (the same day the album was released) in the United Kingdom and on 9 August 2011 in the United States. Accompanied only by a piano in the song (played by co-writer Wilson), Adele sings about the end of the relationship with her ex-partner.

"Someone like You" received universal critical acclaim, with reviewers choosing it as a highlight of 21 and praised the lyrics, its simple sound and Adele's vocal performance. It became a global success, topping the charts in nineteen countries and reaching the top 10 in various other regions. Following a universally acclaimed performance of the song at the 31st Brit Awards, it became Adele's first number-one single in the UK and stayed atop the chart for five weeks, and was the best-selling single of the year in the region, as well as in Ireland and Italy. It also became Adele's second number one in the US, making her the first British female solo artist in history to have two Billboard Hot 100 number ones from the same album. In July 2011, it became the first single of the decade to be certified 6× Platinum in both the UK and US. It is also certified Diamond in Canada.

An accompanying music video for the song was directed by Jake Nava and filmed in Paris, France, showing Adele walking alone through the streets. Critics praised the video for being simple and perfect for the sound of the song. She added "Someone Like You" to the set list of her second tour Adele Live. The song has been covered by various artists, including the cast of the series Glee.

In 2012, "Someone like You" was voted the third-favourite number-one single of the last 60 years in the UK.[1] "Someone like You" appeared on many year-end lists about the best songs of 2011, and was the inaugural recipient of the Grammy Award for Best Pop Solo Performance, at the 54th ceremony in 2012. The song also received a nomination for the Brit Award for British Single at the 32nd ceremony and also several other nominations. As of 2024, "Someone like You" is the fourth best-selling single of the 21st century and is the 36th-best-selling single in the history of the UK Singles Chart.[2][3]

  1. ^ Goodwyn, Tom (16 July 2012). "Queen's 'Bohemian Rhapsody' named as 'UK's Favourite Number One single'". NME. Retrieved 19 March 2023.
  2. ^ Copsey, Rob (11 June 2015). "The Official Top 40 Biggest Selling Singles of the Millennium so far revealed". Official Charts Company. Archived from the original on 13 June 2015. Retrieved 13 June 2015.
  3. ^ Lane, Dan (4 November 2012). "The Million Sellers – the UK's biggest ever selling singles revealed!". Official Charts Company. Archived from the original on 20 November 2012. Retrieved 10 November 2012.