Reviews (page 8 of 13)
"21" offers many hits. Rolling in the Deep, Rumour Has It, Someone Like You, and Set Fire to the Rain. This album is very soulful and explores the vocal range Adele is known for, fittingly, as it is her breakthrough album. She explores many different tempos as well as topics as she reveals character depth at age 21.
I’ve heard before and I like it, not blown away
Loved that is was all greatest hits kind of album. Felt like I was back in middle school, high school, and my early 20s listening for the first time. Good soulful listen.
Good album. It’s not my normal music to listen to but Adele has a great voice and strong lyrics.
Not really my style of music, but hard to deny how good it is. Sing well.
impressive song writing and production, but horribly compreesed recording
4/5. Am I becoming an Adele fan? There are some great songs on this record. Fantastic singer. The music can be a little boring and plain, but her voice and lyrics make up for it.
Not too bad. Couple of bangers and one secret banger
Mostly good!
It's really good.
Enjoyed it
Great album.
Really solid but not my favorite genre of music to listen to a lot. But for what it’s trying to be, it does it emphatically. Liked this one more than 25. Rating: 4.1
Solid 4.5 for me! I love the piano plus her lyrics are great. Rolling in the deep is awesome! Someone like you is fire.
Great album. Not my usual style, but her voice is amazing.
Excellent singing backed by a nice band. The song lyrics themselves on some of the tracks were the only major thing that lowered the rating, even if some other songs *almost* make up for it.
While it’s not entirely my cup of tea, I can recognize it for what it is and how many hits were on this one album that have stood the test of time. Essentially the album that put her on the map
Solid album, talented artist, already knew most of these songs but have to be in a specific mood to listen
Great album. But idk I think Adele is just played out for me. I've head every song on this album everywhere for 10 years straight.
301223 14:27 3.5
Wow, a powerful, soulful recording. Adele is an amazing artist who puts so much of herself into her recordings. Loved listening to this all the way through- I think 30 is the only one I’ve listened to in its entirety. Favorite song was definitely “I’ll Be Waiting.” Tons of fun and I love the retro jazz-soul sound. Four stars!
Yeah, it's a good album
Very catchy songs overall, with words about breakups and helped me to get over some sad moments. However I wouldn’t listen to it regularly.
I expected to hate this, but actually quite liked it. Obviously somewhat self indulgent but much less so than '25', and lots of well known songs. Difficult to tell if I enjoyed it because it's good, or because it's familiar, but I'll give it the benefit of the doubt. Rating: 3.5/5 Playlist track: Rolling in the Deep Date listened: 14/12/23
so many iconic songs. i’d probably give it a 3.5 if i could bc it’s pretty solid album but i’m stuck with whole numbers so i’ll lean 4 for impact alone. also forgot how much i love her lovesong cover!! gonna go listen to 25 now too
Kennt man. Unfassbar, mit 21 so ein Album heruaszudrehen. Respekt. 4.4
Echt geil, 4, super Sängerin einfach.
Adele ist eine Ikone. Diese Stimme ist wirklich unverwechselbar. Ist nicht für alle was (vermutlich), mir gefällt es! Mein Lieblings Song von ihr ist "Chasing Pavements" aus dem Debut Album "19". Das tut aber nichts zur Sache, mir gefällt dieses Album auch! 8.2/10
own
Sommigen nummers van dit album zijn fenomenaal, er zitten echter ook een paar nummers tussen die niet zo goed zijn als de rest. Ik wil het heel graag een 5 geven, maar t neigt voor mij toch net iets maar naar die 4,4
I've never listened to this whole album, but have obviously heard many on the songs already. For a mainstream pop album, it isn't overly produced. Adele's voice is pretty remarkable. Very powerful. She is able to carry most of these songs just with her voice alone. I assume based on the title of the album that she was only 21 when she created this, which is pretty incredible. She has a commanding presence and these songs are captivating, which is extremely impressive for anyone, let alone someone that young. The Cure cover was a little surprising.
Adele is a vocal powerhouse who deserves every bit of success she's had since this record. I used to roll my eyes when someone talked about Adele as if she was Aretha Franklin. I don't roll my eyes so much anymore. The thing that doesn't really resonate with me on this one is the complete overproduction, particularly in the instrumentation. There's not exactly a 'warm' sound in the instrumentation, which makes me want to spend less time in it. We also have an overuse of strings, almost as if Phil Spector got a hold of it. It's catering to the mass audience of listeners, which is fine, but I think this would be an easy 5 stars if I got that throwback sound in it (think Sound & Color by Alabama Shakes).
On 21, Adele delivers a vocal performance almost as awe-inspiring as the album's colossal, enduring success.
Surprised I liked this as much as I did actually. Just a pretty solid album. Nothing groundbreaking but I enjoyed it.
I love this album and always have
This by any means is not a perfect album. Adele voice is amazing, no question about it but I kinda feel that production is boring and often sounds the same. I mean singles are great but the rest of the album sounds more like a filler. Enough said to my surprise that Lovesong is the best from entire record and this is cover of course.
Not necessarily my type of music but great album
Certified hood classic
It's a pop artifact obviously but in its context it's pretty flawless. Maybe an issue in pacing, it gets a little bogged down in the middle with too much slow and sad, but they are all good songs.
4/5
Adele’s voice is undeniable; such an amazing instrument. The pathos and nuanced emotion she brings to the tunes is palpable and the songwriting overall solid, but I don’t know… I’m still left at a bit of a distance from connecting with this one. I think I prefer the raw grittiness of 19 over this more polished production, which is maybe polished up a bit too much for me.
This album seems to have snuck up on society, and for good reason. Where the industry for female singers/entertainers tend to be strained through the pop-genre where hopefully a label can extrude a symbol, Adele's musical offering took that much more difficult road, of singing songs that undeniably could only be performed with the heart and soul she possesses. Adele is not a dancer, nor does she entertain with any type of pomp and circumstance, she is a modern day crooner. Her voice sounds perfect when maybe it should not, and should she ever sound inconsistent, somehow the listener misheard that. Is Adele perfect? No, but she is quite close. If the listener can bypass the hype that her albums generated and really focus on Adele the singer, there is so much depth and artful observations to make. The album is not a concession in the colosseum, but a rare opportunity to experience something truly great.
8/10
Mér finnst Adele virkilega góð. Hefði viljað minna af rólegheitum og meira af stuði eða þá tvær plötur, ein með hvorri stefnunni því bæði eiga rétt á sér en í mismunandi aðstæðum. Samt virkilega gott stöff.
The singles are bangers.
Een pareltje, daarom vier sterren. Zoals jij idd beschreef vallen er een paar gaten tussen de hits in maar dat doet ze opzich slim, want daardoor blijft het aantrekkelijk. Ze was in deze tijd echt een hitmachine, wat ongelofelijk knap is. Zelf vind ik 'Rumour has it' een knaller die ik alweer een beetje vergeten was. Vier sterren.
Erg goed
Musically quite interesting, solid recording and Adele has a great voice.
Nice album
This is an amazing album. Every song is great. Her vocal range is put on display. I'm glad I was reminded of this album. I should revisit it more often
Another one of these albums that probably indisputably belong on here with several of the singles amassing literally billions of plays. What that means for me is feeling absolutely nothing when these songs come on. Instead of transporting me with her lyrics, I'm transported to the shopping mall looking for a crappy overpriced phone case. A shame, really. On the other hand, there's a run of FIVE of her "lesser known" songs that starts with a funky "He Won't Go" and ends with a sneaky organ riddled "Love Song" - that exclusively rips. The least listened to song on the record happens in this 5 song run, "I'll Be Waiting". Thinking it was going to be a potential slow snore... Instead was surprised with an upbeat, funky, horn-laden track that again - rips! Hell yeah Adele. You got pipes on ya and pipes on the track. In another universe, you won't be playing in the malls, but you'd be playing in my home. The true definition of suffering from success.
Very good album. Blues, pop and soul all come into play on this, Adele’s second album. It’s deeply personal as she wrote about the relationship troubles she was having at the time and her voice brings this all to life.
Love her voice, have heard the singles before (her cover of 'someone like you' is one of my fav sad songs of all time) but hadn't heard her cover of 'lovesong' before, like it very much. 4 stars, she would go on to do even bigger & better things!
Pretty fun album, solid. Several songs are very well known, possibly too well known. Someone Like You is still beautiful. Also, "Set Fire to the Rain" is just an epic lyric and title and nobody can convince me otherwise.
This album reminds me of such a specific time in my life, and it's incredible just how pervasive the hit singles were during 2011-2012. I do tend to enjoy the lesser-celebrated tracks on this album, but the entire thing is such a force that almost sags under its own weight at times. Favorite track: Lovesong
Adele doesn't give a fuck. She'll find someone like you, you're lucky to hear her cry about it. You'll love it. You'll fall in love with it.
finally a more modern album! reminds me of elementary/middle school. I don't listen to Adele enough. she has such a strong and beautiful voice. I like the drums in rolling in the deep. rumor has it is a little overplayed, repetitive, not my favorite. set fire to the rain is a legendary song. she went crazy on this one. some of these songs resonate with me more than others, and he won't go is a little lacking. I haven't heard I'll be waiting before, I like this one too. good brass instruments. lovesong is underrated, it's lower energy but very pretty. someone like you is Adeles best song. the piano is understated but complements her voice so nicely. it's real sad too.
This is a super popular album that seems to be universally loved. Adele has a strong and very impressive voice and she really uses it on this album. I'm not a regular listener of Adele and this is the first time I've heard some of these songs, but they're alright. There are a few songs that are just too much for me, especially with long drawn out vocal notes (screams). Not a fan of it, and just because you have the lung capacity to hold a note longer doesn't mean you should. As for more specifics, rumour has it was very repetitive and overplayed. Rolling in the deep is well mastered but you'll never hear me playing it for myself. Same thing with set fire to the rain and someone like you. I was forced to listen to these on the bus ride to and from school as well as my overly positive and outgoing art teacher in middle school. Don't want to hear it again but I recognize that they're objectively well done. I like the piano, and I find the melodies pleasing. I would not choose to put this album on though, which makes me feel like I'm overrating it at four stars.
This album has like 3 of the biggest songs on the past 12 years. Huge accomplishment for Adele at 21. Rolling in the Deep, Set Fire to the Rain, and Someone Like You are borderline overplayed but they actually are great. I liked hearing some of the deeper cuts on here that I've never heard before. Don't You Remember is very nice. I don't think I've ever heard it before. Also, key change at 3 minutes! He Won't Go isn't my favorite. The chorus on I'll Be Waiting in fun. One and Only is a little bit gospel? Not feeling it it. Especially the backup singers. Big finish with Someone Like You.
Mega gutes Album, auch abseits der großen Hits. Absoluter Banger: I'll be waiting.
I enjoyed everything, except for Rumour Has It (repetitive). Great voice! Some of the music is simplistic, but her voice elevates it.
we laughed, we cried, and my god did we set fire to the rain
Amy Winehouse rock/pop
Not really something I would listen to, but it is a good album
Solid but I’d still prefer a compilation of my fave songs from all of her albums.
Adele blesses us with her second studio album, casually dropping one of the records of the decade. Though 19 is fine, 21 is where she really shows her value. Her vocal range is mesmerizing making her voice unmistakable. You will always recognize her when you hear her singing. There is a couple songs she dominated the radio with during the early 10s.
Great memories. Released in 2011 when my children were in their teens. We'd listen to this all of the time. There's a bit of pop, soul and all inbetween. Sonically it sounds great and is another brill album to listen to on a road trip.
Wait what I’m an adelehead
This album makes me feel like Cheryl, a 48 year old mother of 2, who recently gained the courage to stand up for herself and leave Bartley, her alcoholic and emotionally abusive partner of the past 6 years. Yes, the unknown is frightening, but leaving Bartley was necessary for the safety and well-being of herself and her two children, Tia and Jarnathan. And she is still young, with so much love left to give to those who deserve it. Good things are ahead for Cheryl. So yeah, I found this album empowering
Powerhouse everything
Great voice. Some of the songs sound repetitive but then some of it is pure emotional and musical goodness.
gonna have to return to the less obvious ones on this one. because turning tables and one and only have my heart <3
I'm literally so mad. Adele is literally divorced, white-mom music - and yet it's one of the better albums I've heard on here. In fact, I would say this is one of those rare albums that leaves me genuinely dumbfounded with how well put together it is. Am I turning into a white mom? Do all my tacos contain corn now? Do my seasonings come directly from the box, if at all? How many signs do I have in my house about drinking wine? Is it possible I have kids and, if so, do I hate them and think about drinking wine all day?
The notes she can hit are insane. I always felt like I needed to skip through her songs when they came on but listening to her album kinda changed my perspective a bit. The songs are so nostalgic and I just can’t believe how incredible her voice is
This album is incredibly good. It’s easy to digest for the masses, but for the more trained ear there is some really great songwriting that I think goes unnoticed in Adele’s career. Her voice is quite powerful and the piano composition really compliments her voice. All of the tracks sound similar but that isn’t necessarily bad, in this project she clearly had a certain kind of music in mind and for the most part perfected that sound.
Adele is a vocal legend, and the writing is great, but it’s not something I’d find myself wanting to listen to.
Simultaneously annoyed and impressed by this. Talent and production is off the charts but just feels a little fake. If I'm not paying too much attention the tunes are all catchy, but if I start listening close it feels more like manipulation than true enjoyment. Still can't ignore that it was enjoyable. Lowest 4 possible.
I enjoyed this album. It was a good change of pace around the time it came out.
Pop off sis lol Adele is a mood
Better than I remember
Incredible voice. I've heard many songs before but didn't attribute them to Adele. Not always my style of music, though
i wonder if adele will still be putting out age-titled albums after 30 (or if they'll let her) there's only like 3-5 skippable songs on this tho - just banger after banger
Pretty mom-core, but I liked it. Rolling in the deep, I’ll be waiting, Rumour has it are highlights.
Heck of an album. Went diamond, so she must've done something right. She has such power and poise blended into a beautiful sound. Great album
Pretty good. Great singing. Songs are sad
1., 2., 5., 8., 11. are bangers, rest ok
Fav: Don't You Remember LF: Rolling In The Deep Legit astounded at the amount of bangers in this, high 8
I remember when I first heard songs from this album, which was my introduction to her, and how blown away I was by her vocal abilities. Still am. She's truly remarkable. I also like the sparse style of these compositions and arrangements, and the production is superb. Truly an excellent album by an incredibly talented performer.
Adele is a sweetheart. This isn't my go-to genre or type of music, but I cannot do anything but appreciate the voice and delivery of the album
Adele is a mixed bag for me. Sometimes I really love her music and other times I'm very bored by it. With this album, I love the singles, but the rest of the album is underwhelming. My favorites are "Set Fire to the Rain," "Rumour Has it," and "Someone Like You," and because of that, I'm giving this a 3.5 but rounding up to 4.
This album was everywhere when it came out. The big hit is obviously Rolling in the Deep. And it can be argued that Adele (along with others of course) paved the way for solo female artists that charted big in the 2010s. Listening to it outside of its cultural context is interesting. The music is arranged to allow Adele’s voice to be the primary focus. Which is probably not necessarily a bad thing. Other albums I have rated and enjoyed are like this, like Billie Holiday.
Did not fully appreciate Adele’s talents until listening to this entire album. Was initially laying down to rest while listening but the first couple of tracks require max volume.
Rolling in the Deep: Classic Rumor Has It: Funny but the hand claps make it corny. Also it’s “Rumor” Turning Tables: Banger, respectfully Don’t You Remember: Saddest wedding song ever Set Fire to the Rain: Banger and a half, best song here He Won’t Go: RICK RUBIN?? Take It All: Like the gospel choir but kinda got bored this one I’ll Be Waiting: Banger, Amy Winehouse really paved the way for Adele One and Only: Adele in her R&B/Prince Era Lovesong: BOSSA NOVA CURE?? Someone Like You: Classic Overall: Did not think I would love it as much as I did, I took a star off because she’s British :(
It’s no secret that there isn’t anything groundbreaking happening on this album. For an album that came from such a personal place, Adele’s lyrics are fairly straightforward and reminiscent of a million Pop songs we’ve heard before. The song structures are all pretty typical of a Blues-influenced Pop songwriting team cranking out power ballads, and the songs that break from the typical arrangements and structures (the opening two tracks) have been so ingrained in pop culture that they struggle to still doing fresh. Throw in a downtempo Cure cover towards the end and this thing was destined to be a megahit. So what redeeming factors does this album have? Pretty much the fact that this functions as the way a solo album typically should; As a showcase for the artist’s main strengths. In this case, it’s Adele’s vocal talents. Are those talents strong enough to elevate it past the less-than-stellar composition? Fucking YES they are! Seriously, is it just me? I forgot how incredible she is. It’s so engrossing. I mentioned not being impressed by the lyrics but she’s belting and selling the hell out of them for the whole record, it’s amazing. What an amazing talent and at such a relatively young age too. Points get taken off for the other stuff I mentioned, but she carries this album through sheer vocal force and I feel delivered a very impressive and engrossing listening experience despite not having the best foundations musically. Light 4.
That's a really good pop album. I didn't realise how many summer hits were on this album. I don't really think it's one of the top albums in history, but maybe one of the best summer records with crazy hits post-2010. Nice voice though.
It's worth listening more on Adele's talent and voice. Music itself is alright. Plus 1 star for Set Fire in the Rain. That's a track of power.
Classic album from the 2010s.
Dit is weer een topper. Luistert lekker weg en staan natuurlijk grote hits op. Blijf Turning Tables wel een zeiknummer vinden.
Strong and beautifuk album with great balance
Pretty good, annoyingly
I loved this album! It was great to revisit some jams from my teenage years and discover some new deep cuts that I hadn’t heard before. And I had no idea she had covered Lovesong by The Cure! Loved this journey
Adele is not my kind of music but the quality of this album cannot be denied. I find it to be a bit dreary and which she had the chance to do the more up-tempo album she wanted to work on. Sad Adele is good Adele, and the music is really good, but I can't say I would listen to this album again.
selbes "problem" wie bei taylor
"21" is the second studio album by English singer-songwriter Adele. The album has the Motown/soul influences of her debut "19" but adds elements of American country and southern blues. It explores themes of heartbreak, healing, introspection and forgiveness during and after the break-up with boyfriend which was happening during the writing and recording of this album. Adele collaborated with various songwriters and producers around the globe including Rick Rubin, Paul Epworth, Ryan Tedder, Jim Abiss and Dan Wilson. The album became the best selling album of the 21st century, won The 2012 Grammy for Best Album and the Brit Award for British Album of the Year. A strumming acoustic guitar and a pounding drum begin her big hit "Rolling in the Deep." Blues and gospel. Also, Adele's bluesy strong (and maybe over-the-top (maybe?)) voice. Written and recorded the day after an argument with her boyfriend. Well, there was at least one positive thing. "Rumour Has It" continues the thumping drums and bluesy tilt. A swirling piano towards the end. Aimed at her friends for gossiping. "Turning Tables" changes and slows things up. A ballad with piano and strings. Another song about a recent boyfriend argument. Her third single "Set Fire to the Rain" continues her in power ballad mode. Orchestral strings. Her vocals are more controlled...my favorite song thus far in the album for the restrained vocals. Her inability to let go. The album closes with the second single "Someone Like You." Another ballad with maybe her most emotional delivery. She found out her ex is now engaged, wishing him the best and trying to move on. The song was recorded at the end of the album's production. Yeah, this is Adele's album where I've heard most of the songs just by existing. The arrangements and production are great. I do like the change in styles jumping from blues to country to ballads to pop R&B. Her strong vocals can be a bit much for me at times and I tended to like the songs where she toned it down. Nevertheless, I liked the flow of the album from start to finish; a lot of other people in the world found something to like as well over the last decade.
pretty good tunes, enjoyed it.!
Ranges from masterpiece to just fine. More homeruns than I expected. Though Adele has always been one of my favorite female vocalists, I didn't expect the songs on this album that I hadn't already heard to be bops. Still, I probably would never get the itch to listen to these songs again, which is important to me.
adele is cool. nostalgia does a lot for me here. great collection of songs. certainly not my favorite genre of music though
Top 3 Songs: 1 - Turning Tables (3) 2 - Set Fire to the Rain (5) 3 - Someone Like You (11)
Ik luister het niet vaak maar dit blijft een guilty pleasure. Goede zang en zwijmel teksten, lekker voor de regenachtige zondagmiddag.
Ik had echt dit hele album dankzij bluetooth op m’n samsung star qwerty geflikkerd en gilde dit voor een half jaar iedere dag op de route van Azewijn naar Silvolde. Dikke vette 4 sterren voor alle ongelofelijke bangers én nostalgie
Voice to kill for of course, and some of the songs are very beautiful and 5 stars easily. But not all are. And the Cure cover was a disgrace to be honest. Give it a 4, in good mood
👍
I mean y'know it's Adele
Edellinen adele samaa tasoa.. täysin samaa tasoa.. respect hittien määrästä tässä kunnia nelosta objktv. 3..
This is such a beautiful album. The singing obviously, but also the production, lyrics, instrumentation. It’s got range and originality. It feels fresh and I enjoy listening to it. 4/5
Succes dat ik nooit zou bereiken op mijn 21ste.
I have this playlist on Spotify called "Epic girl songs of the 60s and 70s" (feel free to follow it!) that includes great songs by Dusty Springfield, Lulu, Laura Nyro, Bobby Gentry, and many more. They're dramatic, emotional, sometimes plaintive songs with a strong female lead vocal. I love that type of music. Adele would fit in really well on this playlist, even though she is obviously much more recent. Beautiful voice, strong, emotional songs, and great production. 4 stars.
In a world where pop was becoming a parody of itself, Adele was able to create an honest and powerful statement. Three of the most recognized and definitive pop songs from early 10s are from this album. I can also see many artists taking notes from this piece of work. If I was a pop musician. I would definitely want to write songs like these ones.
I had never listened to an Adele album from start to finish. Obviously, a very talented singer. I thought it was good! Enjoyed it a lot more than I expected.
Adele is a fantastic singer - there's really not too much else to say in this review. Musically this is pretty solid hitting the right notes in the pop, RnB and adult contemporary genres.
Rumour had it that I don’t really like Adele. And while that may be true, I’m Turning Tables on this one. I’ve found this album aged well and with the exception of a couple of nondescript songs, this album brings it. Don’t You Remember that Adele has a powerhouse voice? That mixed with great melodies…Take It All.
Great album
This album is excellent, but it got a couple of skips. The pros greatly outweigh the cons.
It was a very enjoyable experience
Classic for a reason
I give this a very high 4. I just happen to like 19 a little bit more.
Hits aside, writing the songs on 21 at that age is complete bonkers. Hats off to Adele who obviously also kills it vocal-wise. 'Don't You Remember' and 'Take It All' were nice surprises drawing on very British sources of inspiration like Elton John, and the Sting-esque cover of 'Lovesong' was pleasant. As for the hits, you have to be a cold-hearted bastard not to be moved by 'Someone Like You', closing out the album on an absolute high note.
A fantastic album, full of emotion and pain. It reminds me up a time when I spent with a friend who has now passed away. Beautiful album.
Simply 11 cracking songs from a timeless songwriter at the top of here game. Yes, the singles are all classics, and not everything else is on the same level, but, this is definitely one of the greatest albums of the 2010s, in the traditional sense.
Great pop album
I need to review these albums after I listen to them, my review backlog is long. This album really surprised me! You think you know an album. Along with everyone on the planet, I was assaulted by these songs against my will for about 5 straight years, and anything you are forced to do leaves, at best, an unpleasant taste. The radio’s superpower— to make a song heard by everyone on the planet— is also, when used too much, what causes weariness, exhaustion. If I have heard these songs 100 times each so far, the entire planet has probably heard them by now. And nothing is good enough to warrant that kind of campaign. And yet… I hadn’t really “heard” these songs! To listen with both your ears, you’re just taken by both the craft of songwriting on display here, and the power and irresistibility of Adele’s voice. And it is so perfectly imperfect, and it’s beguiling… some of these lead vocals sound like she did them in one take! There’s no tune in sight, some of the background vocals are crazy out of tune. But in a really amazing way! Yeah, this album gave me hope. The heavy soul influences (I’m surprised Mark Ronson didn’t take a stab at this project, because every other super producer at the time seemed to), the really played out piano and guitar tracks. The production felt natural, unforced, not too over-the-top. Really a nice blend. I was thinking, imagine all the pop songwriters and producers of today instead try to make music inspired by soul, delta blues, country… imagine they broaden their influences in what they do, make things less bland. That imaginary album in my head is basically this album. It’s really NOT that bland, that soulless, that imitative, as a pop product… it’s pretty undeniable no matter how they got there. So this is a heavy surprise 4. I was nearing 5 territory, honestly! But the unsettling sickness I feel from some of these songs, and every mundane memory I’ve had from the last 10 years being infiltrated by them, cannot totally remove my bias. 4/5
Great album but idk if it’s quite a 5. The vocals are strong throughout the album and the hits like someone like you and rolling in the deep. I also really liked the cure cover. That’s a hard one to do cuz the cure’s melodramatic aesthetic already fit the song so well. The album tracks in no way are bad but I feel like I’ll still mainly come back to this one for the hits. 👍: someone like you, rolling in the deep
Great album, the middle few tracks kinda lost me but overall good
My nostalgic lens may be clouding my vision a bit but this was such a great listen for me. This album was HUGE when it came out, packed with radio hits. And while that sometimes isn't the best thing in hindsight, this one holds up. We have the big three: 'Rolling in the deep', 'set fire to the rain', 'someone like you'. All still bangers. Then we have 'turning tables' which is a better ballad than someone like you imo and maybe my favorite on the album. Then 'rumour has it' (which I recall being a bit more popular than the streams suggest) which is a fun banger where those drums and background vocals really take control. 'don't you remember' is the weakest of the first 6 but still a really good song. 'He won't go' also goes harder than I remember; that melody is killer. And those are the first 6 tracks (minus 'someone like you'). wow. The next three kinda drag a bit for me ngl. but that first half more than makes up for it. 'Lovesong' is a nice mellow track with the soft guitar and strings. And someone likes you is a strong ending track. Bottom line: Adele is an incredibly talented singer. Adele uses that god given talent to make bangers. This is her best album. I've slowly had less and less interest for her music over the years just because I feel like it gets pretty same old. But that's not an issue with THIS album, if anything it's a testament to how good this album was. The rest just don't compare. Favorites: Turning tables, he won't go, rolling in the deep, set fire to the rain MMM: WE COULDVE HAD IT ALLLLLL ROLLING IN THE DEEEEEP YOU HAD MY HEART AND SOUUUUUUL IN YOUR HANDS AND YOU PLAYED IT TO THE BEAAAAT
Nostalgi. Fan vad bra albumet är ändå - jag tycker om i princip alla låtar, men Someone Like You är lire överspelad. Sjunger på Turning Tables nu :)
Not my normal choice but some great songs on there and Adele has an amazing voice.
Great voice and solid songs.
Popède un jour popède toujours
petit skip de sepultura histoire de rester saine d’esprit
Rolling in the deep - Klasslåt. Rumour Has It - Bra verser, refrängen dock för repetativt, men otrolig röst Turning Tables - Fint pianospel, riktig vändning från de två tidigare låtarna
*He Won’t Go
Adele is a great vocalist. There are some wonderful songs on this album.
AMOOO. nunca lo había escuchado entero y la cantidad de BOPS?? siendo un album de BALADAS?? 9/10
4.5 Very good but not a 5, for me.
Boy does Adele have an incredible voice, truly meant for ballads like this. This topped the charts over a decade ago and she sounds even better on her more recent releases
There's not a bad song on this album.
Adele's best album. Not much filler and the album is bookended by her two best songs (Rolling in the Deep and Someone Like You). One of the best 2010s albums you'll find
Amazing talent! Singer/songwriter puts out her second album at the age of 21 and every single one of the songs are solid. Ballad singer or pop Goddess, she can sing anything she wants.
i can't say anything about adele's voice that hasn't already been said. stunning, exquisite, lovely. we know this. but what stuck out was how very well suited she was for these songs. talk about playing to your strengths. every time she holds a note, i shiver. every song allowed her to showcase her voice! these are emotional songs, and you can really hear that emotion thick in her voice every time she opens her mouth. it's no wonder she became a sensation after this album. this album has songs that are similar enough they flow in and out of each other but contain enough different elements to distinguish. the piano accompaniment to adele's voice is crucial and beautiful. "set fire to the rain" allows adele to take her power back. the final line of "rumour has it" contains a twist: "but rumor has it he's the one i'm leaving you for" after the song's beat pounds throughout. the album ends with a heart wrenching yet optimistic ballad, "someone like you." together, all songs create such an atmosphere and controls your every emotion. there isn't a bad song among the bunch. on a final note, i absolutely loved what she did with the cover of "lovesong." it's eerie, like the original, but slower. her vocals pack the punch in her version, instead of the background music. i think i might even prefer her version now!
Adele has had lots of different inspirations for her albums, this one being fueled by her break up at the time. And nothing else that she has done has ever quite touched this album. Adele's previous album is fairly heavy on the sad indie sound. But on this album, Adele is channeling a righteous, upbeat fire surrounded by a simple but effective orchestral sound. What comes across is an incredibly soulful sound on this album. Her vocals are often raw, often sultry, often pained, and always approachable. The lyrics are poetic and palpable, all tugging on the heartstrings. Adele spans a few different genres across this album -- blues, pop, jazz, R&B, and more -- but somehow everything manages to feel very related and cohesive. Overall, this album is just really well done, and is undeniably powerful.
Adele was much better when she hadn't gone full dreary and sad yet. 21 is far more upbeat, and even though it's not short on ballads it still has a lot of life. Someone Like You is painful and longing, Set Fire to the Rain shows its anger, and Lovesong feels darker. And then you have the more fast-paced songs like Rumour Has It & Rolling in the Deep, which are still emotional but also vibrant. As as plus, how impressive is it that more than half of this record is composed of either massive hits or a really well-known cover? Feels like Adele hit her peak pretty early - at least from a casual observer's perspective.
classic album
Putting her entire life at the time on this album is very apparent. Letting it all out on every track and not being sorry about it, going through a very dark time in her life Adele turned that into a beautifully empowering album for anyone who has been hurt in life, saying that’s not the end of the story and that heartbreak is truly just a step in the road. Showing any listener who has gone through similar things that it will get better. An Incredible and devastating album that tells the story of heartbreak, depression and how to heal from that.
I wouldn't really choose to listen to this album normally, but I so appreciate Adele's talent. That woman can do things with her voice that I could only dream of doing hahaha. Her song-writing skills are pretty insane too. Trying to get my head around the fact that she wrote these incredible emotional mature and intelligent songs which are catchy and interesting and exciting before the age of 21!?!? Also it's a stunning cover of Lovesong too... I have so much respect for Adele and this impressive album.
She really is very good. I don't often find myself wanting to listen to Adele but when I do I thoroughly enjoy it.
Not a brilliant record or me, as everyone claims, but a decent one
very good album with very good songs, quite nostalgic. not a 5 star because the album doesn't quite come together as i would have imagined
Mjög flott stöff og gott að hlusta á.
Great songs, great singing
Struck by how mature her voice and perspective is at 21. Spectacular, and deserving of its place as best selling album of the 21st century. In the end, not really my kind of music, but mad respect.
I want to give 5 stars for "Someone Like You" alone, but there are some spots in the middle of the album that wear thin with me. She undoubtedly knows how to open and close strongly though. This is my kind of pop; soulful and heartfelt. She has it all: depth, range, skill, talent, everything. "Someone Like You" is such a standout song, not just on this record, but in all of music for the past 20 some years. It's like a more honest and complex version of Dolly Parton's "I Will Always Love You." It's incredibly emotionally powerful, and one of the few songs that has ever stopped me dead in my tracks upon first hearing it. If you can't relate to it, I feel sorry for you.
I will admit it. I love Adele and I love this album. I don't care if that makes me a basic bitch. The album is not perfect, but there are some truly great songs here. Favorite song: Set Fire to the Rain
Music good for the soul.
Adele has taken the bitter breakup album to a new level since Alan's Morisette's Jagged Little Pill. 21 is a heart wrenching view into a very public breakup. This album was all over with it's monster hits and is deserving of being on such list despite the over saturation Adele has taken with her succeeding 29 and is starting to overstay her welcome, but 21 can stay, it's amazing. 4/5.
Very nostalgic love it
It’s great. It gets lost in the middle tracks but ends nicely. She sings with so much emotion and the audio is well produced. She ends up with an award winning album after a breakup and I get stuck with alimony. Rolling in the Deep is one of those songs -- like I Will Always Love You, Stairway to Heaven, Let It Be, Kiss From a Rose, Unchained Melody -- that has become part of the cultural air we all breathe. A significant accomplishment.
Holy moly wat een hits. 'Rumour has it' vind ik altijd wat minder, 'Dont you remember' is ook niet heel best, maar verder gewoon super sterk, met 'Someone like you' als absoluut hoogtepunt. Ik twijfel heel erg tussen 4 en 5 sterren, denk dat ik voor 4 ga omdat het verder niet helemaal mijn muziek is.
I do enjoy that raspy, sultry soulful voice and some of her songs work really work but others not so much, "He Won't Go" and her cover of "Lovesong" in particular. However the good songs are stellar.
Not as strong an album as 19, but still some really great songs here. She shines when she can really exercise her soulful vocal phrasing (He Won’t Go), and is only pulled down by a couple less inspired compositions. I actually like the cover of Lovesong with the acoustic guitar, organ, and strings. She’s at her best when the focus is on her and everything else is there to support (I Found a Boy).
um, this is really good. The hits "Rolling in the Deep" and "Someone Like You" that I've heard a thousand times feel way different in album context. Some of the production is a little "too much" for me, like the strings on "Set Fire to the Rain" grate on me after a while. "Rumour Has It" and "I'll Be Waiting" were highlights for me.
It's not my sort of thing, but it's a damn fine album.
Great voice, great lyrics, great talent. I can see why people might not like Adele, but I’m a big fan. Glad she hasn’t gone the way of other great, young talents and joined the 27 club.
The Adele album that has my favourite songs of hers - wish we’d see a little more of the Rumour Has It and Rolling in the Deep banging soul side of her more often.
Lush strings Lots of great piano and keys Rumour has it is a banger!
She has a great, soulful, voice with a little southern vibe to it. The songs, while not incredibly original, are well written. This was a nice listen.
This was a hard one to rate. Every song is beautiful and Adele is one of the greatest vocalists ever imo. The album has everything, incredible hits, very well produced, the lyrics and singing are amazing But in the end its just a little bit bland, a lot of the songs though beautiful sound almost the same in a way. Its also not very creative imo and sounds a lot like 19
favorite tracks - he wont go, one and only, turning tables least favorite tracks - rolling in the deep, rumour has it love adele, love this album
Not usually my kind of thing, but Adele's voice is somewhat beguiling and this collection of songs is deeply infused with feelings of hurt and heartbreak. The hits that have had heavy rotation stand out - Rolling in The Deep, Set Fire..., Someone Like You
Adele has in incredible voice, but but not all of the songs are equally phenomenal. Tracks like Rolling in the Deep, Don't You Remember, Someone Like You and Set Fire to the Rain are awesome, but then there are tracks like Rumour Has It and Turning Tables that are just filler. Still this is a phenomenal album, but not as iconic or timeless as it could be. 4/5
Very impressive. I was obviously well aware of the album before, and heard a good few of the songs many times, but had never listened to it in full before. Crazy that she was 21 here.
Normally not my kind of music, but this album really has some great songs on it. Not necessarily impressively written, but they are enjoyable to listen too and have hooks that stick.
A good album, well put together, but not my cup of tea. Also Adele has an awesomely original way of pronouncing risk.
On hyvä! Hittibiisien ulkopuolellakin on hyvää kamaa, mutta omissa papereissa ei silti nouse parhauden ultimaattiseen kuninkuusluokkaan.
Man, this album comes off the ropes swinging with a couple of absolute haymakers. It quickly calms down into a beautiful ode to unrequited and lost love. Are they all hits? Nah. It honestly starts to wear a bit but Adele's voice is so great and her delivery so passionate that the energy carries right through the sleeper tracks and back into the good stuff. Overall, a really great album. If I could give it 4.5 stars, I would.
An absolute pop classic full of hits. There's nothing wrong with this album. Adele has an absolutely beautiful voice and she used that to the fullest in those songs. Besides the hits that everyone knows and are obviously very good, the rest of the album doesn't disappoint either, providing tons of emotional stimulation and wonderful vocals. Although it is monothematic, giving us a love song and upbeat commercial hits for the radio. Unfortunately, Adele's voice seems to be the only reason for the album's great reception. Too cheesy or too bland songs are being saved by her astonishing singing skills, making this album work after all. But I guess everyone needs a simple love song once in a while. Favourite track: "Set Fire to the Rain", least favourite track: "I'll Be Waiting"
An album full of great songs. Very powerful and is carried by Adele's vocals. I especially liked the songs I hadn't heard before, such as I'll be Waiting and One and Only.
Sko, þetta er mjög góð plata. Það er bara svoleiðis. Tilfinningarúss frá upphafi til enda. Adele hefur lagni við að vera pínu unhinged í söng sínum og túlkun, án þess að virðast vera það. Eitthvað sem ég er að reyna að tileinka mér.
Très bon! J'aime bien son style, et éviremment les 2 tounes connues sont excellentes.
Ahhh a classic great album from my high school years. Like half the songs were massive hits and I loved them at the time and still love them now. only maybe 2 or 3 that didn’t quite jive with me. 8/10
great songs that stick.
Great album with powerful songs through and through
Pretty insane how many hits came from this album. Another thing that's pretty insane: Adele's voice. Favorite track: Rumour Has It
Just a tour de force. It was my kids that got me listening to Adele in the last few years. They are always excited to hear her so by extension, so am I! This album is the best I've heard and it is a stable around us.
I really liked this album. Admittedly, I got sick of it when it was overplayed so much. But I’ve never listened to the whole thing end-to-end and I think it’s a great musical arc. 21 is aptly named, isn’t it? Every generation has its “you broke my heart” sob songs, its “you asshole cheated on me” battlecry songs. What I appreciate about Adele’s groove in that well-worn path is that it doesn’t go out of its way to be rageful or cynical. Instead, it’s mournful and reminiscent and reflective and sassy and hopeful. Also, I’m a sucker for perfect fifths in the baseline.
YUHHHHHHHHHHHH
She’s definitely a talent and I enjoyed listening to this more than I expected to. Might even go 4*
Extrem starkes Album!
Hadn't listened before, really strong album!
I just listened to this
When this came up I groaned. I'm so bored of Adele. However, once you've suffered 'rolling in the deep' again for the gazillionth time, this is actually a decent album. The girls got soul. Still bored of her though
Great album
Enjoyed listening, but lyrics are a bit "teenage heartbreak" to listen to often
Adele's soulful voice was something out of nowhere back in the late 2000s. I feel like I've taken it for granted since she was everywhere in pop & pop culture for the last 10 years. Still doesn't take away how catchy & vocally impressive this album is.
Solid Pop banger throughout. She has a killer voice and the production is solid
Really liked waiting for you and one and only love the guitar in lovesong two seperate acoustics playing in different ears took me a second to realise it was a cover of the cure
I’d heard a bunch of these songs before and never listened to the full album, but I really enjoyed this. Really good bluesy, soulful pop album.
It's not for me, but there's no denying this album is strong. It never quite matches up to the opening two tracks, both of which are magnificent... Had it kept this rich vein of dark 60s soul, it'd be an album i love - as it is it does veer into mawkish balladry at points, but also has a beautiful one in Someone Like You, and Set Fire to the Rain comes close to that opening salvo too. It feels like the balladry has become more her thing, which is a shame, as there is some exciting pop soul which arguably suits her voice (which is magnificent) better that shows another path less trod which would have been more interesting - though probably less well reimbursed too.
Pretty good. Doesn't really hold my attention, but great in the background. The singles I was familiar with and enjoy, but some of the other deep cuts were really good too. "I'll Be Waiting" is a stand out track, love the horns and multiple vocalists hitting the chorus.
Liked this more than I expected. Her voice is so nice, that the rest doesn't seem to matter so much. 3.75/5
Production is great and vocals impeccable. Pop music that was wildly popular when it came out but with some actual soul and passion in it. Highlights: Set Fire To The Rain, I'll Be Waiting, Someone Like You
Really nice! Good mix between slower dramatic stuff and more upbeat, almost jazzy stuff. Lots of focus on the vocals, which are very well sung. Never listened to much Adele, but see the mainstream appeal! Fav song (not considered heavily since I just thought of this at the end of the album): Lovesong
It's Adele. What more can I say?
Quite successful as second albums go… I wouldn’t choose to put it on, but she doesn’t arf belt out a tune
Good but not as good as 19
Si bien no es mi género favorito, es un buen álbum,conozco a Adele por tik tok y sus canciones famosas especialmente de este álbum. Una mezcla perfecta de Intrumentos que acompaña el piano. Excelente, 8/10
Solid lineup of great songs on one album.
Some good very songs
A very powerful album. Not Strange that this one took Adele to international Fame. Strong lyrics on top of well crafted tunes, and the singing…. Wouw
No question that Adele has one of the finest singing voices ever. I'm well familiar with this album and it's her finest moment. Someone Like You is a song for the ages, and Turning Tables kicks ass. Pretty sure she failed science though, 'cuz like.. how would you even set fire to rain.. like cuz it's water 'n' that? Know what I mean??
Nice piano tunes
I avoided this quite religiously when Adele was at the height of her powers. I now accept 21 as part of the musical landscape. With some crackers and a nice display of voice, it's pretty good. Set fire to the rain is a great song. Now, I wonder who would win the hypothetical karaoke battle between Adele and Amy Winehouse if they were only allowed to sing each other's tunes.
That voice - amazing. There's a lot of soul on this album. Rolling in the Deep is a modern classic for sure.
Make you feel my love is the absolute highlight. Most other songs were poayed too much back then
Probably Adele’s best album, but I’m not able to listen to the whole thing straight through again.
Not a fan of pop music at all. I must give credit to this incredi·ble album. The song writting and Adele's voice are on point.
Set Fire to the Rain
I really dig it
Not a bad voice.
Some great songs, but the slower ones bore me a little
This is the first time I listened to an Adele album. Her voice is incredible. Take that voice, add a pound of emotion and stir and you’re bound to end up with a decent album. Her voice gets it to a 4 but I can’t get to 5 since the instruments aren’t really there. I compare this to Aladdin Sane that I rated 5, Adele and David are both great signers but on the cover song, for example, David let Mike Garson play to his best abilities. Adele keeps her backing group in the background. I have a 4 for her voice but wound’t give her another 4 without her pushing the envelope musically.
My co-judge predicted early in 2011 that "Rolling in the Deep" would be a massive hit after I downloaded it for my spinning class. I poo-pooed her but over the following weeks people's eyes lit up with recognition more and more whenever they heard the first few notes. There are several classic tracks here that we'll be hearing for decades & I'm impressed that a 21-year-old Adele wrote them all. It's rare these days to find a talented artist who writes great songs and also gets played to death on the radio. I wonder if the guy who was muse for these heart-breakers received any royalties. 9 out of 10 for me, the deduction due to a few songs being a bit to soft.
So many big hits on one album. "Rolling In The Deep", "Someone Like You", "Set Fire To The Rain", "Rumour Has It", "Turning Tables".. This is popular music that is popular for good reasons. Adele's voice is really one of a kind. Wish she chose a different Cure song to cover though. Can you imagine a random "The Hanging Garden" cover in the middle of this album? Comedy gold.
Well I was bracing myself for cringe - but I actually ended up enjoying this one - starts strong - kind of sags in the middle and ends well. I definitely got bought over with the quite decent version of Lovesong. Not a perfect record but overall a good album.
Adele has a beautiful voice and there are alot of hits on this album. Definitely recommend 👌
Going into this I thought "ah hell naw." But into Rolling in the Deep, I thought "this can actually be good". I still remember how we had to sing Rolling in the Deep at school and how me and the boys used to absolutely butcher this. Like howling dogs we "sang" this song because we got fucking tired of it. Those were the good times :') I mean it's very ballad heavy. The production is very good. It's beautiful, not my jam, but I hear quality when I hear quality. I might return and reevaluate when this Website gets an edit function. 4/5
"Vocal" albums are at the bottom of my list of popular music interests. The production on the vocals is over the top for my taste but she sounds great. Because she is great. The tracks take old sounds and make them sound modern. I didn't care for the cover song.
This is probably Adele’s best album. Emotionally it charts a journey from anger in the wake of a break up to the sheer sense of loss in the closing track. 21 incorporates a lot of gospel, R&B, and even some country influences to create something that goes beyond the standard powerhouse vocal album.
Great stuff, great voice, chill vibes
Might be Adele's best album. (Although the new one - "30" - is really good too.) This is the one that launched her into the stratosphere and it's easy to see why - the album has four major hits on it and her singing is incredible throughout. It's a great showcase for her voice with some killer pop songwriting too. (Plus a cover of The Cure's "Lovesong"!)
Great voice, good songs, very solid album. Instrumentation is very bare bones which allows Adele's voice to shine, but the songs could be a little more interesting with a bit less of a minimalist approach to the instruments. Also the entire album is pretty emo - still good though.
I've never listened to an Adele album. But I was "Willing to TAKE the reeeeesk." It was good! I'm going to check out the rest of her albums.
Great album but it goes on for a little too long
couple slappers
Catchy album. Quite a few hits on it. Didn't care for the cover of lovesong
This is the Adele the cemented her diva status. Back when she was still hungry and hurt and full of ambition. Beyond Adele's heartbreak and exceptional voice, the secret sauce here is producer Rick Rubin. Apparently only something like 5 of the songs Rubin produced made the album, none of which became hits. But these songs shape the album, and are the ones that remind me of Amy Winehouse and great Motown songs. I find myself longing to hear the Rick Rubin produced versions of the five ubiquitous worldwide hits. They're probably similar to the ones we all know by heart, and only Adele can hear the differences.
Evoking Motown, The Wall of Sound and classic '60s soul, Adele's 21 is a really strong album, more enjoyable and impactful than 25 which has appeared on this list also. The up tempo tracks are terrific power pop and the ballads are evocative and, despite the luscious production, sound stripped back, raw and emotional, allowing Adele's incredible vocals to shine. In fact, there are times when this album is just overwhelmingly sad and mournful - whether that makes it easy to listen to or not will depend on the listener's mood. A surprise hit and an enormously influential one at that, shaping much of the decade's sound.
I was conscious of Adele and her meteoric rise, but never listened to anything I didn't glean from osmosis, like hearing "Rolling In the Deep" in several commercials. Gotta admit, she's good. Great voice control, very emotive. You can almost hear her smirk on "Rumour Has It". Good mix of styles of music (man, that bossa nova cover of "Lovesong" works pretty well), so much so that the one song that's country-esque makes me think she might've had something in that genre if she came up in the 70s. And in America. Favorite tracks: "Lovesong", "Rumour Has It", "Set Fire to the Rain"
Sounds like a superstar in the best tradition of soulful bluesy pop singers. Smooth, bluesy with a slight edge. Excellent songs and great interpretations (Cure and Dylan).
4 with issues it must be noted
Actually surprisingly good. Well rounded album that I enjoyed significantly more than I anticipated.
Probably a 3.5, mostly forgettable but some all-timers. Scratches that melodramatic pop itch
Muy bueno
there's a reason why so many of these songs still get radio play
Powerful voice. Love the cover.
4.25
A CD about Adele's high school sweetheart break-up. Luckily at 21 she has lots of time to find true love. /s In all seriousness, this is a good CD.
I once shagged Adele behind the bins at KFC in Crewe. Talk about a bucket.
Puede que sea su disco más potente, después de haber disfrutado su 19 este me pareció mejor en algunos aspectos pero ya no fue tan sorpresa y revelación. Es un disco que todos deberían escuchar alguna vez. Nota alta. Mejores canciones para mí: "Rolling in the Deep", "Rumour Has It", "Set Fire to the Rain", "Take It All" y "Someone like You".
Just boppin. Good soul-pop that gives me nostalgia for high school and simpler days.
- Very good voice obviously - Bass heavy in the first song - Turning Tables has a lovely piano riff - Soft with powerful vocal sections - He Won’t Go has a nice rhythm - Definitely a lot of breakup songs
A slight disappointment. Back in 2011, I do remember thinking this sophomore effort was a bit of a letdown, similar to how I felt about Leelah James: raw, gifted talent that was smoothed over by professional production, perhaps a bit too much, and in that process something “magical” was lost. Still, she’s just too talented to cast aside, and there are definitely some gems here at a level that will be choice cuts likely for the rest of her career.
sad middle aged women have the right idea! this is good stuff!
Reminds me of me ex
Strong strong strong
I have mad respect for Adele’s voice. I had to give this one a 4 though because compared to her next album it’s just a little short.
8/1
It’s an excellent album - strong throughout and then Someone Like You drops at the end. Miserable song but her voice is immense.
Good album and really enjoyed this
A wonderfully written and sung album. There are numerous SCCs on it.
I knew several of the songs on this album and many of the songs were popular. It is unquestionable that Adele can sing and the songs are memorable. This album is better than some of the albums that have received 3s and while I do not think it is a solid 4, I will round up. I am not sure I would listen to this whole album again though.
A full-on album with great performances, production and songs.
Didn’t know before that I already knew half of the album. So many great and famous songs on here. Some have been played too much on the radio, but still it’s good. Favourite songs: - Rumour has it - Don’t you remember - He won’t go
4+
Going in I'd heard half the album already simply from being alive in 2011. Was so pleased to hear the other half and hear that it really held together as well
It's kind of interesting that this top selling album isn't really a great album. It is a collection of big songs that doesn't really have the journey that a good album takes you on. It has some phenomenal songs by an artist who sings powerful songs brilliantly. But there's no contrast and it gets a bit boring and repetitive. HOWEVER... it is bookended by four great songs, and they earn four stars.
She's got some pipes. Best track: Someone Like You
Really powerful voice. I had never listened to the whole album before and she has incredible range and intensity.
I found myself trying to find reasons to mark this down. But it's hard. She writes great songs, her lyrics are really good and her voice is brilliant.
Music to rue your ex to
Adele, inte direkt någon nytt för mig, väldigt mainstream. Bra sångerska men ingen jag brukar återkomma till och självmant och lyssna på.
Perhaps this isn't particularly ambitious - we ain't talking Captain Beefheart here - but there's a lot of quality on display here. It sounds like the instrumentation actually relies on decent performances rather than a cut 'n' shut ProTools job, and the production is sympathetic. But let's not beat around the bush, the main attraction is Adele's remarkable voice. Like, say, a Dusty Springfield, she is able to elevate the material. Some of the choruses here absolutely soar. Amused that the percussion intro to 'I'll Be Waiting' resembles that of Isaac Hayes' 'Good Love 69-9-69'.
Everybody knows the good stuff, so let's just talk about how bad that cover of "Lovesong" is. Why is it even here? You got 11 songs on your record, does it really need a 12th at all, let alone a cover? A cover?? Why??? And if you're gonna do it - which you shouldn't - why on earth would you slow down the tempo of the original to a sleep-inducing crawl? Did you hear that song and think, "You know what... the bones are good and all, but I reckon they didn't know what the fuck they were doing. Let's have a go." And if you have to cover The Cure - which you don't - you couldn't feel compelled to choose one of literally hundreds of other songs that didn't already have a chart dwelling cover by freaking 311??? It's baffling. But yeah, the rest is good.
Ten years or so ago, it was impossible to watch TV, browse a supermarket, go deep-sea diving or fly to Mars without hearing one of Adele’s new standards from this stunning sophomore effort. One of the biggest albums of the 2010s, glaringly omitted from the book in more recent editions, “21” sees Adele asserting dominance over the charts and our hearts with a seamless set of love songs. Because of its towering reputation, I tried to approach “21” with fresh ears here (even though I hadn’t heard many of the “deep cuts”). I was immediately hit by its power. For me, the very best side of Adele’s music is the vengeful, soulful blues kicking off the album with its two best songs: “Rolling in the Deep” is an absolute powerhouse, such an instant classic that even Aretha Franklin covered it shortly after release. And then we get the sublime “Rumour Has It”. As well as a transfixing performance from Adele, the track employs a spectacular range of sound, with an addictive three note bass groove, swirling looped backing vocals and a heavy emphasis on percussive stomps, handclaps and swampy reverb. It’s my ultimate highlight on the album, sounding like a new junkyard blues standard for the 2010s. It’s worth noting the arrangements here are top-notch and there are some great touches in production. The thudding kick drum driving the momentum of “Rolling in the Deep” into its soaring chorus; the cinematic strings accentuating the elegant “Turning Tables”; the choir cutting through the sparsity of “Take It All”… it all signals to the lfact that “21” takes inspiration from more styles than Adele seems to be given credit for. While there are a lot of the soulful piano ballads she made her name with, there’s also brassy Motown in “I’ll Be Waiting”, shades of R&B in the “He Won’t Go”, and all-out gospel in “One and Only”. Some of these work better than others, but it’s refreshing to hear them all together, and every one of them is listenable. The only fault is an occasional sag in momentum: perhaps one too many ballads in the second half, with “One and Only” not really taking off until its gospel bridge towards the end. The bizarrely Latin-influenced cover of The Cure’s “Lovesong” is possibly the strangest inclusion here: it feels jarring and a little unnecessary to switch to a cover so late in the album given the strength of the original material. The track itself is insubstantial, perhaps better suited to a B-side or deluxe release. This is nitpicking, though: when “Someone Like You” rolls along to have the last word, it renders most of these issues moot and blows every other ballad on the album away. A review of “21” would not be complete without mentioning Adele’s main selling point: her voice. As well as the mind blowing technique possessed by an artist as young as Adele was here, the anguish and emotion within her voice gives it universal appeal. The ubiquity of these songs on release perhaps numbed everyone to this with time, as Adele’s voice became a fixture in pop’s landscape. But listen again to the way she rasps and belts through “Someone Like You”, mastering its build with wonderful control. The way she cracks slightly in the final chorus seals the song as a classic: authentic, genuine, brilliant. While it’s not wall-to-wall perfect, “21” does feel timeless. By mining from various genres and styles (albeit subtly) and using the sheer power of her voice, Adele avoids the contemporary trappings of her day. Time will tell if “21” will still be acclaimed as much in forty years time, but for now it deserves to be mentioned in the same breath as “Blue”, “Blood on the Tracks” and “Jagged Little Pill” in the pantheon of great break-up albums.
Yas Queen
I love Adele's voice. Of course I do. I'm a human being with a heart that's been broken. Faves: Rumour Has It, Set Fire to the Rain. Lovesong is fun. Someone Like You hits a little close to home sometimes; great song. Less successful: Don't You Remember, He Won't Go, Take it All. Rolling in the Deep is one of those songs -- like I Will Always Love You, Stairway to Heaven, Let It Be, Kiss From a Rose, Unchained Melody -- that has become part of the cultural air we all breathe. A significant accomplishment.
I didn't like this album too much when it was released. I preferred 19. This one felt like more of the same (as did the others that came after?). Even so, one of my favorite songs of hers is from 21: "I'll Be Waiting". Her "Lovesong" cover is not bad. :)
Adele is such a powerhouse, and 21 cemented her place in music history. Her voice is truly the star of the show, with backing musicians being very much in the background. 4.5/5 stars
Muy buen disco de esta intérprete. Todo un timbre de voz con canciones muy bien elaboradas. Independientemente el estilo que te guste, hay que saber apreciar discos de este tipo
Really good album.
Really powerful stuff. On top of the big hits there’s some other stuff in here I could go back for. The cover of “Love Song” is a nice choice for her.
The middle section of the album was ok, there is a country type sounding ballad that was horrid but the intro and outro are some of the strongest pieces in pop music!
Adele's 21 is undeniably a well-crafted album with impressive vocals and polished production, but it didn't leave much of an impression on me. While the songs are emotional and technically strong, they tended to blend into the background rather than demand my attention. I often found the album playing without really noticing it, and by the end, few tracks stuck with me. I can understand why 21 became such a massive commercial and critical success—it captures heartbreak with sincerity, and Adele's voice is consistently powerful. However, the overall sound felt a bit too safe and uniform for my taste. The slower, soulful style remained so consistent that the album lacked the variety or surprises I was hoping for. It's an easy listen, and I wouldn't call it bad by any means, but it wasn't especially memorable. If you're looking for emotionally charged ballads and exceptional vocal performances, it's easy to see the appeal. For me, though, 21 was simply okay: pleasant enough, but ultimately an album that faded into the background instead of leaving a lasting impact.
Sempre lo stesso tema di lei che si è lasciata con l'ex
Not my cup of tea
- I mean it's an album with pop songs for sure - We could've had it alllllllll
its ok
I like Adele but I also don’t? It’s hard to explain.
It’s Adele! an Unmatched voice. It was pleasant to hear throughout. I love the bookends and “Set Fire To The Rain”, but the rest of the songs I could give or take
Going to assume someone break the heart of this lady with the big voice.
Some great soulful songs here.