21
| Adele
21
English singer and songwriter Adele released her second studio album—21—on January 24, 2011, through XL Recordings in Europe. It was later released in America on 22nd February via Columbia Records. The singer was 21 when she produced the album, with it sharing Motown-soul influences from her previous debut album, 19. The sound is inspired by Southern blues and American country music, which Adele got exposed to during her tour in North America.
The main theme of 21 follows the songwriter’s experience with heartbreak, forgiveness, and introspection. Adele is a master of channeling her heartbreak into her songs, turning this album into a sleeper hit and topping the record charts of more than 30 countries. Read more about Adele’s 21 album reviews here!
Critic Reviews
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SPIN
It’s an album that lets you dictate your level of emotional involvement, and it doesn’t overwhelm you any more than you need it to.
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Rolling Stone
Adele has toughened her tone, trimmed the jazz frippery and sounds ready for a pub fight.
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Consequence of Sound
On her sophomore album, 21, Adele channels real emotion and blasts through sincere ballads and angry rockers with few missteps.
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The Guardian
Somewhere in 21, there is an honest, direct, sonically mature record fighting to get out with personality intact.
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Slant
Adele sings the hell out of the songs on 21, but much of the album plays as a cautionary tale as to what can go wrong when a set of songs is assembled by committee.
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Entertainment Weekly
21 is that rarest pop commodity: timeless.
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BBC
21 is simply stunning.
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The Current
Instead of hitting the infamous "sophomore slump," Adele seems to have been able to maintain her authenticity while still evolving not only as a musician but a person as well.
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L.A. Music
Adele’s 21, her sophomore album, in particular has this organic feel that many indie singers try to emulate but so few succeed.
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A.V. Club
21 sounds mainstream, but never too slick or overloaded.
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Herald (NZ)
Gutsy, rootsy and heartfelt
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Vivascene
Adele is without a doubt the finest young female singer on the music scene today, and ’21’ is a worthy testament to her undeniably great talent.
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New York Daily News
"21" draws an unequivocal line in the sand that announces to every other diva around: Beat this.
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Sputnik Music
Love is all you need. Apparently.
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L.A. Times
Overall, "21" shows that Adele, now 22, is towering in the same landscape where some of her contemporaries, beehived or not, have lost all their bearings.
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Clash
Adele is sincere, poignant and affecting throughout; the emotive ‘Someone Like You’ closes the album magnificently. 9/10
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Contact Music
Expectations were always going to be high after Adele's debut offering, and it is good to say that this time round, she certainly does not disappoint.
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UPROXX
Adele’s ’21’ soars above ’19’
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Telegraph
Where previously her slight, observational songs seemed barely able to carry her powerful voice, the emotional and musical heft of these styles enables her to really spread her vocal wings.
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The Real Musician
Maybe 21 will serve to be Adele's break up album, and as she goes on to produce a catalog of masterpieces 19 will be seen affectionately as the first album, before she got her heart broken.
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Her Campus
If you don’t know who Adele is get ready because her highly anticipated sophomore effort proves she is music’s newest diva and ready to leave her mark in music history.
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RTE
The adoption forms for '21's big ballads will, once again, be signed by many, but the album also offers signposts for where Adkins can take her music in the future.
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MusicOMH
21 really is one of the great ‘break-up’ albums, and the first truly impressive record of 2011. Here is a timely reminder that British soul hasn’t lost its mojo.
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NPR
On '21,' Adele's Voice Is Wise Beyond Her Years
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Red Online (UK)
If it's tear jerkers you're after, the second half of 21 will give you the desired effect. But despite her recent heartache, Adele's heart seems a little further from her sleeve than in the past.
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MuuMuse
21 is a gorgeous collection of honest lyricism and winning songcraft.
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Under The Radar (NZ)
It’s a little too melodramatic, but the lyrical and vocal performance is evidence of her talent.
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Pasate
Ahh, the wisdom that comes with old age. On 21, she sounds refreshed and poised to attack.
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Planet Ill
21 is sad, beautiful, well-produced and wonderfully articulated.
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Entertainment (Dublin)
'21', it seems, suffers from the same drawback as its predecessor, relying on a small number of exceptional songs to hold up the ones that fall below par.
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The Harvard Crimson
Adele’s fans will be able to see a change in her; rather than sticking to the pop-soul that made her famous, she takes her listeners on a versatile journey of foot-stomping blues, head-nodding retro-pop, and finger-snapping jazz.
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Pop Matters
The shining light of the current generation of young British female singers hires a bank of producers and co-writers to help out with her sophomore release, and gets predictably uneven results.
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Seattle PI
Adele’s second studio album, a refreshing and endlessly charming collection, is thoroughly imbued with lyrical grace and lucidity while showcasing her brilliant songwriting.
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The Daily Beast
Adele and her powerful pipes are taking the nation by storm. She’s got a retro, bluesy, addictive sound—and is also ushering in a new wave of stardom.
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Big Live Acts (UK)
They are showcases for Adele's voice and she does a great job on them – sheer class.
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Now Toronto
Her second record sounds like it was written by someone three times her age and shouldering a lifetime's worth of heartbreak.
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Metro (UK)
Adele’s sophomore album is assured and hip.
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The Boston Globe
“21’’ sounds as though it was built around Adele’s presence.
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