21

Well, this certainly is an album containing music. People who are capable of an intense emotional reaction to Adele mystify me. It's like being a connoisseur of porridge.

Incredible voice, produced to 'perfection' but totally bland and made for the masses. It has it's place, which is not on my list.

21. 2+1 = 3. That'll do. Don't want to expand on that or I'll be torn to shreds.

Listening to this album, I might well have thought, "This must be the greatest hits album of a long established artist!" rather than the second album put out by a 21-year-old singer/songwriter. There are so many songs here that have become rightfully inseparable from the last decade. This is a masterpiece.

The contrast between her speaking voice and her singing voice is insane. Fun fact: Four of the songs on this album are about ham.

Has it been 10 years already?! This is definitely one of my favorite albums of the last 10 years. I love it from beginning to end. Taking some time for a close listen just reminds me how amazing it was to first listen to Adele. It's cool to remember a time when her star burst out and had us all paying attention.

More Adele. She can sing, but I'm not engaged. Whatever the reviewers who describe her voice as enigmatic or magical can hear, I definitely do not. I hear a stage-school show-singer belting uninteresting ballads in a mid-Atlantic yowl. Millions disagree with me, but I'm ok with that.

The year is 2011, and everything is going wrong. You get into college and say goodbye to your high school friends, then try to convince yourself that you fit in with a group of equally awkward strangers. You date the first guy who says he loves you, not learning yet that people are fully capable of saying things they don't mean--and of acting the exact opposite. You're slut-shamed by a group of uptight college girls for sex you aren't having. By "you", of course, I mean me. Because 21 was my essential coming of age album. Are there coming of age albums with better songwriting? Yes, definitely. Are there coming of age albums with better vocals? Very, very few. But there's something magical about the alchemy of this album's elements that Adele, in my view, has never been able to quite match before or since 21. Of course, that could be the nostalgia talking. But this was the album that resonated with key points in my life. I'd dedicate "Don't You Remember" to fairweather friends ("When will I see you again?"), "Turning Tables" to my shitty exes ("I won't let you close enough to hurt me"), and "Someone Like You", my fave album track to absolutely no one. Rare is the album that's emotionally resonant and relatable, even on songs about experiences you've never had. But the emotional truth of this album just puts you right there in it. Apologies to Adele for taking so long to get on board the hype train of this album, since I discovered it for myself nearly a year after its release. 21 deserves all the hype it got and more.

It’s dinner party soul, but produced with restraint and based on some tasteful influences. In a way it is to Motown and Stax what Clapton is to Chicago blues, nicely done, but with the rough edges sanded off. Makes it more palatable, but also slightly blander. The quality of her voice and the songwriting is what sets it apart from the Duffys and Joss Stones of thus world. Not my bag, but not everything is for everyone, and I can appreciate how well done this is.

I don’t want to hear it. This fucking album. So many incredible songs on one album. AND SHE WAS 21. Yes I cried listening to this even after all the times I’ve heard these songs.

Starts off upbeat, gets into boring slow jams, picks back up, slows down again, picks up, slows down it all sounds too clean, I'm sure grocery stores and outlet malls are happy this exists

First of all, credit where credit is due: an album doesn’t sell over 31 million copies without extreme talent and widespread appeal. What’s often overlooked is that 21 was released on the indie label XL Recordings. While Adele’s debut, and especially "Chasing Pavements," hinted at potential, no one could have predicted the stratospheric success of 21. Today, it’s hard to separate the album from its overwhelming cultural presence. These songs—still omnipresent on playlists, soundtracks, and radio—remain as epic and timeless as they were a decade ago. Despite the numerous high-profile collaborations, Adele retains songwriting credits on most tracks, but crucially, she makes it feel like no one else in the world could ever sing these songs. The opener, "Rolling in the Deep," remains one of the best tracks recorded this century, blending gospel and blues in a way that was both fresh and unexpected from her at the time. The retro-inflected "Rumour Has It" follows a similar path, its rhythm-driven, almost Motown feel makes it immediately memorable. It suffers solely from being in the shadow of such an electrifying opener. The album's main issue is that as it proceeds, the tracks become less memorable. While "Set Fire to the Rain" and the closer "Someone Like You" certainly keep up the emotional intensity and songwriting quality, they shift toward more straightforward pop territory. As Adele dives deeper into heartbreak and lost love, some tracks feel less impactful. The vocal performance is (obviously) flawless, but certain songs play it a bit too safe. Rick Rubin’s involvement had my expectations high, but his contributions, unfortunately, fall short. His work, on the tepid cover of The Cure’s "Lovesong" for example, lacks the spark it could have achieved considering the people in the room. Rubin’s production feels overly reverential and flat here. Did/Do I own this release? No Does it belong on the list? Absolutely, given its massive cultural impact Would it make my personal list? No Will I listen to it again? Whether I want to or not, I’ll hear these songs again soon. 21 is everywhere.

One of my favorite albums of all time.

"21" is the second album from Adele, and was recorded while she was 21. It was originally going to be an upbeat album until Adele separated from her partner, and the album turned into a heartbreak album. "21" was a sleeper hit at release, becoming the best-selling album of 2011 and 2012, and being certified diamond. Many of the songs on this album were smash hits and are easily recognizable by most people. "21" draws some inspiration from country music, but stays true to Adele's usual style of gospel, soul, and pop music. This record breaking album is amazing and a must-listen for anyone. "21" is still listed on the Billboard's Top 200 Albums for over 500 weeks now. It is the best-selling album of the 2010's and the fastest album to reach diamond certification with 92 weeks. Adele has a beautiful singing voice, and that matched with the perfect melodies, created this award winning masterpiece.

Oh this.

Despite being criminally overplayed, this is actually a pretty decent album. Adele's singing talent is remarkable, although a few of her vocal flourishes can get a little grating. The production is also quite good, a minimalist approach was taken here, which I think was the right call, to really focus on her vocals. The instrumental performances are solid, adding emotion in the right places to the songs and the mixing is great. The slight country edge is a nice touch too. A few of these songs are just a bit too cheesy, and I found myself rolling my eyes at some of the lyrics. I'll give it a solid 3, it does deserve to be here but I think it was released about 50 years too late to actually be anything groundbreaking. Fav Tracks: Fire To The Rain, Lovesong

The voice is there, the emotions are there, but… I require more than this from my music. This album might please the masses, but musically it is far too bland and basic for yours truly.

Hadn’t realised just how good this would be. Great from start to finish.

never sat and thought to myself "hmm you know what i really wanna listen to? some adele" but still man, how could you have anything bad to say? not my cup of tea at all but if i were to hear it randomly i'd enjoy every second, i woulnd't rush to the skip button like i did with too many of the albums i've had that are solely on here for the pretentious folks to enjoy

I'll be honest, I prematurely turned my nose up when I saw this was today's album but there are some fricken excellent tunes on here. The production is an easy five stars and her voice is near on perfect too. Obviously the subject matter doesn't resonate but that's on me. He Won't Go is a perfect song, all I could think about was watching a conductor lead a studio band through the arrangement, sounds so so tight. No surprises that Rick Rubin had a hand in this.

Good

I can certainly appreciate Adele's incredible voice and respect her hit songs, which this album has plenty of. I have two favorites: her cover of "Lovesong" by The Clash and the very underrated "He Won't Go". 9/10.

Well written and produced album but other than the hits the songs are rather forgettable. Great voice and easy to listen to.

It's a rare thing to find an album whose title is made up of the two ratings I considered giving it.

It said 11 tracks but they all sounded the same

Adele is a complete icon. A legend, at that. She signed with XL in 2008, gave us her debut album 19, and then gave this masterpiece in 2011. Long story short, this is an amazing album from an amazing singer. Her hits defined a generation and introduced them to soul. She’s like an Amy Winehouse in her own right. The songwriting is emotional and you might end up screaming to it. People say this album is made for the masses, but I disagree. Remember what I said about Amy Winehouse? Adele carries that torch. Scratch that, actually. She RUNS with it. Legendary album. 5/5 Fav: “Set Fire to The Rain”, “He Won’t Go” Least Fav: None

This had more of an edge too it and I enjoyed it alot more than I expected, I think the surprise of me enjoying may have boosted my score but having said that rolling in the deep is a banger

14th September 2022 Listened throughout the day while Ben and Nilisha stayed and worked from home at ours. Dinner at mum and dad’s in the evening. I was always quite dismissive of Adele, but listening back now this album is stunning. It’s big, it’s bold, her delivery is generational.

Remember Duffy? The Welsh singer who popped up the mid 2000s? She has those songs Warwick Avenue and Mercy which got pretty big radio play and I’m pretty sure she was a musical guest at one point on SNL. I had stock in her as I was sure she was going to blow up. She seemed an obvious choice to do a Bond theme too. Well she got market-corrected by Adele a couple years later and had this massive album and put out what many now consider the best Bond theme song. This album is undeniable. Nearly every song became a radio staple, it plays like a greatest hits record.

In her zenith, Adele makes a triumphant album full of power and emotion. Starts out with a ton of energy to dance to before moving to the piano ballad "Turning Tables" and acoustic-driven "Don't You Remember." It's a landmark in the neo-soul movement following the steps of Winehouse and Duffy. Even though there are more songs I like from 19, there's less filler here and I can enjoy the whole thing without wishing to skip a track. The production is so clean unlike other loud pop such as Lady Gaga or Katy Perry who could overwhelm the audience at times. Likewise 21 also contrasts with other R&B pop albums that focus too much on highlighting the singer's voice, by instead balancing Adele's voice with the flamboyant yet controlled instrumentation. To me, it sounds very natural, with almost no electronic devices here. You can probably perform the songs almost perfectly with just a school band (idk I've never been in one). In addition to modern R&B, I hear influences from gospel (not just the choir but also the funky piano), jazz, rock, country, and folk. There's something for everyone, making it a very accessible album. Many of the tracks have enough energy to keep audiences engaged for the full 48 minutes, with very hits well dispersed to keep people looking forward to something. I admit there's several ballads I'm not a fan of, but that's just personal preference and they're still amazing songs with their own moments. Favorites: Rolling in the Deep, Rumour Has It, Set Fire to the Rain, He Won't Go, Someone Like You

One of the most attractive voices of all time. I love how the album starts with "Rolling In The Deep". Her voice and guitar are perfect and the kick drum breaking in at full intensity is so badass. She deserves all the accolades. 21 deserves all the praise!

06/04/2022 What can be said that hasn't already? Beautiful voice, aching passion, etc. You feel the heartbreak and hurt as if it was your own.

A modern classic.

Absolute perfection. Adele's 21 was my first real introduction to her and I instantly fell in love. From 'Rolling in the Deep' to 'Someone Like You' 21 doesn't miss a beat. With almost half of the album released as singles, along with topping the music charts in over 30 countries, it's not hard to see how much of an impact this has had within the music world. Adele's soulful voice coupled with her deeply personal trials and tribulations that resonate with so many worldwide, and is touted as one of the best break-up albums ever created. Best: All of it Worst: N/A

What can I say... I'll buy into the hype. Adele has an incredible voice, her songs are catchy, sultry, emotional, fun. The entire album is a solid piece of work, and easy to listen through all the way. In fact, I'm on #3 right now. She has clearly earned diva status with songs that will likely persist for decades.

Obviously she's incredibly popular for a reason

I have loved this album for years and I continue to do so!!

Not necessarily my thing, but filled to the brim with bangers.

i don't love the sound but adele is a killer singer and there are some certified classics. and a cure cover? one and only was my favorite song

Plenty of solid hits and thankfully more upbeat than the swathes of depressing wallowing that followed.

This is possibly the most machine-tooled bid for pop stardom since Like A Virgin. Don't play the big singles and it still sounds unstoppable. Not actually an album I feel a great deal of affection for, perhaps the only album I can actually like of hers is 19, but respect.

5 - more of a tentative 5; maybe not my exact taste but it has its times, it’s a crazy 11 track run that conveys so much, hard not to be influenced by hearing this everywhere after its release but for a reason

Great voice beautiful songwriting

Knew 2 songs. Enjoyed it

Perfect album

I love this album, Adele's voice, and the melodies.

Already listened to this one before. Will give it another listen and relive the memories from previous listens. Will likely only do a single listen since I can almost recite this one word for word.

Very cool! A strong voice!

Classic!! Such a great album!

All time. Timeless. There is no one like Adele.

21 is absolute fire from start to finish, not only is Adele an elite vocalist, she also wrote one of the greatest break up albums of all time, the fact you can even put Someone Like You as the closer is ridiculous. Lovesong is my favourite covers ever. 9.0/10

adele to me was always an interesting case for as long as i've lived. with lyrical pop tracks that are heavily inspired by the likes of ella fitzgerald, adele's second album stood out when it released and it still stands out pretty well today. she's a very talented singer and songwriter, and even if a song or two on the album is a cover, it's still fantastic to listen to.

This is in heavy rotation in my house as my wife loves it. I have to admit, I do too. Wonderful song writing great delivery.

I have already listened to this album but I am excited to hear it again! Her voice is actually unmatched and same with her writing style. She makes everything beautiful even the most heartbreaking songs. I also feel her cover of love song by the cure is so beautifully remade and she really manages to make it her own. Top songs: One and Only, Rumour Has it, and Take it All

So chill but still drives home. Absolute masterpiece.

I've always liked Adele and this is her best album. Most of it is concentrated on her breakup with her partner which was obviously traumatic for her and like Amy Winehouse she channelled these emotions into her music. Some say it's depressing but the strength in her voice and the sincerity of the delivery make this album a true work of art. Set Fire to the Rain is one of my all time favourite songs by a female artist. It's a 5 for me

One of those albums that you listen to through cultural osmosis over the years, hearing people rave about how good it is, and you think to yourself 'Yeah, it's pretty good, but probably a bit overrated.' But no, actually, it truly is that good.

A great work of art

Excellence!

This album is brilliant. Its haunting, its chilling, its poppy, its fun. Its kind of all the ranges of human emotion. I love her fresh take on blues, jazz and soul. Its hard not to like this album. I remember at the time feeling conflicted. I heard it on the radio in the UK all of the time, and I didn't want to like it, but its so hard to hate on Rolling in the Deep. Even the non-singles are good. They're thoughtful and interesting. She plays with her vocal range and different elements of the blues. It's super dialed. And yes, some songs feel like they were written by a 21 year old (which was literally the case) But other songs feel totally timeless. She really reminds of Zach Bryan, where some songs are maybe a bit cheesy but both artists are striking a chord that most people can get behind. Its hit deep and surface level at the exact same time.

Enjoyed this a lot woohoo

Favourite

This has some of my favorite pop songs on it. Just a very solid album.

My favorite Elvis Costello album. More cohesive sounding than the first one. No skippers on this one!

Just a fabulous voice. Power and emotion. I found her album 18 on iTunes when it gave away her Chasing Pavements song away as it's song of the week and I've been a huge fan ever since. "Someone Like You" is an all time break up song.

vocals, lyrics, emotions, everything's here

Really amazing record and so well produced. It feels so big but only runs for 52 minutes. Seeps so much emotion, Adele has an incredible voice, the accompanying music works as a perfect compliment.

I love this album. I’m not sure there’s a better vocal performance on any record of the twenty first century to date. https://open.substack.com/pub/richcain/p/project-1001-21-by-adele?r=4ztyq&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true

I can't believe so many of Adele's best tracks are on the same album. To be fair most of the songs I didn't already know were a step down in quality from the hits, but when the hits are this good who cares? Adele's voice is so emotive - great album, would play on repeat

Just one of the greatest albums ever--I'm always returning to it on road trips. I think Waiting For You is my actual apex on the album and with all of the other hits here, that is saying something!

simply one of the greatest albums of all time. Feels like it should get old before the end but it does not. Banger after banger!!!

I’m a sucker for Adele - love her voice. Specifically on Someone Like You. Actually saw her live at MSG. Was slightly disappointed she didn’t try the original “don’t forget me I beg” line in the original pitch/key/tone whatever the proper term is. I really like this album and yes - it’s worthy of 5 stars. Didn’t realize Rick Rubin produced.

Love this album, front to back. Adele’s voice is so damn incredible, it blows me away every time. I love the vintage aesthetic of the music, it compliments her voice so well. One of the best pop-centric albums to come out in my lifetime, in my opinion. Grand slam of an album. Go Phillies!

Где то местами есть пресность, но бля в целом прям ахуенчик плотный. В наши то времена тем более

Great vocalist.

Adele is electric!

Adele > Taylor Swift

THERE’s the Adele I was waiting for - white-hot angry, raw, evocative, witty, heartbroken. I revere this album for rekindling my interest in popular music after almost a decade of being dismissive. Globally it would seem that I wasn’t the only one. The cross-generational reach of this album cannot be overstated.

i LOVE THIS ALBUM

Понравились песни, которые я до этого не слышала

Although I’d still consider this laboratory soul, you can’t deny the power of Adele’s voice. Even with a team of producers carving her up for pop stardom, she can still turn phrases with earnest magic.

When first released, I wasn't a fan of 'Rolling in the Deep' or 'Set Fire to the Rain' so never listened to them, but having to listen for this review, I've done a 180, they're both really strong tracks, the latter in particular is very good. 'Turning Tables' has a lovely piano 'riff' (if you can call it a riff, that's the metal head in me speaking) 'I'll Be Waiting' has a catchy feel good chorus and is probably the best song that isn't one of the big three singles that was released from this album. Adele really goes for it vocally on 'One and Only', she really does have a phenomenal voice. 'Someone Like You' closes this album, and not only is it the best track, it is, in my opinion, one of the best pop songs of all time, I really do think it's a fantastic song, that I got goosebumps listening to. This album gains an extra star just for this song alone. Overall I debated giving it a 4 because it's quite similar when listening as a whole, but the tracks are easily strong enough to warrant a 5.

Major Amy Winehouse vibes....

All time classic. Nude said. (Croydon is goated)

This was such a phenomenal album. The impact that this had at the time was just massive. Every song in here is good.

Wunderbare Stimme, toller Mix. Wenn jetzt die Texte noch interessanter wären ...

This album is standing the test of time. An easy listen with music that hits you in the chest.

Adele slaps so hard. Getting goosebumps over here.

Nice voice

Adele, great as always

aso rolling in the deep isch würkli en HAMMERSONG oki ich hans iwie na mit chli meh wumms im chopf aber ja riesige refrain rumour has it mega coole refrain, gfalltmer jz nöd megaa krass persönlich aber definitiv spannend poah und denn d bridge turning tables isch extrem schön das han ich mier au vo 25 erhofft!! würkli eifach e schöni klavierballade, chli mit striicher untermalt fuck don't you remember au extrem schön jaa set fire to the rain han ich immer chli zu hüfig ghört für das dass ichs nöd soo guet find....aber jz gad findis gad huere guet hahaha, so en richtig mitrissende refrain mite drums SOMEONE LIKE YOU ISCH AU DRUFF POAAAAH he won't go isch au en bop???? d drummsss und allgemein die musikalisch undermalig isch SO guet und recht vilsiitig hahaha hetts nöd denkt aber isch gad uf 5er kurs take it all isch sochli joa, finds jz nöd so krass ICH WERDE SEIN WARTEND BOP eins und nur poaahh han denkt es isch halt eifach e klavierballade wieder aber würkli d gitarre wo im refrain chunnt mmmh d bridge änderet iwie voll d struktur vom song? mitem klavier undem backgroundgsang lovesong findi voll ok, uhh d harmonika(?) im hindergrund?? ja someone like you overplayed des todes aber ich lieb de song FUNF

it’s Adele duhhh

Made my whole morning better. Adele’s music does not age I will always hold turning tables somewhere special in my heart. 10/10

Listened 10-11pm and 7am-8am

A stunning album that feels like such a staple in the pop catalogue now that it’s not really worth talking much more about. I have heard Rollin in the Deep to death but it is still an incredible song, and Someone Like You is such an emotionally powerful closer. Set Fire to the Rain is another huge power ballad, and Rumor Has It is the other massive song but a much more fun up-tempo number that adds a lot of variety to what could be a quite samey record. The production is quite sparse but it suits Adele’s powerhouse vocals perfectly and - while not every song can be a hit- Turning Tables, Take It All, and particular the gorgeous Lovesong are all highlights that are slightly more buried in the tracklist. It’s not really for me and in terms of personal enjoyment I’d probably only give it a 4, but it does what it sets out to do perfectly, and if you’re more of a fan of that kind of easy-listening minimalistic pop with huge dynamic choruses then there’s not really many better examples than this

Louise told me to give her 5 stars...

So good. 5.

I'm playing catch-up again with my list, but this is a great album to start my workday with. I've heard the popular songs, but never listened to the album. I will listen again!

The vocal goat arising one

CLASSIC