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Our article looks at The History Of Adele and includes links to reviews of every single Adele album as well as multiple Adele best lists. This is the ultimate Adele page that Adele fans will love. Adele is one of the best-selling singers of all time. She has sold over 120 million records. She has won several awards over the years. She rose to fame because of her distinctive voice. Adele was able to achieve fame without looking like a size zero. Adele is one of the most popular singers of her generation. She is a pop singer who has a soulful voice. The “Hello” singer is known for writing personal songs about her relationships. Adele got her start in music as a teenager and has been going strong ever since. How much do you know about Adele? If you are a fan, you may know her history. If you are a casual listener, you might not know much about her life before becoming the legend we know today. The History Of Adele will give you a chance to walk down memory lane and learn about the ups and downs of her phenomenal career.
Adele’s Early Years
Adele Laurie Blue Adkins was born on May 5, 1988. She was born in the Tottenham District of London. Penny Adkins (Adele’s mother) is English. Marc Evans (Adele’s father) is Welch. Marc Evans left the family when Adele was only two years old. She was raised by a single mother. The “Easy on Me” singer became interested in singing when she was four years old. The singer and her mother moved around a lot when she was growing up. In 1999, she and her mother moved to Brixton and back to London. One of the places she moved to was West Norward which was the theme of her song “Hometown Glory.”
As a kid, she spent a lot of time in Brockwell Park where she learned to play the guitar and sing. She mentioned this memory in her song “Million Years Ago.” She graduated from the BRIT School for Performing Arts & Technology in Croydon in May 2006. Adele went to school with singers Leona Lewis and Jessie J. The “Easy on Me” singer credited the school with her success. Her mother encouraged her to pursue a career in singing. She enjoyed listening to singers Mary J. Blige, Lauryn Hill and Destiny’s Child. The singer got lucky when she found Etta James and Ella Fitzgerald’s records at a record shop. The diva was only familiar with popular music when she heard Ella Fitzgerald and Etta James. Her life changed forever when she heard them. She was a teenager who was listening to music that was made decades before she was born.
Early Stages of Her Career & 19 Album
While the “He Won’t Go” singer was in high school, she recorded a three-song demo. She posted the demo on her social media page. Executives at XL Recordings heard her demo and got in touch with her. They were interested in meeting her. In September 2006, the singer was given a record deal. It happened four months after she graduated from school. She was skeptical about XL Recordings because she was only familiar with Virgin Records. After the singer was signed to XL Recordings, she sang for Jack Penate. While she was recording “My Yvonne” with Jack Penate, she met her future producer, Jim Abbiss. Jim Abbiss would go on to produce on her albums 19 and 21.
The ”Remedy” singer performed on different TV shows before she dropped her album 19. 19 was released in January 2008. She named the album after her age. She would go on to do that for several albums. Adele wrote and composed most of the songs on the album. 19 was a blue-eyed soul album. The album was inspired by the Motown sound. The album was about heartbreak, nostalgia and relationships. The album was critically praised for her vocals and songwriting ability. Critics were amazed that she was able to write at such a young age. She was successful during award season. The awards came pouring in for the singer because of this album. The album wasn’t an overnight hit in the United States. The album peaked higher overseas. It debuted at number 61 on the Billboard 200 charts.
To promote the album, the singer embarked on the An Evening with Adele Tour. The tour started from May 2008 to June 2009. She canceled some of her tour dates in order to be with her boyfriend at the time. She regretted that decision because she couldn’t make a name for herself in America. When she appeared on SNL, things changed for her. Her episode earned the show its best ratings in years. After her appearance on SNL, the album rose on the charts. Adele would go on to win two Grammy awards in 2009. The album skyrocketed up the charts. 19 was number one on the Top Pop Catalog Albums charts for nine weeks. This was the third album by a female to achieve this feat. The album features the singles “Hometown Glory,” “Chasing Pavements,” “Cold Shoulder” and “Make You Feel My Love.” The album sold over eight million copies worldwide.
21, Breaking Records, World Tour & Health Issues
In January 2011, Adele released her album 21. This is another album she named after her age at the time. In addition to soul music, she incorporated country and blues music. She continued to use the Motown sound that she used on the 19 album. She wrote about heartbreak, healing, introspection and forgiveness. “The Rolling in the Deep” singer wanted to compose an upbeat album, but things didn’t go as planned. She wasn’t inspired to write upbeat songs while she was in her recording sessions. The album was a surprise hit for the singer. The album features the singles “Rolling in the Deep,” “Someone Like You,” “Set Fire to the Rain,” “Rumour Has It” and “Turning Tables.” The album sold over 10 million copies. 21 exceeded expectations by the label. It became the world’s best-selling album in 2011 and 2012.
In the United Kingdom, 21 is the best-selling album of the century. The album was the fourth best-selling album of all time by a solo artist. The album topped the UK charts for 23 weeks. The album topped the Billboard 200 charts for 24 weeks. She was the first artist to achieve this feat since legendary singer Prince’s Purple Rain Soundtrack did it in 1985. Adele received several accolades for this album. She won every award possible for this project. Adele broke records with this album. The singer appeared in the Guinness Book of Records for becoming the first female artist to have two singles and two albums in the UK Top 5 at the same time.
This album made her one of the first female artists to have three singles in the Top 10 Hot 100 charts. 21 is one of the most downloaded albums in the UK. The album is one of the longest running number one albums by a female artist in the United States since Whitney Houston’s The Bodyguard Soundtrack. It has the longest number one album in the SoundScan era. It’s the first album to be the best-selling album for two years in a row since Michael Jackson’s Thriller did it in 1983 and 1984. 21 sold more albums in 2012 than any other best-selling albums from 2006 to 2010. It’s one of the four albums to sell over four million copies in 2011 and 2012. She became artist of the year for the second time because of this album.
Adele went on tour to promote the album. She started the Adele Live Tour. The venues were sold out. In October 2011, she had to cancel two hours of the tour because of damage to her vocal cords. She had to rest to avoid permanently damaging her vocal cords. In November 2011, she had surgery to remove a benign polyp. After her throat surgery, she made a comeback at the Grammy Awards in February 2012. She went on to win every category at the Grammys. Her album sales spiked after the win.
Skyfall, 25 & World Tour
The “Set Fire to the Rain” singer was riding high in 2012. She would go on to achieve even more success. She was asked to write and record a song for the Skyfall movie. Adele was honored to sing the song. The single was peaked at number two on the UK singles charts and sold over 176,000 copies. It peaked at number eight on the Hot 100 charts and sold over 261,000 copies in three days. This song tied with Duran Duran’s song “A View to a Kill” as the highest charting James Bond song on the UK charts. The single went on to sell over five million copies. Adele won a Golden Globe, Grammy and an Academy Award for this single. She let her fans know that her next project would be out in at least two years. She needed to take a break and live life. She took two years off between her first two albums. and wanted to do the same thing for her next album.
Adele released 25 in November 2015. The album was named after how old she was when she recorded it. The album was about her making up for lost time. She was yearning for her old self to resurface. Adele talked about regret and motherhood on the album. 25 has a mix of pop, soul and r&b music. The album was praised by critics when it was released. The album peaked at number one on the Billboard 200 charts. It sold over three million copies in the United States in its first week. It has the largest sales week for an album since 1991. 25 was the best-selling album in the world for 2015. The album went on to sell over 22 million albums worldwide. The album features the singles “Hello,” “When We Were You,” “Send My Love (to your new Lover) and “Water Under the Bridge.”
The singer was nominated and won several awards for this album. She won an astonishing six Grammys for this album. She won Billboard Music Awards for 25. The singer went on her third tour for this album. She went on the Adele Live 2016 Tour. The tour ran from February 2016 to November 2016. The tour grossed over $150 million.
30, TV Specials & Vegas Residency
30 was released in November 2021. This album was named after how old she was when it was recorded. This album is about her divorce, motherhood, fame, heartache and acceptance. The album’s musical influence was pop and jazz. Critics thought it was her most creative album. The album peaked at number one on the Billboard 200 charts. It was her third consecutive number one album. The album sold over 500,000 copies in three days. It sold over 800,000 copies the first week. It was the world’s best-selling album for 2021. All 12 tracks from the album charted on the Hot 100 charts. It features the singles “Easy on Me,” “Oh My God” and “I Drink Wine.” The album sold over five million copies worldwide.
Adele announced a TV special called Adele One Night Only in November 2021. The special consisted of an interview with Oprah Winfrey as well as performances of her previous hits and her new songs. The special had over 11 million viewers. Adele did a TV special for the UK called An Audience with Adele in November 2021. The audience featured her fans as well as other artists, musicians and athletes.
The singer landed a residency in Las Vegas. It was supposed to start on January 21, 2020 to April 16, 2020. There was a setback when her team had COVID. She postponed the tour on January 20, 2020. Some people were okay with her postponing her residency while others were heated by her last-minute decision. She rescheduled the residence for November 18, 2022 – March 25, 2023.
Personal Life
Adele began dating Simon Konecki in 2011. They had a son name Angelo on October 19, 2012. She felt like she had a purpose once her son was born. Adele and her husband sued the UK photo agency for publishing pictures of their son. She talked about going through depression, anxiety and panic attacks. The tabloids revealed that Adele and Simon Konecki secretly married each other. She regained control of the narrative by announcing that he was her husband during an acceptance speech at the Grammy Awards. In an interview she did in 2021, she said they were married in 2018 and they were separated the same year. During her hiatus, she was a stay-at-home mother. The couple announced their separation, but they would co-parent their son. Their divorce was finalized in March 2021. In 2021, Adele began dating a sports agent named Rich Paul.
Philanthropy
In addition to being a successful singer and songwriter, Adele has a charitable side. In 2007 and 2008, she performed concerts and donated the proceeds to Mencap. It’s for people with learning disabilities. In July and November of 2008, the singer performed at the Keep a Child Alive Ball. The diva performed at the Brooklyn Academy of Music in 2009. It was a concert to raise money for the Save the Music Foundation. In December 2009, Adele did a 40-minute concert at John Mayer’s 2nd Annual Holiday Charity Review. In 2011, Adele did a free concert supporting the LGBTQ+ community in London. Also in 2011, she took part in a UK charity telethon for Comic Relief for Red Nose Day. Adele is a contributor to MusiCares which supports musicians in need. In 2011 and 2012, the singer donated autographed things to support the cause. During her Adele Live Tour, she wanted her fans to donate money for the SANDS which supports anyone affected by the death of a baby. In 2017, Adele appeared at a vigil in West London for people who suffered during the Grenfell Tower fire.
Adele Trivia:
Adele has won 173 awards throughout her career.
Adele wrote her hit “Hometown Glory” in 10 minutes when she was 18.
Etta James, Ella Fitzgerald, The Spice Girls, Whitney Houston, Roberta Flack, Aaliyah, Alicia Keys, Mary J. Blige, Beyonce, Destiny’s Child and Lauryn Hill are among her musical influences.
Two women tie for winning the most Grammys in one night. The two women are Beyonce and Adele.
Adele has an alter ego that’s similar to Beyonce’s alter ego. Adele’s alter ego is Sasha Carter while Beyonce’s is Sasha Fierce. Adele combined Beyonce’s alter ego name with June Carter’s name.
Adele is friends with Drake.
ADELE ALBUM REVIEWS
Real Meanings Behind The Songs On Adele’s 19 Album
A look at the music, the stories, the lyrical content, and the meanings behind the songs on Adele’s debut album.
Real Meanings Behind The Songs On Adele’s 21 Album
A look at the music, the stories, the lyrical content, and the meanings behind the songs on Adele’s sophomore album.
Real Meanings Behind The Songs On Adele’s 25 Album
Real Meanings Behind The Songs On Adele’s 30 Album
Taking a close-up look at Adele’s most recent album.
ADELE SONG LISTS
Top 10 Adele Songs
We pick our favorite Adel songs that the legendary artist has released throughout her wonderful career.
Top 10 Adele Love Songs
Just published fabulous article presenting the best love songs from Adele.
Complete List Of Adele Albums And Songs Discography
This article includes a listing of all Adele albums in chronological order with every track on every album listed as well as album covers and more. A definite read for the Adele fan that wants to search for any Adele song.
ADELE NEWS LINKS
Adele’s One Night Only Concert Special Airs This Sunday On CBS
Adele & Taylor Swift Breaking Records & Dominating The Charts
10 Things You Didn’t Know About Adele
Ultimate Adele Page published on Classic RockHistory.com© 2022
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![Rob De Luca of Spread Eagle, Sebastian Bach & UFO: 10 Albums That Changed My Life From humble East Coast origins to grandest stages worldwide, veteran bassist Rob De Luca has seen and done it all. De Luca first hit the local Boston rock and metal scene in the late 80s after meeting guitarist Paul DiBartolo, bonding over Van Halen before forming Bang. Regional success came quickly, but eventually, the members of Bang went their separate ways, with De Luca and drummer Tommi Gallo heading to NYC and hooking up with Ray West and, later, DiBartolo to form Spread Eagle. By 1990, Spread Eagle was on the fast track, with a contract through MCA Records and a self-titled debut album poised to crush skulls. But poor timing and MCA's sad indifference left Spead Eagle out in the cold despite being a hard-boiled answer to Guns N' Roses's West Coast sleaze. Spread Eagle's first chapter came to an end in '95. As for Rob De Luca, his nimble fingers and gift for melody and songwriting kept him moving forward. Soon, he found a gig with former Skid Row frontman Sebastian Bach and the legendary outfit UFO. And in 2010, after coupling up with Ray West and his cousin Rik De Luca, Spread Eagle retook flight. During a break from Spread Eagle's increasingly busy touring schedule, Rob De Luca dialed in with ClassicRockHistory.com to run through the ten albums that changed his life. But only after adding, "I made a playlist of these songs, including some I've written or co-written. Do you hear any of these albums' influence on me?" Listen here: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3LWJuhDrE8JmzhsmTeIDUq 10) Gentlemen by Afghan Whigs (1993) Here's an entry that was so important to me. This may be the darkest break-up album of all time. Greg Dulli has been in many projects, but I feel Gentlemen is his zenith. Somewhat undefinable at times but always profound and honest. Listen to "Gentlemen," "Fountain and Fairfax," and "What Jail Is Like." 9) In on the Kill Taker by Fugazi (1993) By this time, I had been sucked in and spit out by the major-label record industry. Glam came and went; grunge was history, too. I was searching for new sounds. When I heard Fugazi's twin guitar approach, I knew this was what was missing. Fugazi may be considered a less polished sound than the albums above; however, once you "get it," it hits you like a ton of bricks, and there's no going back. From the moment I heard Fugazi, I went to every NYC show after. It's easily some of the best concerts of my life, and possibly my favorite bassist in Joe Lally. And their DIY ethics refused to charge us more than $5 a show! In on the Kill Taker is a powerful album demonstrated in songs such as "Smallpox Champion," "Great Cop," and "Public Witness Program." 8) Appetite for Destruction by Guns N' Roses (1987) I discovered many of these albums (sometimes long) after they were released. However, I was at the right place at the right time for this one. Steve Ostromogilsky had a Berklee College of Music lunch card and used to sneak out sandwiches for me. One day, he invited me to hang out at his place and listen to music. As we got off the train, he put Sony Walkman headphones on my ears and said, "Hey, check out this brand-new group." A song like "It's So Easy" was so different from the popular Sunset Strip sound at that time. Me and about 499 other informed rockers were lucky enough to see them on their first East Coast tour at the sold-out Paradise on Commonwealth Avenue, Boston (the same street Aerosmith started on). I saw Gn'R every tour after until I took a break when Buckethead joined. Gn'R is the band I've been lucky enough to see the most times live, almost 100! Everyone on this album is just stellar. Axl [Rose] had the tones, power, melodic sensibilities, and foresight to do what no other singer did then. Slash's playing was beyond memorable. Duff [McKagan] is one of the most underrated bassists in rock history, and learning his Appetite basslines is a masterclass. Steven [Adler] had the natural swing, and Izzy [Stradlin] was the secret weapon songwriter. Everything that's been heralded about this gem is deserved and true. Check out "It's So Easy," "Out Ta Get Me," and "Mr. Brownstone.' 7) Wish You Were Here by Pink Floyd (1975) Another contender for my favorite album and band of all time. Using The Beatles machine (same recording studio, engineer, record label), Pink Floyd made what I feel is their strongest, most cohesive album (my second favorite of theirs would be Animals). This list mainly consists of bands with an instantly recognizable sound. Floyd is certainly no exception to that! This album included a solid handful of undeniable rock radio classics, bookended by two halves of the mind-blowing song "Shine on You Crazy Diamond.' That song was written about former band member and founder Syd Barrett. It would be hard to live in a world without this album. Check out "Welcome to The Machine," "Shine on You Crazy Diamond (parts 6-9),' or even better yet, listen to the whole thing in one sitting! 6) Decade by Neil Young (1977) About this time, I started playing guitar. As a beginner, it was comfortable jamming to this album because the chord changes were simple—a great "first ten years" retrospective of Neil's stunning, unique songwriting. Neil is a treasure who always writes from the heart and stands up for what's right. Check out "Southern Man," "A Man Needs a Maid," "Down by The River," and "After the Goldrush." 5) Highway to Hell by AC/DC (1979) When I heard this album, I was firmly "me." My life would be 100% focused on hard rock music forever. AC/DC are like air; they're ubiquitous. Everyone knows them and their incredible songs. However, as a young teen in Wilmington, Delaware, I only had WMMR 93.3 FM Philadelphia and a few friends to inform me about the world of Rock outside my bedroom. AC/DC had not gone mainstream, and their albums were available primarily in the USA as imports. To put things more in perspective, I only knew two people in the world who had heard of AC/DC. A friend had an import that we played in Steve Buckley's basement, which sounded ripping. When Highway to Hell was released, WMMR started spinning the title track, and I immediately bought the album, listening to it every single day after school. Then WMMR announced AC/DC was coming to the Spectrum in Philly, supporting Ted Nugent! I liked Ted but loved AC/DC, so my good friend Mick Cummins and I bought tickets, and he drove us up to the Spectrum (where we saw most of our concerts). Bon Scott was in fine form, and the band went over great. Although the crowd knew Ted better, Angus [Young] wouldn't let anyone upstage him. I'll never forget it! Unfortunately, Bon would be gone in 6 months. Check out "Walk All Over You," "Touch Too Much," "Shot Down in Flames," and "If You Want Blood (You Got It)." 4) Toys in the Attic by Aerosmith (1975) By the time I heard this, I was now in my teens. I had a childhood friend up the street, Jim Linberg (we're still good buddies). His older sister had a great album collection, including Toys in The Attic. Once I heard that groove, my taste changed. I lost interest in rock music that didn't have some sort of "swing" feel to it. I think Rocks is a slightly better Aerosmith album (and possibly my favorite album of all time), but both are perfect or very close. Check out "Uncle Salty," "Adam's Apple," "No More No More," "Round and Round," and "You See Me Crying." 3) Alive! by Kiss (1975) When I was still a little kid, I asked for Cheech and Chong's Up in Smoke album for Christmas. The entire family came over for an enormous feast, and I dropped the needle. When my mother heard the content, she turned off the album and said I had to exchange it. My mom was cool, but I was young and knew much more about life than she suspected. Anyway, the next day, she drove me back to the store. In the music section, promoted on an "endcap" was a Kiss Alive! display. I had never heard of Kiss, but that cover picture told me I had to have it! My first foray into hard rock. Check out “Strutter.” I went through my Kiss phase very quickly, I believe in a matter of months because I discovered the previous entry, Aerosmith's Toys in the Attic. 2) Honky Chateau by Elton John (1972) When I was a wee lad, my parents bought a used Volkswagen camper van from my uncle Ozzie. My favorite Elton John album is Yellow Brick Road, but Honky Chateau is great and easily one of his best. It sent me down a lifelong rabbit hole of loving everything about the 1970s partnership between Elton and lyricist Bernie Taupin. The simple beauty of voice, the master songwriting, the perfect backing band, the clear, unobtrusive recordings, and always Bernie's incredible lyrics. The day this album was released, Elton became an unstoppable force that conquered the music industry. Check out "Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters" and "Rocket Man." 1) Sergeant Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band by The Beatles (1967) Another tape that was included in the VW Camper. The van had a bunch of music tapes, and one was Sgt Pepper. I was too young to understand the sophistication of the music, but that was one of the many skills of The Beatles. They attracted listeners at every level, even little kids. I still feel that immediate connection to Sgt Pepper; now, I hear so much more. It's an album that changed the world and the world of music. Check out "Lucy in The Sky with Diamonds," "A Day In The Life," and "Fixing a Hole."](http://www.classicrockhistory.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Shutterstock_1815495569-1-300x200.jpg)
