Adele Laurie Blue Adkins, often referred to as Adele, is an English singer-songwriter. Considered a British legend, she is recognized for her mezzo-soprano voice and poignant lyricism. She has received 16 Grammy Awards, 12 Brit Awards, an Academy Award, a Primetime Emmy Award, and a Golden Globe Award.
Following her graduation in arts from the BRIT School in 2006, Adele secured a record contract with XL Recordings. Her inaugural album, 19, was launched in 2008 and featured the UK top-five songs 'Chasing Pavements' and 'Make You Feel My Love'. 19 was recognized among the top 20 best-selling debut albums in the UK. She received the Grammy Award for Best New Artist. Adele launched her second studio album, 21, in 2011. It emerged as the best-selling album globally of the 21st century. 21 holds the record for the highest-performing album in US chart history, dominating the Billboard 200 for 24 weeks, with the singles 'Rolling in the Deep', 'Someone like You', and 'Set Fire to the Rain' leading charts globally, establishing them as her hallmark songs. The album attained a record-equalling six Grammy Awards, encompassing Album of the Year. In 2012, Adele released 'Skyfall', a soundtrack song for the James Bond film of the same name, which earned her the Academy Award for Best Original Song.
Adele's third studio album, 25, was launched in 2015, shattering first-week sales records in both the UK and US. In the United States, it is the sole album to have sold over three million copies inside a week. 25 garnered her five Grammy Awards, including the prestigious Album of the Year. The primary hit, 'Hello', attained significant global popularity. Her fourth studio album, 30, published in 2021, has 'Easy on Me', which garnered her a Grammy Award in 2023. Albums 25 and 30 achieved best-selling status globally, including in the US and the UK, in 2015 and 2021, respectively. By 2024, all of her studio albums, with the exception of 19, had achieved the status of best-selling albums globally in the 21st century.
Adele ranks among the world's top-selling music artists, having sold over 120 million records globally. She is the best-selling female artist of the 21st century in the UK and was recognized as the best-selling artist of the 2010s in the US. Her studio albums 21 and 25 were the two best-selling albums of the 2010s in the UK and are both included in the best-selling albums in UK chart history; in the US, both are certified Diamond, the highest certification for any artist who began in the 21st century.
Early life and schooling
Adele Laurie Blue Adkins was born on May 5, 1988, in Tottenham, London, to an English mother, Penny Adkins, and a Welsh father, Marc Evans. Following Evans' departure when Adele was two, she was raised by her mother. She began singing at the age of four and claims to have developed an obsession with voices. In 1997, nine-year-old Adele and her mother, who had subsequently secured employment as a furniture maker and an adult education activities coordinator, moved to Brighton on the southern coast of England.
In 1999, Adele and her mother relocated to London, initially to Brixton, followed by the adjacent area of West Norwood in south London, which inspired her inaugural song 'Hometown Glory.' Adele spent a significant portion of her adolescence at Brockwell Park, where she played the guitar and sang to friends, a memory she reflected upon in her 2015 song 'Million Years Ago'. She remarked, 'It encompasses significant periods of my life that I experienced there, and while driving by it, I was overwhelmed with emotion and burst into tears.' Adele graduated from the BRIT School for Performing Arts & Technology in Croydon in May 2006, where she was contemporaneous with Leona Lewis and Jessie J. She attributes her talent development to the institution, despite her initial aspiration to pursue a career in artists and repertoire, aiming to promote the careers of others.
Four months post-graduation, Adele released two songs in the fourth edition of the online arts journal PlatformsMagazine.com. She produced a three-song sample for a class project and provided it to a buddy. The buddy uploaded the demo on Myspace, where it achieved significant success and resulted in a phone call from Richard Russell, the director of XL Recordings. She questioned the authenticity of the offer, as the only record label she was familiar with was Virgin Records, and she accompanied a friend to the meeting. During this period, Adele partnered with Ricsta on 'Be Divine', a composition characterized as a 'electronic club-ready hit.'
Nick Huggett, from XL, endorsed Adele to manager Jonathan Dickins at September Management, leading to Dickins officially representing her in June 2006. At that time in September, Jamie T was under management by Adele, who is an ardent admirer of the British singer-songwriter. In September 2006, Huggett signed Adele to XL. Adele contributed vocals to Jack Peñate's song, 'My Yvonne', for his first album, where she first encountered producer Jim Abbiss, who subsequently produced most of her debut album, 19, and many tracks on 21. In June 2007, Adele made her television debut by performing 'Daydreamer' on the BBC program Later... accompanied by Jools Holland. Adele's seminal track, 'Hometown Glory,' composed at the age of 16, was released in October 2007.
By 2008, Adele had emerged as the headliner and sang an acoustic show, accompanied by Damien Rice. She was the inaugural recipient of the Brit Awards Critics' Choice and was designated the foremost anticipated breakout artist of 2008 in the annual BBC poll of music critics, Sound of 2008. She launched her second single, 'Chasing Pavements', on 14 January 2008, two weeks prior to her debut album. The song attained the second position on the UK Chart, remaining there for four weeks. The album 19, titled after her age during the composition of several tracks, debuted at number one on the British charts. The Times Encyclopedia of Modern Music designated 19 as a 'essential' blue-eyed soul album. Adele received a nomination for the 2008 Mercury Prize for her album 19. She received an Urban Music Award for 'Best Jazz Act' and a Music of Black Origin nomination for Best UK Female. In March 2008, Adele entered into a contract with Columbia Records and XL Recordings to launch her career in the United States. She started a brief North American tour in the same month, and 19 was released in the United States in June. Billboard magazine remarked, 'Adele possesses the potential to become one of the most esteemed and inspirational international singers of her time.' The An Evening with Adele globe tour started in May 2008 and concluded in June 2009.
Adele's live performance in January 2009
Adele then annulled the 2008 US concert dates to reunite with a previous partner. In the June 2009 issue of Nylon magazine, she remarked, 'I cannot believe I did that.' It appears so ungrateful.... I consumed excessive amounts of alcohol, which became the foundation of my connection with this boy. She could not endure his absence, hence she decided to terminate her commitments. She characterized this phase as her 'early life crisis.' She is also recognized for her aversion of flying and episodes of homesickness while apart from her birthplace London. By mid-October 2008, Adele's endeavor to penetrate the American market seemed to have been unsuccessful. She was subsequently scheduled as the musical guest on the 18 October 2008 broadcast of NBC's Saturday Night Live. The episode, featuring an anticipated visit by then US vice-presidential candidate Sarah Palin, had the program's highest ratings in 14 years, attracting 17 million people. Adele delivered performances of 'Chasing Pavements' and 'Cold Shoulder', and the subsequent day, 19 ascended to the apex of the iTunes rankings and secured the fifth position on Amazon.com, while 'Chasing Pavements' entered the top 25. The album ascended to number 11 on the Billboard 200, marking an increase of 35 positions from the prior week. In November 2008, Adele relocated to Notting Hill, London, after departing from her mother's residence, a decision that led her to abstain from alcohol. The album received gold certification from the RIAA in early 2009. As of July 2009, the album had achieved global sales of 2.2 million copies.
During the 51st Annual Grammy Awards in February 2009, Adele received the Best New Artist award and the Best Female Pop Vocal Performance award for 'Chasing Pavements', which was also nominated for Record of the Year and Song of the Year. Adele sang a rendition of 'Chasing Pavements' in a duet with Jennifer Nettles at the ceremony. In 2010, Adele garnered a Grammy nomination for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance for 'Hometown Glory.' In April, her song 'My Same' debuted on the German Singles Chart following its performance by Lena Meyer-Landrut in the talent competition Unser Star für Oslo, which chose Germany's representative for the Eurovision Song Contest 2010. In late September, following her appearance on The X Factor, Adele's rendition of Bob Dylan's 'Make You Feel My Love' re-emerged on the UK singles chart at position 4. In the 2010 CMT Artists of the Year special, Adele delivered a highly publicized duet of Lady Antebellum's 'Need You Now' alongside Darius Rucker. This performance subsequently received a nomination for a CMT Music Award.
2011–2014: Global acclaim with 21
Adele's performance in Seattle, Washington, on August 12, 2011
Adele launched her second studio album, 21, on 24 January 2011 in the UK and 22 February in the US. She stated that the album was influenced by her separation from her previous spouse. The album's sound is characterized as a blend of traditional and modern country and roots music. The alteration in tone from her debut album stemmed from her bus driver playing modern Nashville music during her tour of the American South, and the title signified the development she had undergone in the preceding two years. Adele stated to Spin Magazine: 'It was very exhilarating for me since I was never exposed to it throughout my upbringing.' The album 21 reached the pinnacle of the charts in 30 nations, including the UK and the US.
In a 2011 Rolling Stone cover article, Adele said that she managed her nervousness by developing the alter persona 'Sasha Carter', inspired by Beyoncé's 'Sasha Fierce' and June Carter. In a subsequent episode following her encounter with Beyoncé, Adele remarked that she inquired, 'What would Sasha Fierce do?'That was beneficial.
Adele's poignant rendition of 'Someone like You' at the 31st Brit Awards on 15 February elevated the song to the top position in the UK charts. Adele's debut album, 19, re-emerged on the UK album chart alongside her second album, 21, while her initial singles, 'Rolling in the Deep' and 'Someone Like You,' occupied positions in the top five of the UK singles chart. This accomplishment rendered Adele the first living artist to attain two top-five hits in both the Official Singles Chart and the Official Albums Chart concurrently since the Beatles in 1964. Both tracks achieved chart-topping status in many regions and set multiple sales performance records. After her rendition of 'Someone Like You' at the 2011 MTV Video Music Awards, it achieved the status of Adele's second number-one hit on the Billboard Hot 100. By December 2011, 21 has sold over 3.4 million copies in the UK, becoming the highest-selling album of the 21st century, surpassing Amy Winehouse's Back to Black, with Adele being the first artist to sell three million albums in the UK inside a single calendar year. 'Set Fire to the Rain' achieved the status of Adele's third number-one song on the Billboard Hot 100, marking her as the first artist to have an album, 21, simultaneously occupy the number-one position on the Billboard 200 with three number-one singles. Furthermore, 21 holds the record for the most weeks on the Billboard 200 list for any album by a female artist.
Adele launched the 'Adele Live' tour to promote the record, achieving sold-out status for its North American segment. In October 2011, Adele was had to postpone two shows due to a vocal chord hemorrhage. She issued a statement indicating the necessity of an extended rest time to prevent irreversible harm to her vocal cords. In the initial week of November 2011, Steven M. Zeitels, director of the Center for Laryngeal Surgery and Voice Rehabilitation at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, conducted laser microsurgery on Adele's vocal cords to excise a benign polyp. A recording of her tour, Live at the Royal Albert Hall, was released in November 2011, debuting at number one in the US with 96,000 copies sold, marking the biggest one-week sales for a music DVD in four years and establishing it as the best-selling music DVD of 2011. Adele is the inaugural artist in Nielsen SoundScan history to achieve the year's top album, top single, and top music video. At the 2011 American Music Awards on November 20, Adele received three accolades: Favorite Pop/Rock Female Artist, Favorite Adult Contemporary Artist, and Favorite Pop/Rock Album for 21. On December 9, Billboard designated Adele as Artist of the Year, awarded her Billboard 200 Album of the Year, and recognized her with Billboard Hot 100 Song of the Year, marking her as the first woman to achieve dominance in all three categories.
Adele at the 2013 Golden Globe Awards
Adele made her live return at the 2012 Grammy Awards in February, subsequent to her throat microsurgery. She triumphed in all six categories for which she was nominated, including Album of the Year, Record of the Year, and Song of the Year, so becoming the second female artist in Grammy history, following Beyoncé, to achieve such a feat in a single evening. Subsequent to that achievement, 21 had the most significant weekly sales surge after a Grammy victory since Nielsen SoundScan started data gathering in 1991. Adele was awarded the Brit Award for British Female Solo Artist and British Album of the Year, presented by George Michael. Subsequent to the Brit Awards, 21 attained the number one position for the 21st non-consecutive week in the UK. The album has achieved sales exceeding 4.5 million copies in the UK, making it the fourth-best-selling album in the region. In October, the album's sales exceeded 4.5 million in the UK, while in November, it crossed 10 million sales in the US. As of 2016, the album, which was the best-selling internationally in 2011 and 2012, has sold over 31 million copies. By the conclusion of 2014, she had sold around 40 million albums and 50 million singles globally. Adele is the sole artist or band in the past decade in the US to get an RIAA diamond certification for a single disc album in under two years.
In October 2012, Adele announced that she has been writing, composing, and recording the theme song for Skyfall, the twenty-third installment in the James Bond franchise. The song 'Skyfall', co-written and performed with producer Paul Epworth, was recorded at Abbey Road Studios and includes orchestrations by J. A.C. Redford. Adele declared that recording 'Skyfall' was 'one of the proudest moments of my life.' On 14 October, 'Skyfall' ascended to number 2 on the UK Singles Chart with sales of 92,000 copies, elevating its total sales to 176,000. Additionally, 'Skyfall' debuted at number 8 on the Billboard Hot 100, selling 261,000 copies in the US within its first three days. This equated 'Skyfall' with Duran Duran's 'A View to a Kill' as the highest-charting James Bond theme on the UK Singles Chart, a record exceeded in 2015 by Sam Smith's 'Writing's on the Wall'.
'Skyfall' has sold over five million copies globally and garnered Adele the Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song as well as the Academy Award for Best Original Song. In December 2012, Adele was awarded Billboard Artist of the Year, and her album 21 was designated Album of the Year, rendering her the first artist to attain both honors consecutively for two years. Adele was recognized as the premier female artist. Adele was designated Entertainer of the Year by the Associated Press in 2012. At the 2013 Grammy Awards, Adele's live rendition of 'Set Fire to the Rain' earned the Grammy Award for Best Pop Solo Performance, increasing her total victories to nine.
On April 3, 2012, Adele affirmed that her third album will probably be a minimum of two years away, remarking, 'I must take time and experience life.' There was a two-year interval between my first and second albums, and it will be the same this time.' She affirmed her intention to persist in writing and composing her own content. During the 2013 Grammy Awards, she said that she was in the preliminary phases of her third album. She indicated that she will probably collaborate with Paul Epworth again.
In September 2013, Wiz Khalifa announced that he and Adele had collaborated on a single for his fifth studio album, Blacc Hollywood, however the collaboration was ultimately excluded from the final track listing. In January 2014, Adele was awarded her tenth Grammy Award for 'Skyfall,' which won Best Song Written for Visual Media at the 56th Annual Grammy Awards.
2015–2017: 25
On the eve of her 26th birthday in May 2014, Adele sent an enigmatic message on her Twitter account, inciting media speculation over her next album. The communication, 'Farewell 25... "See you again later in the year" was construed by several media outlets, notably Capital FM, to imply that her forthcoming album will be named 25 and launched later in the year. Adele received nine nominations for the World Music Awards in 2014. In early August, Paul Moss proposed that an album will be issued in 2014 or 2015. In the October 2014 financial statements submitted to Companies House by XL Recordings, a 2014 release was deemed improbable.
Adele performed in St. Paul, Minnesota, on her inaugural North American tour in five years in July 2016. Ten million individuals endeavored to get tickets for the North American segment of Adele's global tour. A mere 750,000 tickets were accessible.
On 27 August 2015, Billboard said that Adele's company, XL Recordings, planned to release her third studio album in November 2015. Danger Mouse contributed a song, while Tobias Jesso Jr. authored a track, and Ryan Tedder returned to production and co-writing after his work on 'Rumour Has It' from 21. At the 72nd Venice International Film Festival in early September 2015, Sia disclosed that her new single 'Alive' was co-written by Adele and was initially intended for Adele's third album. On 18 October, a 30-second excerpt of new content from Adele was broadcast on UK television during a commercial interlude on The X Factor. The advertisement previews a segment from a new track from her third album, including a vocal performance and words shown on a dark screen.
Three days later, Adele announced the album's title as 25, explaining, 'My last record was a break-up record, and if I had to name this one, I would call it a make-up record.' Compensating for time lost. Atoning for all my past actions and omissions. Turning 25 involves discovering my identity, often unconsciously. Adele expressed regret for the delay, attributing it to life's occurrences. At that time, she stated that 25 would be her final album named after her age, considering it the conclusion of a trilogy. On 22 October, Adele announced that her album 25 will be released on 20 November, with the first track 'Hello' debuting on 23 October. The song premiered on Nick Grimshaw's Radio 1 Breakfast Show on the BBC on the morning of 23 October, featuring a live interview with Adele.
The video for 'Hello', published on 22 October, garnered over 27.7 million views on YouTube inside its first 24 hours, shattering the Vevo record for the most views in a single day, exceeding the 20.1 million views of Taylor Swift's 'Bad Blood'. On 28 October, BBC News reported that 'Hello' was being seen on YouTube at an average rate of one million times per hour. 'Hello' became the quickest video to reach one billion views on YouTube, accomplishing this milestone in 88 days. The video for 'Hello' showcased quintessential British symbols, like a red telephone box and a cup of tea. The song premiered at number one on the UK Singles Chart on 30 October, achieving first-week sales of 330,000 copies, so becoming the highest-selling number-one single in three years. 'Hello' premiered at number one in numerous countries globally, including Australia, France, Canada, New Zealand, Ireland, and Germany. On 2 November, the song ascended to number one on the Billboard Hot 100, becoming the inaugural track in the US to achieve sales of at least one million downloads in a week, establishing a record of 1.11 million. By the conclusion of 2015, it had achieved global sales of 12.3 million units and ranked as the seventh-best-selling single of the year, despite its release in late October.
On 27 October, BBC One announced the forthcoming special "Adele at the BBC," a one-hour program hosted by Graham Norton, featuring Adele discussing her new album and performing new songs. This marked her inaugural television appearance since her performance at the 2013 Academy Awards, and the event was filmed before a live audience on 2 November for airing on 20 November, coinciding with the release of 25. On 27 October, it was revealed that Adele would be on the US entertainment series Saturday Night Live on 21 November. On 30 October, Adele announced a one-night-only show, dubbed Adele Live in New York City, scheduled for 17 November at Radio City Music Hall. NBC subsequently broadcast the concert special on 14 December.
On 27 November, 25 premiered at the top of the UK Albums Chart and achieved the status of the fastest-selling album in UK chart history, with over 800,000 copies sold in its inaugural week. The album premiered at number one in the US, achieving a record-breaking 3.38 million copies sold in its inaugural week, marking the most single-week sales for an album since Nielsen started sales tracking in 1991. 25 further set first-week sales records in Canada and New Zealand. 25 emerged as the best-selling album of 2015 in several countries, including Australia, the UK, and the US, maintaining the number one position for seven consecutive weeks in each nation before being supplanted by David Bowie's Blackstar. In 2015, it was the highest-selling album globally, with 17.4 million copies sold. 25 has subsequently sold 20 million copies worldwide. Adele's seven-week tenure atop the UK Albums Chart increased her cumulative total to 31 weeks at number one in the UK with her three albums, exceeding Madonna's former record for the longest weeks at number one by a female artist. In 2015, the IFPI designated Adele as the Global Recording Artist of the Year, recognizing her as the best-selling artist globally.
Adele performed on the Pyramid Stage at Glastonbury in 2016. Adele, who has attended the event since childhood, became emotional and wept prior to performing for an audience of 150,000.
In November 2015, Adele's 2016 tour was confirmed, marking her first tour since 2011. Adele Live 2016 commenced in Europe, with four performances at the Manchester Arena in March 2016, six performances at the O2 Arena in London, and other dates in Ireland, Spain, Germany, Italy, and the Netherlands, among others. Her North American Tour commenced on 5 July in St. Paul, Minnesota. The tour comprised six nights at Madison Square Garden in New York City, eight nights at Staples Center in Los Angeles, and four nights at Air Canada Centre in Toronto. Adele surpassed Taylor Swift's record of five consecutive sold-out performances at the Staples Center.
During the 36th Brit Awards in London on 24 February, Adele was honored with the accolades for British Female Solo Artist, British Album of the Year for 25, British Single of the Year for 'Hello', and British Global Success, elevating her total Brit Award victories to eight. She concluded the program by playing 'When We Were Young', the second single from the album 25. In 2016, two further singles from the album 25 were released: 'Send My Love' and 'Water Under the Bridge'. On 17 March at London's O2 Arena, Adele declared her intention to headline the Pyramid Stage at the 2016 Glastonbury Festival, a statement subsequently validated by the festival's organizers. She performed a 90-minute concert with 15 songs at the event on 25 June before an audience of 150,000, characterizing the experience as 'by far, the happiest moment of my life thus far.' In an interview with Jo Whiley on BBC Radio 2 around 30 minutes prior to her performance, Adele stated that she had attended Glastonbury since childhood and that the event held significant meaning for her, before she became emotional. Whiley recollects, 'She was exceedingly frightened, profoundly, profoundly frightened.' During the interview, she had to pause at one point due to her emotions. It was remarkable to observe someone of her caliber, followed by witnessing her do an extraordinary set on stage. To realize that thirty minutes prior, she had been weeping at the prospect of stepping outside.
In 2016, Vanity Fair magazine featured a cover story that designated Adele as the 'Queen of Hearts'.
Adele's performance at the Adelaide Oval, Adelaide, Australia, March 2017
During her world tour in February and March 2017, Adele played in Australia for the first time, entertaining audiences in outdoor stadiums throughout. Her initial two performances in New Zealand sold out in an unprecedented 23 minutes, prompting the announcement of a third event, which also sold out in under 30 minutes. Adele sold over 600,000 tickets for her unprecedented eight-date Australian tour, establishing stadium records nationwide; her Sydney performance at ANZ Stadium on 10 March attracted 95,000 attendees, marking the largest single concert in Australian history, a record she surpassed the subsequent night with over 100,000 fans. Adele concluded her global tour with two performances, titled 'The Finale', at Wembley Stadium in London on 28 and 29 June. She proclaimed the performances as 'the home of football' by performing the England football team's 'Three Lions' hymn and the theme song for the BBC's weekly Premier League football program, Match of the Day. Adele scheduled two further performances at Wembley following the sell-out of the initial two dates; however, she subsequently canceled the last two dates of the tour due to vocal cord damage. In a demonstration of solidarity, supporters congregated outside Wembley Stadium to perform renditions of her songs during an event named 'Sing for Adele'.
In 2016, Billboard designated Adele as Artist of the Year for the third occasion and awarded her the Top Billboard 200 album. 25 was the top-selling album in the United States for a second straight year. Adele's Carpool Karaoke with James Corden, which aired on The Late Late Show in January 2016, garnered 235 million views, making it the most viral YouTube video of 2016. Adele secured victory in all five of her nominations at the 59th Annual Grammy accolades in February 2017, increasing her total accolades to fifteen. She received the Album of the Year and Best Pop Vocal Album awards for 25, as well as the Record of the Year, Song of the Year, and Best Pop Solo Performance awards for 'Hello'. Adele paid tribute to the late George Michael by performing a rendition of his song 'Fastlove.' Due to technical issues during the performance, she chose to pause and redo, stating, 'I can't mess this up for him.' On 31 July 2017, it was reported that Adele transitioned her performance rights management in the United States from BMI to SESAC.
2018–present: 30 and Las Vegas residency
Adele was allegedly developing her fourth studio album by 2018. On 5 May 2019, her 31st birthday, Adele shared many black-and-white photographs of herself on her Instagram account, commemorating the day with a caption contemplating the prior year. The message concluded with, '30 will be a drum and bass album to defy you.' Media sites saw the post as a sign that a new album was forthcoming. On 15 February 2020, Adele declared during a friend's wedding that her fourth studio album will be out by September 2020. She subsequently verified that the album's development and distribution had been postponed owing to the COVID-19 epidemic. Adele hosted the 24 October 2020 episode of Saturday Night Live, marking her first televised appearance in over four years, with H.E.R. as the musical guest.
On 1 October 2021, projections and billboards displaying the number '30' emerged on prominent sites and buildings globally, inciting conjecture that Adele was the source and that 30 would be the title of her fourth album. Shortly thereafter, Adele's website and social media platforms aligned with the style of the projections and billboards, suggesting that her forthcoming album would be named 30, a fact that was later verified. Adele confirmed the release of her single 'Easy on Me' on 5 October 2021, scheduled for 15 October. The album's release date was subsequently revealed as 19 November 2021. On 7 October, Adele was revealed as the November cover star for both Vogue and British Vogue, marking her as the first individual to concurrently grace the covers of both publications. On 15 October, Adele released 'Easy on Me,' which received a favorable response and set records for the most number of streams in a single day on Spotify and Amazon Music. The song premiered at number one on the UK Singles Chart, becoming Adele's third UK number one, and had the biggest first-week sales for a single since January 2017. Achieving the pinnacle of the Billboard Hot 100, this becomes her sixth number-one hit in the United States. On 28 October 2021, pre-sale tickets for her two concerts at Hyde Park, London, set for 1 and 2 July 2022, were sold out in under an hour. The total number of tickets sold was 130,000, without prior marketing. Over 1.3 million individuals attempted to get tickets for these two events. Jim King, CEO of AEG's European Festivals business, asserted that Adele 'might have sold many million tickets to the events, given the demand for her'.
30 was published on 19 November 2021 and achieved global success, attaining the number one position in 24 nations. In the UK, the album premiered at number one on the Official Albums Chart, selling 261,000 copies, achieving the most substantial opening week for an album since Ed Sheeran's Divide in 2017, and recording the highest first-week sales for an album by a female artist since Adele's 25, thus becoming the best-selling album of 2021 in the country. Adele achieved her third straight number-one album on the Billboard 200 in the US, also becoming the best-selling album of the year. 30 was the top-selling album globally in 2021, leading the Global Album All-Format Chart, Global Album Sales Chart, and the newly established Global Vinyl Album Chart. The album achieved sales exceeding 5.5 million pure copies within two months of its launch. This was her inaugural album to be internationally distributed by Columbia Records, rather than being divided between XL Recordings and the regional distribution partners of Beggars Group in most regions, with Columbia handling North America.
Adele's performance on her Weekends with Adele in February 2023
On 30 November 2021, Adele declared a Las Vegas residency, Weekends with Adele, scheduled from 21 January 2022 to 16 April 2022 at the Colosseum at Caesars Palace. On 20 January 2022, Adele announced the postponement of the residence owing to 'supply problems' and the COVID-19 epidemic. On 8 February, Adele won the British Album of the Year at the 42nd Brit Awards, becoming the only solo artist in history to achieve this accolade three times. On 25 July, it was reported that her Las Vegas residency would extend from 18 November 2022 to 25 March 2023, with eight additional performances than originally scheduled, culminating in a total of 32 shows. On 3 September, Adele was awarded a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Variety Special for her Grammy-nominated television special, Adele One Night Only. Weekends with Adele garnered extensive critical acclaim. Billboard characterized the performance as 'utterly and breathlessly spectacular,' noting the remarkable presence of a performer of her caliber, fully appreciating her achievements at that moment. The New York Times highlighted Adele's emotional responses during the show and described the stage as 'breathtaking, full of drama and elegance befitting her voice.' In their four-star review, The Times deemed the performances 'spectacular, intimate, and worth the wait.' In November, during the second weekend of the residence, Adele announced two further concerts for New Year's Eve weekend, increasing the total number of performances to 34.
Adele participated at the 65th Annual Grammy Awards in February 2023, where she garnered seven nominations. She won the Grammy Award for Best Pop Solo Performance for 'Easy on Me', thus solidifying her record as the artist with the most victories in this category. During what was anticipated to be the final concert of her residency on March 25, Adele declared an extension of her residency for an additional 34 performances, expressing her intention to film the show for those unable to attend. In October, she announced a final extension, branding it as 'Weekends with Adele: The Final Shows.' This expansion introduced 32 concerts commencing in January 2024 and concluding in June.
In late January, Adele revealed a series of four exclusive performances scheduled for August at a specially constructed stadium in Munich, accommodating 80,000 attendees, titled 'Adele in Munich'. On 2 February, in response to 'phenomenal demand', four extra concert dates were announced, followed by two more on 6 February due to 'record demand', resulting in a total of 10 dates. Presale tickets for the initial four performances became available at 10 a.m. On 7 February at CET, around 3 million individuals were reported to be in line during peak hour. Presale tickets for the remaining six performances were made available later that day.
On 16 July 2024, Adele said in an interview that she would be embarking on an indefinite hiatus from music after concluding her residency, with no intentions of releasing a new album at that moment.
Creativity
Musical influences and preferred artists
Adele attributes her passion for music to the significant impact of the Spice Girls.
Adele has identified the Spice Girls as a significant impact on her love and enthusiasm for music, asserting that 'they made me what I am today.' In her youth, she mimicked the Spice Girls at dinner gatherings. She expressed that she was 'heartbroken' over the departure of her favorite Spice Girls member, Geri Halliwell, also known as 'Ginger Spice'. Lauryn Hill is among her primary influences. In a 2011 interview, Adele identified Lauryn Hill's album The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill as her favorite, remarking, 'I analyzed the record for about a month at the age of 8, constantly pondering when I would feel that passionate about something to write a record, even though I was unaware I would create a record in the future.' She also expressed gratitude to Hill 'for existing' in a letter dedicated to the 20th anniversary of Hill's album. During her upbringing, she listened to Sinead O'Connor, the Cranberries, Bob Marley, the Cure, Dusty Springfield, Whitney Houston, Aretha Franklin, Celine Dion, Jeff Buckley, and Annie Lennox. Gabrielle was an early influence whom Adele has revered from the age of five. In her school years, Adele's mother crafted an eye patch adorned with sequins, which Adele wore to perform as the Hackney-born star in a school talent competition.
Upon relocating to South London, she developed an interest in R&B artists such Aaliyah, Destiny's Child, Mary J. Blige, and Alicia Keys. Adele has said that a pivotal point in her life occurred when she witnessed Pink's performance at Brixton Academy in London. She states: 'It was the Missundaztood album, so I was around 13 or 14 years old.' I had never experienced someone singing live in such a manner; it felt as though I were in a wind tunnel, her voice striking me with force. It was extraordinary.
During her adolescence, Adele listened to Etta James while honing her vocal skills.
In 2002, 14-year-old Adele saw the CDs of Etta James and Ella Fitzgerald while browsing the jazz area of her local music store. She was captivated by their visual representation on the album covers. Adele indicates that she began listening to Etta James nightly for an hour, during which she became acquainted with her own voice. She attributes her decision to learn the guitar to Amy Winehouse and her 2003 album Frank, asserting, 'Without Amy and Frank, I undoubtedly would not have picked up a guitar, nor would I have composed 'Daydreamer' or 'Hometown,' and I also wrote 'Someone Like You' on the guitar.'
Adele has articulated her enthusiasm for Lana Del Rey, Grimes, Chvrches, FKA Twigs, Alabama Shakes, Kanye West, Rihanna, Britney Spears, Frank Ocean, Queen, and Stevie Nicks. In 2017, she characterized Beyoncé as a significant inspiration, referring to her as the 'artist of my life,' and remarked that 'the other artists that have such importance for me are all deceased.' Adele identified Madonna's 1998 album Ray of Light as a 'primary inspiration' for her album 25. She asserted that the release of 25 and her personal resurgence was influenced by the enigmatic Kate Bush, who returned to the stage in 2014, 35 years after her final live performances from her last tour in 1979. Adele stated that Max Martin's contribution to Taylor Swift's 'I Knew You Were Trouble' inspired her song 'Send My Love', expressing: 'I was thinking, 'Who did this?'I recognized it was Taylor, whom I have long admired, however this reveals an entirely different facet—specifically, 'I am curious about who elicited it from her.' I was previously unaware of my familiarity with Max Martin. I conducted an online search and realized, 'He has composed every significant soundtrack of my life.' Consequently, I instructed my management to make contact. Upon arriving in London, I brought my guitar and expressed, 'I have this riff,' which subsequently led to the rapid creation of 'Send My Love.'
Musical genre
Adele's musical styles encompass soul, jazz, and R&B. Her lyrical themes frequently explore heartbreak and romantic relationships. Her breakthrough coincided with that of numerous other British female soul singers, leading the British press to label her as a new Amy Winehouse. However, Adele criticized these parallels as facile, asserting, 'we're a gender, not a genre.' AllMusic stated that 'Adele is undeniably too extraordinary to be compared to anyone.'
Adele's second album, 21, retains the folk and soul roots of her first, while also drawing inspiration from American country and Southern blues music encountered on her 2008–09 tour, An Evening with Adele, in North America. Inspired by Adele's post-breakup experience, the album exemplifies the nearly defunct tradition of the confessional singer-songwriter via its exploration of heartbreak, introspection, and forgiveness. Adele characterized her third studio album, 25, as a 'make-up record,' in contrast to her previous album, 21, which she referred to as a 'break-up record,' stating it is about 'making up for lost time.' "Atoning for all my past actions and inactions." 30 is a compilation of pop, soul, and jazz music. Journalists have characterized it as Adele's most innovative aural endeavor, building upon her previous works by integrating dance-pop, gospel, and R&B components.
Vocalization
Adele, holding a Brits Critics' Choice Award prior to the release of her debut album, appeared to have preordained success; yet, this achievement would not have materialized without her exceptional vocal talent. Her prominent, smokey pipes resonate tonight before to her entrance - vocalizing from the wings, until she abruptly appears, exclaiming 'Awright Leeds.' These initial moments define her unique rapport with the audience. An unusual blend of the magnificent and the ordinary. One moment she infuses an unsettling tremor into the line 'Of my universe,' and the next she elucidates to those contemplating how to Set Fire to the Rain that the song was inspired 'when my lighter ceased functioning' in the rain.
—Dave Simpson of The Guardian on Adele's vocal prowess and her demeanor.
Adele possesses a mezzo-soprano vocal classification, with a range extending from B2 to C6. Classic FM indicates that she is frequently misidentified as a contralto because of her use of a strained chest mix to achieve lower notes, while also observing that her voice attains its clarity as she ascends the register, especially from C4 to C5. Rolling Stone said that after undergoing throat surgery, her voice had grown 'palpably larger and purer in tone', and that she had expanded her vocal range by an additional four notes at the upper end. Initially, reviewers posited that her singing abilities were more sophisticated and captivating than her lyrics, a viewpoint with which Adele concurred. She remarked, 'I self-taught my singing by emulating Ella Fitzgerald for agility and scales, Etta James for fervor, and Roberta Flack for precision.'
Adele's vocal performances have garnered praise from music reviewers. The Observer's review of 19 remarked, 'Her vowel elongation, exquisite soulful phrasing, and the pure, unblemished joy of her voice were particularly notable; there is little question that she is an exceptional singer.' BBC Music stated, 'Her melodies radiate warmth, her vocals are occasionally breathtaking, and... she possesses tracks that render Lily Allen and Kate Nash utterly mundane.' Additionally, in 2008, Sylvia Patterson of The Guardian remarked, 'Among the outspoken new artists, only Adele's enchanting vocal quality evokes the profound emotional response reminiscent of Eva Cassidy's.' In reviews of 21, Jon Pareles, chief music critic for The New York Times, praised Adele's expressive timbre, comparing her to Dusty Springfield, Petula Clark, and Annie Lennox: 'She can seethe, sob, rasp, swoop, lilt, and belt, in ways that emphasize the song over the singer.' Ryan Reed of Paste magazine described her voice as a 'raspy, aged-beyond-its-years embodiment of full-blooded beauty,' while Tom Townshend of MSN Music referred to her as 'the best vocalist of her generation.' Adele has been referred to be a 'vocal goddess'.
Private life
In 2011, Adele started a relationship with philanthropic entrepreneur Simon Konecki. Their kid was delivered in 2012. Adele expressed that she 'felt as though she was genuinely alive' regarding the experience of being a parent. I now possess a purpose, something I previously lacked. Adele and Konecki initiated a privacy lawsuit against a UK-based photography firm that disseminated invasive paparazzi photographs of their kid captured on family excursions in 2013. In July 2014, attorneys representing them collected compensation from the corporation. Adele has disclosed her experiences with postnatal depression, anxiety, and panic attacks.
In early 2017, tabloids began to speculate that Adele and Konecki had clandestinely wed when they were observed wearing similar bands on their ring fingers. In her victory speech for Album of the Year at the 59th Annual Grammy Awards, Adele appeared to validate these allegations by addressing Konecki as 'my husband' while expressing her gratitude. In March 2017, she reiterated this statement to the crowd at a concert in Brisbane, Australia, declaring, 'I'm married now.' In a 2021 interview with British Vogue, she disclosed that they married in 2018 and split the following year. During this period, Adele assumed the role of a stay-at-home mother. In April 2019, Adele's agents announced the split through the Associated Press, confirming that she and Konecki will jointly raise their son. Adele initiated divorce proceedings from Konecki on 13 September 2019, which were concluded on 4 March 2021. In 2021, Adele started a connection with American sports agent Rich Paul. On 9 August 2024, during her performance in Munich, she announced her engagement to Paul.
In 2015, Adele stated, 'I am a feminist; I think that all individuals should be treated equally, regardless of color or sexuality.' On 12 June 2016, in a poignant gesture, Adele dedicated her performance in Antwerp, Belgium, to the victims of the mass shooting at a gay nightclub in Orlando, Florida, which occurred earlier that day. She expressed her deep emotional connection to the LGBTQ community, stating, 'The LGBTQ community, they're like my soul mates since I was really young, so I'm very moved by it.'
In April 2018, it was extensively reported that Adele had been ordained as a minister to conduct the wedding of her close friend, comedian Alan Carr, to Paul Drayton, a fact that Adele later verified. The wedding occurred in January 2018 in the grounds of her residence in Los Angeles, California.
On 14 October 2023, at a concert of her Weekends with Adele residency, the singer said that she had experienced 'borderline alcoholism' since her twenties and had maintained sobriety for three months.
Political Affairs
Adele is an advocate of the Labour Party, declaring in 2011 that she was a 'Labour girl through and through,' while also expressing criticism of the Conservative Party in the same interview. Notwithstanding her proclaimed political affiliation, Adele faced criticism for her remarks on tax payments during a 2011 interview with Q magazine. She stated, "I utilize the NHS; I can no longer use public transport due to my occupation. I attended a state school, and I am appalled to be required to pay 50 percent!" Trains are consistently delayed, the majority of public schools are inadequate, and I am required to pay you almost four million pounds; are you jesting? Upon receiving my tax bill from 2019, I felt compelled to acquire a firearm and indiscriminately discharge it.
Affluence
Adele ranked first on the Sunday Times Rich List of the Wealthiest Young Musicians under 30 in the UK in 2012. In July 2012, she ranked sixth on Forbes' list of the world's highest-paid celebrities under 30, having made £23 million from May 2011 to May 2012. Adele ranked first on the Sunday Times' annual Rich List of the Richest Young Musicians under 30 in the UK and Ireland for six consecutive years, from 2013 to 2018. In 2015, Adele stated that she rejected many lucrative endorsement deals by personal decision. In 2015, she declared a tax payment of £4 million in the UK. In July 2016, Adele was positioned ninth on Forbes' list of the 100 highest-paid celebrities globally. In November 2016 and November 2017, she ranked second on the Forbes list of the highest-paid women in music, earning $80.5 million and $69 million, respectively. In 2017, The Sunday Times Rich List estimated her worth at £125 million, ranking her as the 19th richest artist in the UK and the sole female in the top 20. Adele possesses and manages two enterprises, Melted Stone Ltd and Melted Stone Publishing. In 2017, she generated $11.2 million in post-tax royalties from record sales, as per official paperwork from her firms, despite not releasing a new album during that year and while on hiatus. Adele was assessed at £150 million in the 2019 Sunday Times Rich List, ranking as the 22nd wealthiest musician in the UK, despite her absence from touring since 2017.
In 2012, Adele and her then-partner Konecki acquired a $3.4 million Art Deco property in Portslade, near Brighton and Hove, which she sold for $3.7 million in 2016. In that same year, she purchased two adjacent properties in Kensington for $7.7 million and $7.3 million, respectively, with the aim of merging them. Adele purchased a residence for her mother in West London for around $817,000. In 2013, she briefly leased Paul McCartney's 12,000-square-foot old residence for an unknown amount. Adele acquired a Mediterranean-style holiday house in Malibu, California, for $5.2 million in 2015 and then sold it in 2017 for $4.8 million, which was below the initial purchase price. She contemplated acquiring many houses on the same street within a gated enclave in Beverly Hills, commencing with the initial residence acquired for $9.5 million from Don Mischer in 2016. In September 2016, during her Madison Square Garden tour, Adele leased NBA player Deron Williams' Tribeca apartment for three weeks at a monthly rate of $60,000. In 2017, she and Konecki acquired a Tudor estate named Ridge Hill Manor for $5.3 million, situated in the English countryside near East Grinstead. Adele acquired two further residences in Beverly Hills in 2019 and 2021 for $10.65 million and $10 million, respectively; the latter was acquired from Nicole Richie and her spouse, Joel Madden. In February 2022, it was announced that she purchased Sylvester Stallone's 21,000-square-foot old estate in Beverly Park, Los Angeles, for $58 million.
Charitable giving
Adele has participated in several charity performances over her career. In 2007 and 2008, she participated in the Little Noise Sessions in London's Union Chapel, with the performance revenues allocated to Mencap, an organization supporting individuals with learning difficulties. Adele performed at the Keep a Child Alive Black Ball in London in July 2008 and in New York City in November 2008. On 17 September 2009, she performed at the Brooklyn Academy of Music for the VH1 Divas event, a performance aimed at raising funds for the Save The Music Foundation charity. On December 6, Adele started a 40-minute performance at John Mayer's Second Annual Holiday Charity Revue at the Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles. In 2011, Adele performed a complimentary concert for Pride London, a registered charity that organizes LGBT activities in the city. In the same year, Adele participated in the UK charity telethon Comic Relief for Red Nose Day 2011, with a performance of 'Someone like You'.
Adele has significantly supported MusiCares, a charitable organization established by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences for musicians in distress. Adele performed at the 2009 MusiCares charity event in Los Angeles in February 2009. Adele contributed autographed artifacts for auctions to benefit MusiCares in 2011 and 2012. Adele mandated that all backstage visitors during the North American segment of her Adele Live tour contribute a minimum of US$20 to the UK charity SANDS, which is committed to assisting individuals impacted by the death of an infant and advancing research aimed at decreasing infant mortality.
On 15 June 2017, Adele attended a vigil in west London for the victims of the Grenfell Tower disaster, where she maintained a low profile and was recognized by just a few admirers. Four days later, she arrived at the Chelsea fire station and presented cakes to the firefighters. Station manager Ben King remarked, 'She entered, approached the mess, and shared a cup of tea with the watch before participating in the minute's silence.' In homage to the victims during her inaugural Wembley performance on 28 June, Adele urged fans to contribute funds to assist the victims of the fire instead of spending money on 'exorbitantly priced wine.'
Heritage
The Seattle Post-Intelligencer designated Adele as the 'Queen of Soul' due to her initial achievements as a soul singer-songwriter, while she was labeled the 'Queen of Hearts' by magazines like Vogue and Vanity Fair. By 2014, Adele was recognized as a British cultural icon, with young adults from overseas identifying her alongside notable figures such as William Shakespeare, Queen Elizabeth II, David Beckham, J. K. Rowling, The Beatles, Charlie Chaplin, and Elton John as representative of UK culture.
Adele was often acknowledged in the 2010s for rejuvenating the declining sales of the music business during the streaming age.
Richard Russell, the founder of XL Recordings, praised Adele for her ability to transform perceptions of women in the music business by prioritizing music above sexuality. The New Yorker referred to her as 'the most popular living soul singer in the world' at the age of 27. In her article for Vulture, Jillian Mapes asserted that Adele is 'one of the initial plus-size female cultural heroes to attain the pinnacle of commercial success without subjecting herself to fat insults along the way.' Time writer Sam Lansky characterized her as 'a voice for every generation' and moreover asserted that 'Adele connects the history and future of pop music'. Lansky stated that Adele, by emulating the past, diverges from mainstream music, whereas her peers 'attempt to sound alike' and adhere to trends.
Billboard acknowledged Adele for revitalizing the music industry in 2011, the year of the release of 21, stating: 'She was a distinctive presence not only in 2011 but throughout the 21st-century pop: a preternaturally talented singer and songwriter with an all-or-nothing approach to recording and performing—and also an authentic, relatable, and unexpectedly modest persona both on and off the stage.' Junkee and Consequence of Sound acknowledged her for rejuvenating pop music and signaling 'a new age of approachable pop' owing to the critical and financial triumph of 21. In an article on how music from 2011 shaped pop music, Junkee acknowledged Adele for revitalizing the breakup ballad genre, hence enabling emerging musicians like Olivia Rodrigo to incorporate aspects of pop ballads into their own work. In a 2021 story from The Daily Telegraph, James Hall stated that 'a new Adele album is not only a release ? it is a worldwide cultural event'. Rolling Stone authors said that 'She has authored more contemporary pop standards than any other artist of her time, with each single achieving immediate classic status.'
Rolling Stone ranked Adele 22nd in its 2023 compilation of the 200 Greatest Singers of All Time, whilst The Times designated her as the 2nd finest vocalist of the 21st century in their list of the 20 best solo artists. Consequence positioned Adele at number 34 in its compilation of The 100 Greatest Singers of All Time, characterizing her voice as 'athletic and real' and 'an unashamed powerhouse with a talent for tone and a capacity to infuse her performances with sincere passion'. In 2019, Insider Inc. recognized her as one of the decade's premier musicians, stating: 'Her talent and style emerged during an era dominated by exuberant pop music, setting a precedent for subsequent artists to innovate.' Adele and her oeuvre have impacted a multitude of recording artists, such as Beyoncé, Lauren Daigle, Billie Eilish, Rebecca Ferguson, Jess Glynne, Conan Gray, Freya Ridings, Sigrid, Sam Smith, Tom Walker, and Lizzo.
Honors and accomplishments
Primary article: Catalogue of accolades and nominations achieved by Adele
Adele performed at Wembley Stadium in June 2017. Adele's concert on 28 June attracted 98,000 attendance, setting a stadium record for a UK music event.
Adele has sold over 170 million records globally, comprising 70 million albums and more than 100 million singles as of 2022, establishing her as one of the best-selling music artists in the world. She is among the performers generating the most daily earnings for the music business.
During the 51st Annual Grammy Awards in 2009, 21-year-old Adele received accolades for Best New Artist and Best Female Pop Vocal Performance. She received nominations for Record of the Year and Song of the Year. Adele's debut album, 19, garnered her three nominations at the Brit Awards for British Female Solo Artist, British Single of the Year, and British Breakthrough Act. British Prime Minister Gordon Brown expressed gratitude to Adele in a letter, stating, 'Given the financial challenges facing the country, you are a beacon of hope.'
Adele's sophomore album, 21, garnered a record-equalling six Grammy Awards, including Album of the Year, and two Brit Awards, including British Album of the Year. Adele was the second artist and the first female, following Christopher Cross, to have received all four general field prizes throughout her career. The album's success resulted in her receiving many entries in the Guinness Book of World Records. Adele achieved 21 non-consecutive weeks at number one in the US, setting the record for the longest-reigning number-one album by a female in Billboard history, surpassing Whitney Houston's soundtrack The Bodyguard. In March 2012, 21 maintained its position at number one for 23 weeks, establishing itself as the longest-running album at that rank since 1985, and it became the fourth-best-selling album in the United States during the preceding decade. 21 is the best-selling album in the UK of the 21st century, the best-selling album by a woman in UK chart history, and the second-best-selling album of all time in the UK. Her debut album, 21, was certified diamond in the United States. On 6 March, 21 achieved 30 non-consecutive weeks at number one on the Australian ARIA Chart, establishing it as the longest-running number one album in Australia in the 21st century and the second longest-running number one album in history. In 2010, Adele's albums 21 and 19 achieved significant popularity in the UK, with a copy sold every seven seconds at one point.
In May 2011, 'Team Adele' attained the top position on The Guardian's 'Music Power 100' list, which identifies the 100 most influential individuals in the music industry. In February 2012, Adele was ranked fifth on VH1's 100 Greatest Women in Music list. In April 2012, Time magazine recognized Adele as one of the 100 most influential individuals globally. She was designated as one of the Most Beautiful at Every Age in 2012. On 30 April 2012, a tribute to Adele entitled Broadway Sings Adele took place at Poisson Rouge in New York City, including several Broadway performers, including Matt Doyle.
During the week concluding on 3 March 2012, Adele achieved the distinction of being the inaugural solo female artist to possess three singles concurrently in the top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100, namely 'Rolling in the Deep', 'Someone Like You', and 'Set Fire to the Rain'. Additionally, she became the first female artist to have two albums in the top 5 of the Billboard 200 and two singles in the top 5 of the Billboard Hot 100 simultaneously. Adele ranked first on the 2012 Sunday Times Rich List for UK musicians under 30 and secured a position in the Top 10 of Billboard magazine's 'Top 40 Money Makers'. Billboard concurrently said that Adele's 'Rolling in the Deep' is the most significant crossover success of the last 25 years, leading the pop, adult pop, and adult contemporary charts, and that Adele is one of four female singers to have an album reach number one for almost 13 weeks.
In May 2012, at the Ivor Novello Awards, Adele was recognized as Songwriter of the Year, while 'Rolling in the Deep' received the accolade for Most Performed Work of 2011. At the 2012 BMI Awards in London in October, Adele received the Song of the Year accolade for her song, which was the most played on US television and radio in 2011. Adele received the Academy Award for Best Original Song in 2013 for the James Bond theme 'Skyfall'. This is the inaugural James Bond song to get an award and the sixth to be nominated, after 'For Your Eyes Only', 'Nobody Does It Better', 'Live and Let Die', and 'The Look of Love'. 'Skyfall' received the Brit Award for Best British Single at the 33rd Brit Awards.
Adele was designated an MBE in the Queen's Birthday Honours list in June 2013 for her contributions to music, receiving the accolade from Prince Charles at Buckingham Palace on 19 December 2013. In February 2013, she was recognized as one of the 100 most influential women in the UK by Woman's Hour on BBC Radio 4.
Adele's third album, 25, released in 2015, emerged as the best-selling album of the year and shattered first-week sales records in several territories, including the UK and the US. 25 was her second album to attain diamond certification in the US and garnered five Grammy Awards, including her second Grammy Award for Album of the Year, as well as four Brit Awards, comprising her second Brit Award for British Album. Adele is the sole artist in history to win the three major Grammy categories on two distinct times during the same event. Adele, with 15 wins from 18 nominations, has won more Grammys than any other woman born outside the United States. Adele's seven-week tenure at the apex of the UK Albums Chart increased her cumulative total to 31 weeks at number one in the UK with her three albums, eclipsing Madonna's former record for the most weeks at number one by a female artist in the UK. The lead single, 'Hello', was the inaugural song in the US to sell over one million digital downloads within a week of its release.
At the 2016 Ivor Novello Awards, Adele was awarded Songwriter of the Year for the second time by the British Academy of Songwriters, Composers, and Authors. In April 2016, she was featured for the second time on the Time 100 list of the world's most important individuals. Adele was admitted into the Royal Albert Hall's path of Fame in 2018, becoming one of the initial eleven recipients of a star on the path. Although she released just two albums throughout the decade, she accumulated 36 weeks at number one on the UK Album Charts in the 2010s, ranking second, five weeks behind Ed Sheeran. The studio albums 21 and 25 were the two highest-selling albums of the 2010s in the UK. In December 2019, Israel's premier television and radio networks designated her as the singer of the 2010s.
In 2021, Adele was recognized as the UK's best-selling female album artist of the 21st century, according to data from the Official Charts Company. In May 2022, Time magazine recognized her for the third occasion as one of the 100 most important individuals globally in the 'icons' category. Adele has secured Emmy, Grammy, and Oscar Awards, leaving her one Tony Award short of attaining EGOT status as of 2022. In December 2023, Adele was included in The Hollywood Reporter's 2023 Women in Entertainment Power 100 and was awarded the Sherry Lansing Leadership Award.