21

Lots of great songs. Very solid.

so many hits she's got a gr8 voice

#111 It's hard to understate just how great of a pop song Rolling In The Deep is. Easy to see how this was her breakout album. Maybe the most impactful mainstream pop album of the 2010s. Highlights: Rolling In The Deep, Lovesong

Well this didnt do anything to me.

This is going to do damage to how I perceive my ratings because while this is a great album I don't think I would rate it a subjective 5. Adele is a fantastic artist and '21' songs were defining the early 2010's for a reason but I don't see myself listening to the full album due to how dramatic and melancholic it tends to be. If I ever go through a break up this will be a 6 though.

Growing up in the mid-2010s UK, you couldn't really go anywhere without hearing these on the radio so I am a little bit nostalgic for it, even if I'm not a particularly big Adele fan. Rolling in the Deep, Set Fire to the Rain and Someone Like You are all absolute bangers, and her voice is absolutely incredible on the other tracks too. Was not expecting to enjoy this album as much as I did. Very solid 4/5

She’s good, but it’s not meant for me

It isn’t bad, but it is boring. Very middle-of-the-road and bombastic. Formulaic use of an amazing voice.

hit after hit

What an absolute smash. 3 songs with well over 2 billion streams. Even more than that were EVERYWHERE when this album came out. One of the last gasps of monoculture tbh. Justice for "I'll Be Waiting" -- there's no reason for it to have the lowest streams on the album by far. This album will go down as a true classic.

Liked this album

This would be a 2.5 if I could give it that. I truly do think she has a fantastic voice, and I think Rolling in the Deep is great. I like the sound of this, it feels raw (relatively) and authentic in a way pop usually is not. But the songs oscillate between indifference and annoying. I understand this being on the list due to cultural impact, but this kind of Pop Soul just doesn't work for me.

3.5

every song is a banger. not my style really but every single one is great

(9.4)

Listening again a few years on, it’s harder to see what the big deal was, though at the time, she was everywhere and very much in your face. The album starts hot, with her big voice laid on top of a whompin’ dance beat for “Rollin’ in the Deep” and “Rumor Has It”, both of which were catchy earworms. The rest of the album is mostly ballads, half being her and a piano, and half having a more orchestral backing. The songs are generally pretty good, though the tempo does flag a bit. She generally uses her big voice well, although she can border on strident at times. She has a nice falsetto, which she generally uses to good effect. I might have rated this four stars back in the day, but my ardor has cooled with the passage of time. Three stars.

fire someone like you still hits 15 years later

Jamais écouté avant. Dommage d'avoir une voix aussi exceptionnelle et de n'en tirer que des ballades mielleuses surproduites, calibrées au millimètre pour faire pleurer dans les chaumières (et accessoirement pour se vendre par camions entiers). D'autant que quand elle laisse plus parler ses influences soul que ses envies de ne surtout pas déplaire, Adele est capable de vraies performances groovy ultra-plaisantes (Rolling in the Deep, au hasard). Frustrant... Top : Rolling in the Deep Flop : Take It All

God what a phenomenal album. Chills, her voice, timing, and the emotion that comes through with each song is phenomenal.

5 all the way… no notes. Adele might be the best singer ever.

Pretty crazy she was only 21 when this album was released. Love Adele’s voice, though her music doesn’t always do much for me. But this is certainly my favorite of her albums. Extremely solid. 7/10 Quite Likeable

Great voice but sorta just vanilla music. I obviously enjoy the hits - Someone Like You was my fav song of the album, Rolling in the Deep and Set Fire to the Rain were my other highlights and One And Only was my fav first listen - but overall it's not my kind of music

Адель - одна из тех современных поп-певиц, которую я, вроде как, уважаю, но никогда не слушаю сам. И так бы оно и было, если бы не этот сайт. Это хорошая, конкурентноспособная поп-музыка, и она отличается от ранее услышанного мной альбома Свифт. Здесь звучание кажется более зрелым, классическим (клавишные, слышу различного рода струнные и т.д.) и без особого внедрения электронного звучания. Кавер на Lovesong - довольно типичное "переосмысление той самой поп-рок песни из 80, а вы помните?!?!?1717" ну вы знаете, вот эта акустика и типа тихий вокал. Ну ладно, это я уже бухчу, ок исполнено. Если я услышу такое в кафе, таксишке или каком либо другом общественном участке, я не скривлюсь и всё вполне ок. Но повторюсь: если бы не сайт, я бы так никогда это и не послушал, просто не моё поле интересов.

Goes on a bit, well produced, can’t fault her voice, bit over indulgent, can appreciate the style but it’s too much same same.

really good production but a bit too long

I am fairly lukewarm on Adele's broader ouevre, and some of the pop rock balladeery bits on this record. But this album has a very classic soul approach of raw emotion with immaculate production. You can tell both that these are authentic and heat of the moment feelings, but also that the singer has the connections and credit in the bank to get brilliant producers and musicians in RIGHT AWAY to capture that feeling. I still think she sounds a little like she is singing with a blocked nose, but here it heightens the emotions, like singing through the tears of varyingly anger, sadness, regret, apologia etc. So on the opening trio of tracks, as well as the likes of Set Fire..., Adele manages to make some pretty special soul revival which straddles the line of the poppy and soul crushing elements of the genre, like Amy Winehouse before her. It does weaken a little towards the back half. Not bad, but just a little less memorable. I suspect I would enjoy a song like Take It All, One and Only, or He Won't Go if they came on shuffle, but I would be hard pressed to remember their names. That gives me the dilemma of rating the album based on the 4 and 5 star singles, or the 3 star album cuts. I think it balances out to a 4. In the absence of Winehouse and Duffy from the charts for their infamous personal tragedies, Adele was not a bad, albeit far more polished, alternative for those looking for a white English woman with surprisingly strong R&B sensibilities. Fair play, she succeeded here in doing something I think she has kind of failed to do before or since, in my opinion.

great singles! everything you havent already heard on the radio isn’t worth digging for

So so good throughout.

Not my genre but I wish it was

The vocals are the main show here and she's bringing it pretty hard. Sometimes her voice strains and cracks at the edges but that is part of the emotional intensity she's trying to convey so it works. Outside of her voice the music is slow and jazzy and the tracks that have piano are always preferable. An absolute mega hit of an album that it was everywhere you went for a while but some of the more unknown stuff here ended up being more interesting to me. Breakup albums are usually not my jam but this has got some serious talent behind it.

Ok

Adele has such a powerful and soulful voice. The radio hits for this album are really good. Rolling in the Deep, Fire to the Rain, Rumor Has It, Someone Like You really hit, grabbing your attention, and making me appreciate it. I didn't know they did a cover of the Cure's Lovesong, so that was pretty cool to hear.

Classic

One of the best Adele albums

Great voice. I understand why she had so many hits with this album

I actually really liked this album after getting over wanting to be contrarian. I never really gave this album a fair chance but dang it's a good album and I can't believe she's only 21.

If I didn’t give this album four stars it would only be because of my ego, I sang along to every song.

She's a very good singer. A few iconic songs. I wasn't into it. I wish I had something funnier to say.

These songs were so overplayed that it is easy enough to listen but not LISTEN. You've got to turn this up to appreciate the production on these tracks, and obviously her vocal!

Average and overrated 3

Great voice

Not my style, pretty good still

Having only listened to her hits this album only deepened my appreciation for her as an artist. What an incredible voice and depth in R&B interpretation.

it goes without saying that vocals are the strongest point of this album (and probably any other Adele's album). that being said, everything else about this album is just very mediocre at best. another thing i noticed is that the most famous songs in this album sound the worst instrumentally. very flat, very boring.

FAVOURITE: Rolling In The Deep LEAST FAVOURITE: Rumour Has It

One of the best voices of the century

By far her best album - bangers all the way through

kind of revived a whole showgirl genre, credit where credit is due. I personally don't care about this album, but i do recognize it's placement.

i like her voice idk they all kinda sound the same

amo.

Det är några riktiga hits på denna asså.. Och en del trevliga låtar däremellan.. Velar mellan tre å fyra..

Orolig sångare!

Har några riktiga klassiker på sig. Hon sjunger ju såklart hur bra som helst. Men det saknas låtar med lite mer drag tycker jag.

En av vår generations bästa röster, galen debut men det finns ändå en hel del spår som inte håller samma kvalite som hitsen därav betyget

Aldrig varit frälst av Adele 2-3/5

The title of this album comes from Adele's love of blackjack. She's been banned from most major casinos because her ability to count cards. Seriously, what a voice! A well-produced album that captures a mature beyond her years pop sensibility.

A bit boring

highkey feel like a divorced mom listening to this. makes me want to drink wine and wear a velvet red shower robe

Not the time, Adele. Not the time.

I personally have always found Adele a bit overrated but I don't mind the odd song. This was a solid album

Amazing voice and a well produced album. Not my cup of tea for repeated listens but still a good listen.

music is love

Solid 4. Great vocals. Variety of music styles.

If you’ve ever painted with watercolours, you’ll know that the outcome is about timing and the right amount of saturation of keep colours true—too much pigment mixing with too much water and you’ll end up with mud. This album is 11 tracks of mud. Who can hear the strings in the background over the whacking drums, and that’s before you mix in Adele’s overstretched voice. There is nothing subtle here. I really want to like this--I mean, come on, it’s Adele, but she sounds like a kid learning to play the clarinet: Too much air and then, cracks and screeches that make your molars ache.

It must be so exhausting to be Adele, having written 25 songs about being heartbroken by age 21 across two albums. This being her second, Adele continued to be a one trick pony, crying about a breakup. I think her music has gotten better as she’s aged, but damn if this isn’t just a bunch of whining about a single subject: some man. The most interesting thing on the album is a cover of the Cure’s “Lovesong” which she manages to suck the life out of, and Robert Smith was emo before emo was cool! It also strikes me how old this music feels now. I was in high school when this came out, and every song just felt very old and tired, in addition to the three singles being wildly overplayed in my lifetime. Maybe that’s the Adele effect. ⭐️.5

Un álbum clásico, con canciones reconocidas y muy escuchadas en 2011. La voz de Adele siempre fue mágica 💫

This album came out when I was in high school. We had to go to an assembly where my Integrated Sciences teacher and 6 students got on stage and danced to Rolling in the Deep, and then we just went back to class. Might've given it a 5 but Rumour Has It brings it down a star

God damn it, i enjoyed this. Its manufactured and coded to press all the big emotional buttons in a very unsubtle way but it works. The singles are bangers, the album tracks dont dip in quality, she has a banging voice and I now hate men. Job well done Adele.

This isn’t my music but I enjoyed it more than I thought

Just an iconic album with iconic songs i already like, and get to know the new ones i like now 3/5

Adele's music, along with Amy Winehouse, has been an example to today's generation of what soul and r&b can and should sound like. It's not overproduced like so much of what passes for r&b today. She can sing and write and make you feel every word. This is a flawless album and she deserves to be talked about in the same category as Janis and Aretha.

Still amazing

It goes without saying that Adela's voice is the strongest point of the album. Great tone, filled with power while being delicate at the same time and has a lot of personality. Loved her performances in "Rolling In the Deep", "Rumour Has It", "Set Fire to the Rain" and "Someone Like You", which happen to be the most memorable songs, either for their very catchy and strong melodies or their incredibly emotional singing. I specially loved the cracks in "Set Fire to the Rain" that are very satisfying to hear, and the build ups to the choruses in "Rolling In the Deep" that makes these parts even more impactful and epic. My problem comes with the rest of the songs, which I honestly feel like they fall in the category of ordinary ballads. I think there are some beautiful moments, as the voice and instruments always sound great, but there is still a big difference between the mentioned songs and the rest, which is a 4 vs 7. In addition, I neither get a lot of value out of the lyrics, but that might be just a me problem as I was getting easily distracted trying to read them. In summary, it is a nice album. Regardless of the more typical compositions of the Adult Contemporary genre, the performances are very solid.

I'm not a 40 year old single mother so I don't think I'm the target audience for this. Adele has an impressive voice and Rolling in the Deep is a pretty great song but most of this was very boring.

Adele is great, bu tI think I'm 'overexposed' to her songs. The hits are huge, but the rest of the album is so-so. Pitchfork: 8.2 Rolling Stone: Top 500 Albums #137 Best Songs Rolling in the Deep Set Fire to the Rain Someone Like You

People will give this 2 stars and say some cliche bs like "The vocals are great but it just sounds like it was made for the masses". And then the same people will give an album called shitballs fartstains that sounds like simultaneous chiuwawa howls in one ear and demon breath in another, just because it is niche and they like being pretentious about liking the "good music". Anyways, this slaps: 5/5.

Heart rending lyrics and beautiful vocals. Gorgeous. Every track so far is inspired. I'll be waiting was a bit of a let down, but that was the one sour spot in a raft of great songs.

Nope

So good

This album had a generational run

It was a really good album, amazing vocals, amazing lyricism and lastly I related to it a lot. Adele really did her thing here.

I'll share something interesting: I was probably one of the first people in the USA to hear this album. I was working for college radio in January 2011, and we were sorting through the usual bin of crap, hoping to find a few winners. This album was there, and our German intern said that it was HUGE in Europe and that we had to add it. "Rolling in the Deep" comes on, and we're all mesmerized. Pounding pianos, soulful, deep vocals, and very lush, analog sounds that immediately remind us of Amy Winehouse at her best, only different. Some of the songs were a bit too cheesy or overblown, but the hits were total bangers. Had no idea that just a few months later, all of these songs would be playing on the radio nonstop! Crazy that Adele wrote this so young and after just going through a serious breakup. This was lightning in a bottle, and she used it to reach greatness. Listening to it again, even though the hits are overplayed, they are still excellent for the kind of music they are, and the filler is still pretty forgettable. It has been removed from the book since, which to me is a bit weird. Adele is still a global phenomenon and made a huge impact on pop music worldwide. But I guess you can't just change the book title to "1,100 Albums to Hear Before You Die" as new music continues to be released into the 21st century?? 3 stars for the hits.

I think I already listened to this. But I do love Adele. Great, beautiful singer. 9/10.

And what was I doing at 21?...Having a mental breakdown.

2011 Pop, soul Muchas canciones famosas de Adele en este álbum. Esto dicho, meh.

I don't like her voice and how she sings

Well, I won't lie, I wasn't happy this came up. From what I'd heard, I thought Adele was pretty okay but found her voice a little annoying, something that I do still stand by. She is, however, a very talented singer, but I do think she sounds like is constantly trying very hard to sound emotional. I understand this is pop soul, but I'd just much rather listen to other soul, I don't really know why. That said, it's not bad or offensive, and there's some really solid bits. That said, I can't help but find the popular songs a little corny and annoying, especially Someone Like You, which feels like the peak example of how some of her lyrics don't actually sound that good.

Somehow she’s become an underrated singer again? Pipes, insane. Band, weirdly good. Piano for some reason v average?

Meh

First and foremost, "Someone Like You" is a phenomenal breakup song - an emotional masterpiece. This along with some of the other tracks on this album are songs that I have only "got" since having a big breakup. The big hits are fantastic and the production is great. Some of the other tracks didn't stick with me but 'One and Only' is a brilliant track that I was previously unaware of. The cover of Lovesong is interesting but not a scratch on the original. Favourites: Rolling In The Deep One and Only Someone Like You

It’s solid, classic, full of bangers. Maybe more a 4.5, but definitely holds up well years on.

Listened to it while working. Amazing album connected to a lot of memories for me.

5/5

Somehow, I still think Adele is underrated.

Undeniable voice, just think the songs are samey and haven't aged well.

This is interesting. The album starts with a really strong song, there's a lot of hits on here what are rightly hits. Her voice and attitude deliver. Some of the instrumental stuff is catchy. It all feels a bit detached though. She's singing passionately but it feels like looking at a postcard vs visiting the place. When she's singing the emotional lines I feel her performing vs feeling. Popular for a reason but keeps it subdued vs something more personal. This was made to be successful first and foremost.

Adele has a strong voice and some solid song writing, but sonically the album is a bit flat. She does employ the same vocal belting thing too often. She could use a little more Jake the Snake Roberts energy to draw the listener in. This album ultimately has a few solid songs, but not enough to make it a memorable album as a whole. The audio engineering is the real let down here.

Bien. Algunas canciones pueden explotar más

If I'm being fair it's probably a 4 star album but it just isn't for me..

The title seems to refer to how long in hours this album feels like to listen to. Never mind coffee and a nap, I need to lie down for eight hours and call in sick tomorrow to recover from this. Woof, what a slog.

An emotional journey through a woman's heart. Adele's voice intonation tells you exactly how a broken heart sounds. From upbeat powerhouse hits like Rumor Has It to acoustic gems like Don't You Remember, 21 is the best sophomore album of this century. Album Highlight: Cover of The Cure's Lovesong... because Adele needed to give me one more reason to love this album?!

I almost fell into the trap of being prematurely annoyed at the songs that got played to death on the radio, but take a step back and this album is amazing. Girl’s got the voice of an angel

Those are some golden pipes! These songs are great and her voice is even better. Ultimately it's not the k8nd of music I come to a lot so it's not a 5, but its knocking on 5s door

I can't feel empathy for a sad Tottenham fan.

Probably inflated by nostalgia, but there’s still some real strong pop songs on this album. There’s not much variety on it though, so it feels longer than it is. If I could do half points it would probably be a 3.5.

#135 if you are not from the UK you simply cannot understand the grip that adele held. her vocals throughout this are incredible and whilst the instrumentals are generic at times, it serves the purpose of showcasing her vocals. idk i like it and i think it makes sense it's on the list whether you are a pop/soul fan or not. ಄ average track rating: 3.4/5 ಄ favourite track(s): set fire to the rain ಄ least favourite track(s): take it all ಄ album rating: ★★★★☆ ಄ number of albums left to review: 954 ಄ number of albums i agree with being on the list: 58 (+1 21) ಄ albums from the list that i would consider for my list: 26 (+1 21) ಄ albums i would not include on my list: 109

Day 29 This is amazing but 5 British albums in a row? Come on generator 🫩 Fav track: He Won't Go

ADEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEELEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE HELLO ITS MEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

"Don't You Remember" and "He Won't Go" are songs I wish I'd listened to more when this album first came out.

A little too bare bones but so classic a voice like this a 21? Bonkers!

Might not be my thing, but you can't deny it's a good album. I remember when it launched you would listen to songs like - Rolling in the Deep, Set Fire to The Rain, Rumor Has It, Someone Like You - over and over again in the radio.

Liked this more than I expected to from “modern pop album”.

A classic.

This is Heart FM core, it's older sister core too and we all know, but I mean you have got to hand it to her she really was doing that at 21 and I do respect her for that. It isn't music that is interesting to me, but they are pretty well crafted and catchy songs. Also it is SUCH a time capsule that absolutely transports you to 2011 and that's pretty fun. I'll be damned if I don't catch myself tappin my toes or bopping my shoulder. What can I say, I'm a product of my time!

Just not even slightly for me sorry. I like Adele as a person but I don't even think her voice is that nice, like it's in tune and that and she can get from one note to another really well but it's so boooooring to hear her just do the same thing over and over and over again, completely polished without a hint of edge. About as not for me as it gets, but not like 'bad' or anything like that. Set Fire To The Rain is OK?

Den här typen av popmusik är väl inte det mest spännande, men hon har en jäkla bra röst och det är är välgjort album. Vägde mellan tre och fyra men känner mig snäll idag.

En tråkig och slätstruken skiva med några rätt höga höjdpunkter. Stark 2a eller svag 3a?

Hade hoppats på mer. Pallar inte hitsen eftersom man blivit hjärntvättat med dom och resten är bjääring

Gapig frisörmusik. Ett försök att rädda en samling trökiga radiolåtar med ständigt maxtryck i pipan. Tröttsamt! Classic: Hajade till på en låt på slutet, ja den var så klart en cover. Kanake spelar det in att dessa är några av de låtar man hört flest gånger i livet, tack vare masspsykosen. Tänk höjden av Stomo-clap-hey! och vågen av skrika allt du kan-sångare samtidigt. Brrrr. Men fölk gillar väl sånt, som Erik Grönwall. Eftersom gitarrunk är en etablerad genre vid det här laget borde detta kanske kallas sångrunk.

One of the great things about this list is giving artists a chance that I never would have prior. Adele is one of them and boy was I wrong in doing so. This is a masterpiece. Emotional, heartfelt, and catchy. Not quite a perfect rating but close for me. 4/5

Incredible album. Amazing production. Several timeless songs.

Incredibly good. Timeless, but just missing that little extra for a top 50 album ever.

Why does this album end with someone like you?

Na, pedazo de DIS CA ZO Que pedazo de crack esta muchacha. Son todos grandes temas, más todavía los primeros, después de Set Fire, baja un toque, pero despues termina altisimo con someone like you. Posta Top Top. 9.5/10

#6 An album full of basic piano ballads about heartbreak but at the same time they're also good? Of course the whole thing here has mainstream pop kinda vibe but there's also something pure? I wonder what Adele could do if she was so much more open to making more unique sounding music. Or maybe her label just has preferences, idk.

Alright listen. It's undeniable that Adele has a brilliant voice and I will not deny that or her natural talent. But the music on this record will forever remind me of retail hell in the 2010s, top-40 radio mush and dramatic overplay of songs that never struck me deeply in the first place ("Rolling In The Deep" will probably annoy me for the rest of my life). "Someone Like You" is an exception. Sometimes mush just hits the soul in the right place.

Almost a perfect album, but I HATE the cover of Lovesong. Other than that, this is a wonderful album.

Sterk 4

* see review of 25, but I like this less.. I think. I don’t like Rolling In Deep. I know it’s her best song or whatever, but it’s daft. I hope she meets someone nice and stops writing these miserable songs. She has great voice but, see… this is what I’m trying to articulate when people say some dumb shit like “Bob Dylan can’t sing” well, ok… I mean, that’s not true. He can sing, you just don’t like his voice. I’d rather listen to someone with an interesting voice sing something cool than a “good” singer belt out this nonsense. I’ve worked myself up. I give 21 a 2.1

Good one.

One of those voices where you are compelled to give it your attention. Sure, the main hits have all been massively overplayed now but listening as an album gives you a chance to appreciate how strong a set of songs it is. The material is predictable and that is what makes this a slighter harder review. On balance though, some extra credit for gusto and the cultural relevance it had in a banal period of music.

I knew I would have some level of respect for this as the vocal presence is hard to hate and talent to curate something beyond the mundane has always been apparent.  It's always a good start when a genre, you're not normally at home with gives you a feeling of something bigger.  It's an organic, live studio esk thing which makes it feel genuine and soulful (with actual musicianship and a real band). OK I don't love the heavy balladry but that's more a personal taste.  It does hang heavy on this album, and maybe the predictable heartbreak theme does get a little boring after a while.  Towards the end it doesn't pick up at all and maybe a little criticism has to go towards that it does fade in its closing tracks (Bar very last track). Anyway in summary not bad at all.

It's highly polished, heavily produced pop album. But she really does have a great voice. This genre really isn't my thing, but to be fair I think I'm fairly far away from the target audience. I understand she writes the majority of these songs and that comes through with an authenticity to the lyrics. If all mainstream pop artists had half as much talent as Adele, we would be in a much better place.

Blackjack! Adele definitely hit on her second album. The lady has some pipes and some nice hooks for radio play. Top tracks: "Rumour Has It," "Someone Like You," "Rolling in the Deep"

Really good album. Reminds me of Amy wine house without the baggage.

Awesome

I don't remember another artists/album in the 2010's that had as much universal acclaim and radio play as Adele did with this album. I'm sure there are those that hate it (or grew to hate it as it got played to death… 3 tracks have over 2 BILLION STREAMS for christ's sake), but there was a time when this album was absolutely inescapable…and for good reason. It's a special kind of album that's built for mass appeal without ever seeming trite or inauthentic or over-produced. And what a voice! I know there have always been comparisons to Amy Winehouse, but as much as I love Amy, they're certainly different artists and she never quite had pipes like these. If you ignore the fact that you've probably heard every track on this album a million times, and try to listen with fresh ears… it's a great album. 4/5 Highlights: Rolling in the Deep Turning Tables Set Fire to the Rain Someone Like You

um clássico. genial ter um desses com apenas 21 aninhos!

Adele was originally just another in a series of post-Amy Wine house British soul revivalists, together with singers like Duffy, Paloma Faith, or Gabriela Cilmi, but I'd say her foremother is in fact Céline Dion. That style of big emotional Adult Contemporary ballad that hits all the star notes is very reminiscent of Dion, and that would become even more apperant in Adele's next album. 21 is her big blockbuster moment. The acoustic guitar-led bedroom laments that characterized her early songs is mostly absent, leaving only the pretty good Cure cover "Lovesong". Elsewhere we get mostly slow piano ballads and the occasional relatively uptempo track like the modern classic "Rolling in the Deep" and its following track "Rumor Has It". I must say, as far as the mainstream is concerned, this is a darn good album. Timeless, too. It could have been released now, or twenty year prior. Key tracks: Rolling in the Deep Rumor Has It Turning Tables Set Fire to the Rain Lovesong Someone Like You

Sometimes things are really popular because they are really good. That's the case here. This is a modern masterpiece for a reason. Hit after hit after hit and her voice just blows you away every time. And the songwriting is just top tier. Amazing album. Top Songs: Rolling in the Deep, Turning Tables, Don't You Remember, Take It All, One and Only, Someone Like You

Much like 25, I get that it's a big pop album, and she has an amazing voice. It just doesn't move me.

5/5

C’est très bien, j’ai sous-côté Adèle en fait Un peu trop long, s’essouffle dans la seconde moitié. Les chansons sont répétitives et juste moins bonnes sur la seconde moitié. Et la Adèle de cette seconde moitié ressemble plus à celle que j’avais en tête, qui est caricaturale et qui force parfois. Ce qui est bizarre car je ne connais pas ces chansons contrairement à celles du début de l’album Les paroles paraissent aussi anachroniques ajd : tu m’as quitté pour une succube mais je t’attendrai sagement J’ai du mal à imaginer qu’on puisse vouloir réécouter cet album en entier, c’est clair que tu reviens que vers les 3-4 meilleurs sons. C’est un bon album malgré tout ne serait-ce que par ses tubes qui sont vraiment top One and initial Et même sur la fin l’album m’agace franchement 6/10

The second half of the album felt like a slow-burn which I did not expect based off the first few tracks.

Was pretty ok, though would've been maybe a bit boring if it weren't for the beautiful singing voice. Had to skip Someone like you for optimal enjoyement.

An amazing talent and an album that is flawless from start to finish.

Confesso que quando vi que o desafio era ouvir um álbum da Adele, já desanimei. Nunca tinha escutado um disco dela do começo ao fim, só os hits de rádio — alguns insuportavelmente chicletes. E justamente aqui estão três dos maiores: Rolling in the Deep, uma ótima abertura e surpreendentemente longe de ser irritante; Set Fire to the Rain, um pouco menos interessante; e a insuportável Someone Like You, que, graças a Deus, ficou por último. Mas, como álbum, 21 me agradou bastante. Adele consegue equilibrar bem a melancolia com momentos mais ritmados, passeando pelo jazz e por uma sonoridade pop mais sofisticada, sem transformar tudo em piano e choradeira. E, claro, a voz espetacular dela amarra tudo muito bem. Curiosamente, gostei muito mais das faixas que não são singles. No fim, valeu a pena não pular o disco: 21 é um ótimo álbum da Adele, bem mais interessante do que eu esperava.

Yes Adele's voice is incredible, but once you move past that the album just feels very meh. I will say that i felt like many of the filler tracks were stronger than the singles which really impressed me. 3.5

Excelente álbum, tenía las expectativas muy altas y este álbum las cumplió. 5 estrellas sin dudar.

Hoy se fue taro a Alemania :(. Tenía que tocar un buen álbum y fue así. Las expectativas con este disco estaban muy altas, conocía 5 canciones y las 5 me encantaban, todo dependía de cómo todas quedaban juntas en el disco y no decepcionó. Me gusta Adele, pero nunca me habia puesto a escuchar un disco de ella, gran experiencia, sin duda lo voy a seguir escuchando. En el ranking de 5 estrellas le pondría un 9,3.

Out of tune non-sense from one of the most overrated vocalists of all time

Adele reminds me so much of high school, which is the time she really blew up. I knew the hits on this one, but enjoyed some I had never heard before (He Won’t Go, I Found a Boy, and her Lovesong cover).

Music for xfactor contestants. I want to give this a 2 cos it's really not for me even when it's good but I think my ratings are starting to look a bit sexist :/

9/10

A very good and consistent pop album. The three most popular tracks "Rolling in the Deep", "Set Fire to the Rain", and "Someone Like You" are still great, albeit "Rolling in the Deep" has lost some of its charm after being played so often over the years. My favorite track is "Someone Like You", but my sleeper pick is "He Won't Go".

Some of the best pop music out there. Still pop though.

I LOVE ADELE!! Loved like most of the songs in here except a few mediocre ones. It's really beautiful. She's got an elegant voice. MADE ME CRY ON 2ND LISTEN WITHOUT HEADPHONES NOW IM IN THE CAR CRYINNNN. I LOVE ADELEEE

Wild timing bc I’ve been singing “Hello. It’s Tree.” all day boppin around Olympic National Park (Different album but here we are). I haven’t listened to this album in full in years; used to be a staple in my brother’s Prius. I *think* I first heard rolling in the deep my very last week at Vass before graduation (2011), at one of the senior week events, dancing at Mahoney’s Almost every track hits, what a fucking voice, lovely for a morning drive back to Seattle from the peninsula

Couple of solid bangers in here! Gotta be her best album? Lotta betrayal in these tracks. That said some of these tracks are carried by the strong voice. Standouts are Rolling in the Deep, Rumour Has It, Set Fire To The Rain, Lovesong and Someone Like You.

Adele has a strong voice but it doesn't feel like she really means it - which gives the whole thing an inauthentic feel. Not very impressed overall.

I mean, this was better than I expected. I think Adele and I think of "If you don't love me at my worst you don't deserve me at my best" Facebook posts, and 30-something's who like to talk about how they don't need Drama (capitalisation intended) in their lives. And I guess on the second point they are right because they provide all the drama we'll ever need. But while it's often had to separate the fanbase from the artist, I at least try to do that. And this... could have been worse. It's overly polished pop, the grit is often manufactured (refer to the fake sounding mic breakup in Rumour Has It), and especially the run from He Won't Go through to I'll Be Waiting is a quite paint by numbers. But... There's some decent hooks, and while I don't think she has a generational voice she certainly has some talent. I guess I can go three stars. My three stars means "I wouldn't put this on by choice but I won't be upset if someone else does" and in this case really the person putting it on is more likely to be the problem than the album itself.

The hits were massive, but overall this album was just okay. Like vanilla icecream, easy to like but not particularly exciting.

Most songs are just boring, middle of the road... Half an extra star for the amazing vocal performance and half an extra star for Set Fire to the rain.

Good, knew most of the songs. Pretty cool

Chevere

Young love can lead to intense emotions. Young love lost? That leads to emotions that are ten times stronger. And those emotions shine through here extremely powerfully. Some absolutely enormous hits here. But also a few kind of unremarkable songs. The tracks which were released as singles, and saw widespread radio play, stand head and shoulders above the rest. It's like there's a few legendary tracks, and the rest is filler? It's not bad, but it's just ok. In a way, I'm also a bit confused by the general direction this was taking. It seemed to oscillate between modern, and 70s. It just made the album hard to follow. The wonderful songs which made it as singles push this into the 4 star area. But the rest weigh it down, and keep it from rising above that level.

Es loco sentir como he ido creciendo con estar artista y viéndola evolucionar tanto. Me gusta este álbum porque me trae muchos recuerdos de secundaria sus canciones.

This is such a nostalgic album. It was like going back in time and reliving my childhood. So many great songs that shaped the 2010’s but also many weak ones that feel like filler. Overall though it’s such a stable project I have to rate it a 7/10. My faves are One And Only and Someone Like You.

Honestly, I was in no mood to listen to a whole Adele album (I never really cared for her music, but obviously knew the hits and could appreciate the talent). This was an enjoyable listen! So well produced for 2011, easily on par if not better than what we´re getting in the big 2026.

красиво и просто вокал выдающийся попса, но тем не менее годно все об одном конечно не фанат такого, но девчонкам нравится 3

Perfect

She's a great singer, but this was a snooze beyond the big hits, DNF

Adele’s got a great voice. All the songs are just made for her if you ask me. Can’t deny the hits on here as well. Literally an album full. And to be able to do an album, disappear and come back and have the same effect is unreal if they ask me. Legendary status, not many people can pull that off. I’m not a massive Adele fan all the same, I like more 80s women sort of vibe. I just find it all very samey per song. I respect it all the same, it’s been huge for music.

Hit after hit after hit, and for good reason. Listened to this on repeat more than a decade ago and it still holds up. Favorite songs: Rumor Has It, Turning Tables, Don’t You Remember, Set Fire to the Rain, He Won’t Go.

Fantastic voice. Some real sonic bangers mixed with some pablum. Can't help but feel a little like the black artists this is borrowing from still did it better.

Good but did not finish

Wow, what a great album! Obviously she had some songs I already knew, but the rest of them were great as well.

Only two songs i liked

Bättre än förväntan. Lyssnar inte mycket på genren men förstår varför den här är med på listan

When 21 hits, it really hits. “Rolling in the Deep,” “Don’t You Remember,” “Set Fire to the Rain,” “He Won’t Go,” and “Someone Like You” are undeniable bangers. Adele sounds like she’s going through the worst breakup in human history, and thankfully, we all get to benefit from it. The problem is everything in between. Strip away the monster singles and a lot of 21 feels like your standard singer-songwriter album, except the singer-songwriter has somehow been granted unlimited access to an orchestra. Piano? Check. Strings swelling dramatically? Check. Adele staring emotionally into the middle distance? Spiritually, always. Obviously, having one of the best voices of her generation helps enormously, and the production gives even the less memorable songs a sense of importance. But sometimes the album seems to confuse sounding grand with actually being interesting. Still, the highs are ridiculously high. There are enough career-defining songs here to make the weaker stretches easy to forgive. 7/10

Only listened to a bit because I really can't stand music like this, so unbeliebably basic, nothing special except she's an okay singer but uses it for nothing good.

Unsurprisingly this is a GOAT. I don't like all the songs, but what I do like fucking slaps.

The Good: Ahhh, to be 21 again… The Bad: 21 did come with some mayor issues… cashflow, being one of them The Ugly: The poor breakup Adele seems charged with… Believe it or not, it has taken me 15 years to listen to this album for the first time… and it was well worth the wait. To think that according to my experience there hasn’t been anything decent produced since the 2000s showed it’s face—barring some exceptions obviously—and then you finally listen to this more than excellent freshmen attempt. Bravo, Adele, bravo. I listened to the album two times in a row, and couldn’t find a song I disliked, at all… wow. You’d think that I would instantly give this album a 5* rating… but you’d be thinking wrong. You see… covering a The Cure song… you don’t do that… and then, there is that one excellent song that, for whatever reason, all of a sudden includes a choir… bitch please… Aside from that… wow. 4*

front to back garishly overproduced sad relationship piano ballads, its kind of like the High School Musical soundtrack for grown ups

Good album

8/10

Solid voice. Bit depressing though 3.5 Stars.

Relisten. This is a tough one to objectively rate since the album and, more specifically, the major hits off of it were always in the background in some way growing up. Especially since my mom and sister were such big fans. It has been a long time since I've listened to some of these songs, and I'm inclined to say they hold up pretty well. I'm kind of exhausted by a few, but that is none of the actual songs fault, and more to do with the insane amount of airplay they got in the early 2010s. I found myself really gravitating to the less talked about ones way more. Fav Tracks: "Rolling in the Deep", "I'll Be Waiting" and "Lovesong".

Haha I remember Adele. Probably the first artist I remember completely taking over the radio. I enjoy the fact that we are finally leaving the realm of rock music as well, as I already listen to a lot of that already. Again will give best and worst tracks. Best - Turning Tables 6.5/10 - reminds me of a Bond theme. I know that's generic, but I don't mind cinematic-sounding piano tracks with strings. Piano riff reminds me a lot of Trouble by Coldplay, which is also a song I quite like Was thinking of putting the lovesong cover as best track, but figured it would be cheating to put a Cure cover instead of an original song. Would be against the spirit of doing this. But it actually does the song justice; doesn't bastardise the original sentiment of the song (looking at you, cigarettes after sex), and still fits really well on the album. Good genre change. Works really well. Pleasantly surprised when it came on. Also the chorus of 'He won't go' is quite catchy to me. Just stuck in my head for some reason. Least favourite - Take it all 5/10 - just the least interesting song to me. Not actually bad by any means, just a slightly boring piano ballad. This actually surprised me. The more I listen, the less I hate it tbh. Hate is a strong word, but this isn't really in my wheelhouse. No bad songs on here again. And if anything the songs I already knew weren't as good as I remembered them, but somehow not obnoxious either. Adele has a lot of personality in her voice, which adds a much needed dynamism to the slower songs. The more upbeat ones are catchy, and I don't ever find it grating or inauthentic, which is my main issue with most pop music. Don't think I will return to it, but hopefully this gives me some perspective that I can use to branch out into other kinds of this music. We are still yet to have a miss. Long may it continue Final score: 6.5/10

Amazing voice. There are some huge songs on here. It’s not really my jam though.

Music is fine, can't stand the voice

WOW juste WOW. J'ai pris une claque de fou. Alors que je devais connaitre bien 4-5 sons. Je les ai redécouvert aujourd'hui et je suis choqué de la puissance. Rien à dire, elles transmet si bien les émotions. C'est pourtant pas mon style de prédilection DU TOUT. Merci Adele 1) Someone like you 2) Take it all 3) Turning Tables

Très bien je suis à la limite du 5 mais en même temps je sais pas

banger album very few notes some awesome songs on here

Not for me, but it had it’s moments.

Oink

i love how she belts it and these songs are lovely but i dont know that is sonically varies much from her previous work to stand out much more than a "3" for me.

I know ....

Rolling in the Deep - база. Есть в этой песне что-то роковое, даже скорее не звук, а характер, возможно поэтому он меня так зацепил. В остальном, я не фанат ее творчества, ни один другой сингл меня не цеплял. Все, что цепляет - ее голос и уровень исполнения. Но в этом альбоме не хиты оказались на удивление приятными и не скучными.

Жесть, хитяра на хитяре. Квин. Круто было быть фанатом гли в 2011 году. Мой прайм.

не могу назвать себя фанатом adele, но альбом замечательный, намного интереснее beyonce - 4

Was never an Adele fan but I enjoyed this album. The lady can sing, no doubt about that. Another unexpected good listen.

Wow! So. Many. Bangers. Respect to you, Adele.

Some real bangers. Man, that last song…

The nostalgia of her voice makes this so easy to love

Just an ok album.

Brilliant voice. Of course, I’m familiar with her, but when an artist becomes as massive in the mainstream as she did, I tend to lose interest and move on to other things. So, I’ve never actually listened to her full albums, though I’d never turn the radio off if she came on. At a certain point, that was practically impossible anyway, as Adele was on the radio and in the media on a daily basis. So now I took the time to listen to the full album from start to finish. It sounds really amazing and pure. Beautiful carved instrumental arrangements are guiding a great voice. Also, what a surprisingly great cover of The Cure's "Lovesong" 4/5

A great singer, and the hits were good, although I felt the songs repetitive

Адель! Її всі знають) Не думаю, що мене вразить це так само як більшість)

Some very good with some ok and one terrible. Rumor has it sucks in every fashion. Rolling in the deep, is brilliant.

я этот кал слушать не буду

Such a one of one voice

so good

mejor de lo que esperaba

Some bangers on here, but also a lot of songs that were meh

An outstanding follow up to her debut album. Several excellent songs. She can really burn the torch on a breakup/remorseful song but leaves the candle lit for hope and moving forward. A wonderful soulful voice.

앨범은 전체적으로 괜찮았고, 꽤 현대적인 느낌이 나는 노래들이었다. Overall, the album was solid, featuring songs with a fairly modern feel.

Adele has an amazing voice, but I don’t love all of her songs

(4/5) So, Adele is of a time and place where & when most popular music just slid by me. I was raising kids, exploring other (older) music when I could and just generally didn't give a shit. I knew she was out there and I had heard (probably involuntarily) the two big hits off this album. In other words, not a lot of context nor many preconceived notions. First impression is, she truly is a great singer. I like her voice. Maybe a lot. There's depth, range, and she has masterful control over it. Her backing music and some of the style choices, however, ranged from 'interesting' to 'corporate coffee chain CD' shit. A few of the songs were ok, but most -- and especially the country-flavored "Don't You Remember" -- neither inspired me nor excited me. This is the perfect embodiment of a 3.5, IMO, because of her stellar voice. It's otherwise just 'there' and a bit generic. I'm rounding up from protest because Dimery doesn't have enough women on this list. Please review my Diana Ross rants at your leisure.

Adelle's voice is absolutely stunning, and even on those tracks where the music doesn't particularly impress, her range and timbre are incredible to behold. To think that she recorded this album at the age of 21 is absolutely incredible, and as someone who owns and has burned out on each of her records in turn, this one stands as my personal favorite. It's a strong 4/5 from me that I was pretty happy to revisit after a long reprieve.

162. 21 - Adele (2011) 8.3.26 Variety: 4 Adequacy: 5 Listenability: 3 Uniqueness: 2 Emotionality: 2 = 3.2 rounded down to a 3 "Regrets and mistakes, they're memories made" I have somehow managed to avoid engaging with barely any of Adele's music over the past... 18 years apparently? I can name exactly one song - "Rolling in the Deep" which I only know because I've heard it mentioned on a lot of comedy podcasts for some reason. It does sound like some vaguely hilarious and cringey bit of slang which I will have to look up later if it's not explained in the song itself. And there is one song ( I just had to sample the big singles to be sure) that I have indeed heard part of before, but I'm not sure how. I have not watched MTV in going on 30 years, I don't listen to terrestrial radio, I skip all commercials, and I don't watch the sort of tv shows or movies that I imagine would use her work ( surely there is a sad montage on Gray's Anatomy - which I also managed to avoid - that is scored to an Adele song?), and my significant other does not listen to that sort of thing, so the only thing that makes sense is I must have heard it while shopping. Who knows. We'll get to it when we get to it. I've always just assumed Adele to be a Norah Jones clone ( another artist whose work I mostly was able to avoid, though maybe not as successfully) and have, possibly unfairly, relegated her to the sort of super mainstream, but milquetoast sort of artist who gets heavy play in coffeshops or over department store radio stations. Maybe I'm completely off base. Beyonce, Lady Gaga, and Taylor Swift are more of these MASSIVE artists that I've managed to mostly avoid and write off as well, so maybe if I end up liking Adele ( or at the very least respecting her music) then I might have to rethink my stance on these others. They are popular for a reason, no doubt. THE TRACKS "Rolling in the Deep" - I still don't think I've heard this one, but given when it came out, and how successful it apparently was, I now have to wonder if this had an influence on the much maligned ( deservedly in my opinion) "stomp-clap" music that seemed to be everywhere in the 2010s. A quick bit of researchers shows me that Mumford and Sons, the Lumineers, and the Magnetic Zeroes all homed in on this sound a few years before this came out. It's at least definitely playing around in the same general region as the stuff by those bands though, and I absolutely do not like it. It's a grating and cringeworthy sound to me, and seems like an easy formula to manufacture some sort of epic and meaningful sound around a musical idea that lacks any true melodies or competent lyrics. The lyrics here seem of a much higher quality though and Adele's voice is damned fine - big, bold, and bluesy ( has she done an album of standards yet?). And there is a decent vocal melody in there underneath all the bravado. This seems designed in a lab to play over the credits of a tv show where a character decides to go full on scorched earth. I can picture someone walking away from some flames in slow motion. Easy to see why it hit big, but something I would have skipped very quickly. "Rumour Has It" - More stomp clap vibes, but this time the song is a bit more realized, with the vocals settled down into a still very bluesy delivery. The piano on here was nice, and the background vocals were silky smooth. When teh music drops out and the slower piano bridge comes in is where this one shines and becomes an interesting song finally, and it reminded me of the other Adele song I definitely have heard - the theme song she did for the James Bond movie Skyfall, which I remember liking enough. "Turning Tables" - This is much more of what I was expecting to hear. Primarily piano-driven, soulful balladry. This has a lot in common with some of the stuff we heard previously on the Coldplay album that came up. Tasteful, hook-laden, adult contemporary fare. Adele's voice continues to impress, and I can definitely hear the influence of this type of song in other things I've heard in the last decade, with it's ultra serious, almost po-faced delivery and an aura of "this is THE most important thing!" vibes. There's almost a gospel level dedication in her voice that works for the song, but leaves me slightly annoyed. "Don't You Remember" - The best thing on here so far. This one also gives me some pop country vibes, but slightly less so. Am I hearing a banjo and a steel guitar in there though? The unexpected chord changes in this are VERY effective. This is the sort of high quality, mainstream pop balladry that I can get behind. And her voice is a bit more subdued and warm here. If you had told me this was Adele covering Faith Hill or someone similar I would have believed it. "Set Fire to the Rain" - More echoes of Coldplay with a downbeat little breakup song with a super dumb title. This wants to be anthemic I think, and has plenty of catchy bits in the verse, but then becomes cliche and boring in the chorus. More sad tv drama montage fodder. "He Won't Go" - A little bit of a changeup here with some more R&B heavy influences, and some funkier instrumentation. This makes me wonder if Adele grew up as a big Mary J. Blige or Lauren Hill fan maybe? This was not awful by any means, and a much easier listen than when she's in her big epic mode. "Take It All" - More lost love, this time with some Aretha influences I think, with the gospely backing choir vocals, and her soaring soulful delivery. There's also maybe a tiny bit of Elton John in some of the phrasing. This was a much needed win. "I'll Be Waiting" - This much more optimistic and joyful sounding number has nice soulful feel, with some of the best instrumentation I've heard yet. The little horn touches and the almost honky tonk piano works really well, and gives this an almost Memphis soul feel. "One and Only" - A midtempo bit of piano soul that's just a little bit too clean and shiny. There's a version of this song that is looser and has more of a live in the studio feel to it, with maybe the gospel organ way higher in the mix that would work much better for me. In the hands of an Alicia Keys or Jill Scott I bet this would hit a LOT harder. That said, it's heads above any of the stuff that doesn't quite work for me. "Lovesong" - This is a big swing. One of the best songs by one of my favorite bands. I have to admit this was a somewhat successful take on the thing, with as different an arrangement as you could ask for. The too perfect latter day Sting album- percussion was not my favorite, but it somehow works and feels similar to a take that someone like Sade would have had. Not amazing, but the bones of the song are good, and Adele's vocals carry it. Maybe too much of a lite jazz coffee shop vibe. Working in this more subdued mode I'm betting she would have killed a version of, say, teh similarly named "Love Song" off of Elton John's Tumbleweed Connection instead of this. "Someone like You" - This is the one song I know I've heard elsewhere. And if not this version, possibly a cover? Overall it's very pretty, and very easy to see why it must have been huge. Going out on a limb and guess it's probably a very popular karaoke pick amongst some of the bolder participants in that pastime. I do see this was co-written by Dan Wilson of Semi-Sonic "Closing Time" fame, and no doubt probably bought him a very nice vacation house or two. A little bit sad and a little bit inspirational, it's a very solid closer. HIGHLIGHTS - "Don't You Remember" - "Take It All" - "I'll Be Waiting" - "One and Only" - "Someone like You" MIDLIGHTS - "Turning Tables" - "He Won't Go" - "Lovesong" LOWLIGHTS - "Rolling in the Deep" - "Rumour Has It" - "Set Fire to the Rain" FINAL THOUGHTS This was a lot more varied than I expected, and even the tracks I didn't care for were well produced, and well performed nuggets that have an certain undeniable mainstream appeal. It's just not mostly one that works for me. Where she really shined was in the quieter tracks that leaned more into blues, R&B, country and soul. The stomp-clap of the first two tracks had me very worried. Having now heard this I am intrigued to see if she recorded any more country-ish numbers. And I won't be as worried about her remaining album from the list whenever it comes around. PLAYLIST ALTERATIONS - Highlights only please FURTHER LISTENING - Come Away with Me by Norah Jones - The Diary of Alicia Keys by Alicia Keys - Who Is Jill Scott?: Words and Sounds Vol. 1 by Jill Scott - The London Sessions by Mary J. Blige

Adele’s “21” is one of the few albums I’ve encountered on this list that I got to interact with in real time. Now, in retrospect, I think I may have been listening to the last flare of the album era. This thing blew the eff’ up beyond any expectations. It may well be the last album to reach 30 million sold. As of this writing it remains the only 21st century album to reach such a lofty figure and it is hard to see that ever changing with how music is packaged and released nowadays. Why this album? It has to be more than just over exposure or availability. The whole winning formula to me is this album’s accessible shapeshifting nature. What this album truly is may depend on whoever is playing it. It bears Motown influences for sure filtered through a British music singer/songwriter. Adele puts on a great diva act when needed. But then you read about how she fell in love with American Southern blues and country while on tour (a story we also saw with Dusty Springfield) and one can hear those threads on tracks like “Rumor Has it” and Rolling in the Deep.” Then you reach a cover for The Cure and are pulled in a completely different direction. Adele seems to adapt to whatever sound she needs to be in whatever room you’re hearing her in. Thus she appeals to quite a broad range of audiences. One wonders how often that is going to happen going forward. So how does she appeal to me? Quite a lot actually. I really love this album. My wife loves the album and I was very familiar with the hits off of it, the second half was a mystery but one that pleasantly revealed itself as I listened today. I’ll probably come back to this one soon due to this reminder. 4/5

This album has such a strong start; I like Rolling in the Deep a lot despite having heard it so many times. I'm on the third track of the album, Turning Tables, and her vocals are particularly nice here. It's not her most vocally demanding song, but I like how much her voice carries. The double meaning for her having an unstable partner, constantly arguing, and her wanting to turn the page and start afresh. Don't you remember is so me in almost every way. She's almost begging and pleading for him to remember her once more. I understand that completely, wanting someone you've shared something with to remember you :/ The 6th song from the album (I don't remember the title) is one of my favorites; I like the instrumental; it sounds very groovy to me, like sitting in the corner of the room at a coffee shop and overthinking a relationship or situation in general. It's a little sad but with a more upbeat sound to it. It also sounds different from the other songs I've heard so far. I'll Be Waiting is very telling to me as to how it's not as comfortable to see a woman yearning for a man to love her back as it is for a man. I like overlapping vocals in songs, so One and Only is one of my favorites from the album. I love the exaggerated rasp and power in her voice; it's a song of acceptance, and she expresses the feeling of being sick and tired well. Final Verdict: I'm not 21, and I haven't gone through the trials and tribulations of being in a relationship presented as such, but there are some bits and pieces that I relate to. She's very down-to-earth and emotional here. It has so much emotion and conviction, beautiful from start to finish.

Hard to listen to as even as the a most casual music listener, some of these songs have been overplayed. Still her voice is great, the songs are well written and let her shine. Good album. 4 out of 5.

So good bangers

I think I’d like her voice better in a straight up jazz ensemble. Maybe in a imitation Diana Krall sort of way. This power pop ballad doesn’t work for me. It sounds like she’s in love with her own voice and nothing else matters.

What a voice, fairplay to her, she’s incredibly good. The hits are undeniable on this album, the spaces in between them are a bit unremarkable. But overall and album that transports me back to having a roast dinner at my mum’s. 3.8/5.0 Best Song: Someone like You

I can appreciate her voice, but the music is just not for me, its too much.

It dips a little around 2/3 of the way through but it picks up again at the end. Not a surprise but she sure can sing

Solid. Very listenable. Beautiful voice. Loved the Love Song cover. (4)

Welcome to the Lonely Housewife Club. This is the soundtrack of your life. Please proceed into crying silently into your glass of Chablis. But fair play to Adele. It's definitely not for me but she built her on success by writing and singing songs close to her heart instead of being manufactured by producers and a army of songwriters (each one responsible for adding a line). She seems to be doing things on her own terms. I might not like it but I can respect that.

Incredible album, her voice is very inspiring and her songs are very impactful. This album proves her songwriting ability and the careful selection of songs. The music is amazing and there's no comparison.

Good, but album 19 is better.

8.75/10 Lot of bangers

The singles on this album are so ubiquitous that I didn’t think anything clever could be said about them, but I actually think it’s really smart sequencing to put someone like you as the last song on the album

I haven’t sat down and actually listened to Adele other than on the radio, and I have now repented for my sins. I found myself really loving the choices made in the instrumentation and accompaniment. So many little details that were classy and tasteful.

Already listened! Someone like you is a favourite

It’s funny how I was so aware of this record’s success in 2011 and 2012 but just never gave it a shot. Basically this set the tone for the female pop belters of the 2010s and I guess I can tell I’m entering my late 30s since I was vibing with it in a Starbucks radio sort of way. Minus a star because Apple Music autoplayed me a terrible Ed Sheeran song right afterwards.

Wonderful record from one of the most wondrous voices out there!

Average 21yo experience

Man škiet man visvairāk patika dzirdēt dziesmas, kas no populārākajām, jo šis ir ļoti labs albūms, bet tās top 3 dziesmas ir pārāk overplayed

fine but just so far off my taste i couldn’t enjoy it

Fun! Never listened to an adele record cover to cover. he won't go honestly could've been a single imo. Love Adele I didn't expect anything less.

I don't mind some Adele. Certain songs are pretty good to my ears, others are just fine.

It has some absolutely iconic songs. A total pop banger.

le meilleur album de tous les temps..

She's unmatched. Pure talent, heart, soul, strenght and gentleness in every note and every word. So lucky to live at the same time as this legend.

Muy weno, por fin lo escuché completo

One And Only

555/1089 - And the worst cover of a Cure song award goes to... the Gerogerigegege's rendition of Boys Don't Cry. This one's also pretty bad though. Better than 25 but I still can't stand her voice and the music is pretty lackluster. I don't like when the music is just chord changes, it's better when actual stuff is going on like riffs or counterpoint or fucking anything besides jamming on 1,4,5,6, etc. (and for the jazz cats, I'm not too fond of jamming over b6 or b2 either, make a good melody or counterline or something!).

4★/5 07.27.2026

Ist halt nicht meins

3-5, tranqui, nada mas que decir

I see why it is the best selling album of all time.

Adèle? Vraiment?

Me repito. Adele es increíble y tiene temazos

9 + 10

You know what?? I’m going to just go ahead and give this a 5 star rating and not even remotely feel bad about it, because I don’t care who you are, Adele can freaking sing, and everyone should be able to appreciate this album for what it is. A 21 year old putting on one of the most spectacular performances I’ve heard in a long time. Not only that, but this album has all the hits. “Rolling in the Deep”, “Set Fire to the Rain”, “Someone Like You”, and my personal favorite song on the album, the unbelievably catchy “Rumour Has It”. That’s going to be stuck in my head for at least the next couple of weeks. To imagine someone so young putting out this much heat at that age is unprecedented. She sounds like she’s been singing her entire life to the utmost perfection here, as if she had 30+ years of experience. I will say, it’s hardly original to have an album that’s essentially from top to bottom about breaking up with someone, but to make every song sound as great as it does makes up for that tenfold. This is actually the second and final Adele album I have rolled for this project, following 25, an album that, unsurprisingly, she made when she was 25. I really liked that one also, I gave it a 4 in fact, but it just doesn’t have as many heavy hitters as this one does. I mean seriously, you couldn’t go a day without hearing one of these songs when this dropped. And you know what?? I never gave it a chance. In my fragile little mind, I probably believed I’d have been shunned for listening to this as a straight white guy. But I’m older and wiser now, perfectly comfortable with who I am, and I gotta confidently tell you that Adele freaking rocks. Great pipes, cool instrumentation and some great production. This album is catchy, sad, and just overall really, really impressive. Not just for someone who was only 21 when it came out, but impressive for anyone in general. A few skippable songs towards the end of the album aren’t going to keep this one from being a 5 for me. It’s a 5 for sure. This is really good stuff.

Skvelý album, pre mňa neporovnateľný s 25, ktorý ma vôbec nezaujal.

3.5 not usually my jam, but well produced and amazing talent cannot be denied.

Nice album - some pop classics of the 2010-era. Always enjoyed her passion and delivery on the ubiquitous hits. The non-radio tracks bring it down just a notch for me.

Never really got into Adele, dont get me wrong she has an amazing voice, good lyrics and I think she largely meets the hype. But its just a boiled chicken and vegies. Its always nice when the mainstream hypes up a clearly talented musician but the whole thing feels very safe and clinical.

Good album

amazing! imagine releasing a banger generational album at the ripe age of 21. holy shit Adele.

Great - has to be 5 stars but not necessarily my personal fav

3.5

Okay, "Rolling in the Deep." A banger. No two ways about it. To the point where I delayed finishing the album because I kept listening to this opening track on repeat. I had to force myself to go to the second track. How does the rest of the album stack up? Incredibly well honestly. Talking about blue-eyed soul seems an anachronism by the standards of a very integrated international music scene, but just as it's not possible to talk about Parliament without talking about the historic fortunes of funk (see previous review) it seems to me that we have to contend with what soul music has meant in a specific context of a historically black American genre faring in a white British context. It seems to me significant that 21 came out just seven months after the death of Amy Winehouse. Not because Adele and Amy were ever really "in competition" (though the misogynistic music industry will always seek to pit women artists against each other). But it's not just the sudden departure of Winehouse that allowed Adele to snatch the crown of Queen of British soul. This is a soul album, but it's definitely a pop album too. 2008s's 19 had been much more of an exercise in the vein of Winehouse and co. In Adele's mind, 21 had to be like it but different, so much more itself that it reached new heights. So yes, soul, but mixed with a pop sensibility that sought to modernize it, drawing in singer-songwriter folkiness and more current R&B. To bring the "blue-eyed soul" paradigm out of the nostalgic longing for long-shuttered clubs like the Twisted Wheel in Manchester and Blackpool Mecca and Wigan Casino and into a contemporary timeline. And yes, bring in something a little bit more, for lack of a better term, feminist. The personal valence is well-known by now: she had been dating an older man, and after a breakup Adele channeled her heartbreak into the album's composition. Whatever else can be said about her as a songwriter, nobody could ever accuse her of being anything other than fearlessly vulnerable. "Rumour Has It," another banger and strikes a pose regarding younger women and older men that wouldn't have been thinkable in the 70s. "Turning Tables," "Set Fire to the Rain," the stunning closer "Someone Like You." These are all instantly recognizable. So why is this album simply four and a half stars instead of a full five? It comes down to the context, yet again, and what 21 represented for the trajectory of British soul. Yes, it was a modernization, but a modernization that allowed the sound to be metabolized into a general pop landscape that was, by the mid 2010's accelerating its homogenization. Adele herself became one of the world's best-selling artists. As for the blue-eyed soul torch she had been past, it had been taken out of the fading memories of Wigan Casino and Blackpool Mecca and into Las Vegas residencies. The specificity of a music, of a sound, was lost. Not entirely Adele's fault, not even primarily. But nonetheless, it's what the album came to represent.

album was a straight meh, opening and closing tracks amazing, but mainstream. There were highlights in this album with funky type guitars and some cool piano choruses however, I could never return to this album especially with every song sounding a blend. Really cool and her voice is amazing, however just not for me man!!

Third second pass in a row, but it didn't matter much for this one. I bopped to this album quite a bit when it came out. 15 years later, sure, it's not groundbreaking. Still sounds good though. (I like 19 better).

A very good follow up to her first album. This can out when I still really liked her voice!

I like some Adele songs, but not any of these ones. The cure cover was almost enough to drag this down to a one

How Adele gets so much emotion out of her voice is beyond me. The guy who this album is obviously written about might have had the biggest fumble of all time. But I’m glad he did. Without him we wouldn’t have bangers all over the record like Rollin’ in the deep, Turning Tables and Someone Like You. Of the songs I didn't already know, I’ll be Waiting and Lovesong are amazing too. This was massive for a reason. It’s because all the songs are excellent.

I’m still residually sick of the singles from my summer job in 2012 but they really are that good. The rest of the album is also enjoyable, if not as memorable to me.

Every day I wake up on this journey, check my new album, and rejoice when it is not an Adele album. Today is not that day. Posh Brit school graduate, that most terrible of institutes, Adele has been wailing her particularly bland brand of retro bollocks for decades now. I'd be bemused by her success and acclaim if I didn't understand that the vast majority of the music consuming audience wants precisely that - bland, unchallenging bollocks. But I haven't given her a fair shake. I haven't actually listened to any of her albums. Just the awful singles which could not and can not be avoided. I'm happy to be partially wrong. It's obvious why this music appeals - sad woman music always appeals, especially when it is universal. But the non-singles, or at least the songs I was not familiar with, are better than the ones I was. Set Fire To The Rain is the one Adele song I'd heard in the background over the years and thought 'that one's not bad', and it is the standout song on the album. That's the rawness and anger and anguish and crucially, the melody which is lacking elsewhere. The majority of the album skirts around these feelings, rarely hitting their core. She's reaching, but only on that song does she hit the mark. Elsewhere, melodies are recycled (hell, the song following the fire rain one reuses its chorus melody), and all the belting vocals and quirky scratching and rounding of vowels is grating rather than whatever effect it is meant to evoke. She's one of many examples of one of the worst choices vocalists have been falling over one another to push - when she sings 'Hold me closer' it instead comes out as 'Hold me close-ohhoooeeooo'. No. Stop doing that. It's shit.

Adele's voice is incredible, and the songs are beautiful, sad and poignant. But the whole album is all very much in a similar tone. It gets repetitive after a few songs.

it good

Test

tolle songs, zweifellos eine tolle stimme. aber noch nicht auf der höhepunkt ihres schaffens, und auch nicht ganz erstlingsniveau.

Super! Sicher ein Höhepunkt der ganzen Liste

Easy to hate on this album when it was everywhere for a year or two after release, and several of the songs have endured for a lot longer than that. And there is a reason for it, it's damn good!! The big hits are massive - 'Rolling In The Deep', 'Rumour Has It', 'Set Fire To The Rain', 'I'll Be Waiting and 'Someone Like You' are all amazing, and worthy of adding to any playlist. The only sour note is a bog-standard cover of The Cure's 'Lovesong', but no album can be completely perfect, can it?? But this one comes pretty close, at least to my ears.

Obviously not the target for this album. But it’s clearly good at what it is. I wish the production was a bit more interesting, which I think just makes the whole thing feel dull.

Count Binface wants to nationalise Adele. Hopefully that means she’s a bit less shit in 2027.

Incredible album. Adele is an absolute powerhouse

trip down memory lane

Solid album, has a through and through story, good hits, and good songs in between.

Great often, but it does get very ballady by the end, and some of them aren't as strong as others. We run into an issue of the album sounding a bit one note. But there highlights, like Romling in the Deep, the sound of her voice at the get go is booming and full of emotion and I was thoroughly impressed. It is also not revolutionary, but not everything has to be to be good.

Many things have been written about this record in particular. But looking back to it, there it's still something special about it 15 years later. The truth it is indeed, that Adele knew how to capture the young angst and bitterness that comes after a breakup in such a special way that no matter how much has passed by, anthems like Rolling in The Deep, Rumour Has It and Someone Like You still makes it into radio and still makes it into the memory of a lot of fans. She it's certainly not the same young adult she was back then, but fortunately for her, she was fortunate enough to find out this earlier in her carreer some of the heavyweights in music industry and wrote these collection of songs with some of the greatest producers like Rick Rubin, Ryan Tedder from One Republic, and even Dan Wilson from Semisonic. The whole crew brought her massively talented heart and spirit and gave her voice a special place that has kept evolving through the years. Heavily influenced by folk and Motown Soul but also in country and blues the direction of the record it's absolutely different to his predecesor 19, Yet the arrangements are so well crafted that even the version from Lovesong (originally by The Cure) doesn't seem to be out of place and has its own way in this anthology of sounds that feels more like a balm for the soul rather than a pop album. Probably if it weren't for that breakup who knows where this album would be. Maybe lost in time and space. Fortunately for us, Adele also evolved as a person, and the maturity she gained with this record has been a crucial part for her carreer to the point that, just like all of these melodies, she has aged like a fine wine and 15 years later we still keep singing these songs like they are part of our own deepest sensations.

It's a banging album. Doesn't sit in a genre I particularly like but you can tell it has been written and produced by incredible talents and Adele is undoubtedly a great singer.

One of my harshest reviews on this list up to this point was that of 25, which I find to be the weakest of Adele's discography. In turn, this album comprises many memorable songs, even beyond the more obvious hits. 7/10 [KEEP]

Wow

I recognized so many songs! I just realized this is the album she released when she was 21... so impressive. Very expressive vocals, but each song sounded the same and blended together. Only one of them stood out as different; One and Only. It sounded like the end of a movie song.

Okay so I really simply do not care about this kind of music, it’s so painfully dull to me. But!! I do adore the Jamie XX remix of rolling in the deep so I thought I’d get on with the regular version… I was wrong. I do applaud her songwriting though and can recognise she’s very talented. And against all my instincts I found myself still incredibly moved by Someone Like You. Despite all the popularity she has had, I seem to still not be bored of that one. It’s still a really cracking song. Or maybe I’m just due my period, who knows. Anyway, although it’s not my thing, I think it is well placed to be a must listen. And I know I’m likely in the minority with my opinions here.

pretty good album with a bit of a minimalist vibe. 3.5

So as a middle-aged man when this album came out, I pretty much dismissed it out of hand. This was the kind of stuff my daughters might listen to, but I'd heard plenty of talented young female singers over the years, and very few of them had any way of looking at the world that was at all interesting to me. I heard the inevitable hit singles because they were part of the fabric of the universe of their time just like I was, but I didn't really "listen" to them, if you catch my distinction. Then I sat through the entire album as part of this crazy project to listen to an album a day until I've heard 1001 of them that I simply MUST hear before I die. And then I wanted to listen to it again. Then a third time, and a fourth, and a fifth. I am over 660 albums into this project, and this is the first time this has happened! This is a true banger of an album that I have robbed myself of for years due to ignorance and prejudice! If you've never really LISTENED tot his, treat yourself immediately!! Adele WILL reward you.

Probably won't listen again, but I can't deny she's got a great voice. Last song was by far the best.

Taking 0.5 off cause of the lovesong cover

Best of Adele in my opinion. So many bangers in this album. Still not the most inventive IMO, but really enjoyable to listen to. Fave songs: Someone like you, Set Fire to the Rain

good voice good singing someone talent no need to say more this is what a talent will do when she is 21 and now i'm 23 listening

I knew 3 songs from it, the whole album is good, despite not being my cup of tea.

amei que estou na semana Adele, mereço d+