21
by Adele
  • Record Label: XL
  • Release Date: Feb 22, 2011
User Score
8.3

Universal acclaim- based on 930 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 804 out of 930
  2. Mixed: 43 out of 930
  3. Negative: 83 out of 930
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  1. HonestJudging
    Jun 18, 2012
    10
    This album is literally perfection. If you think so otherwise, please take a minute to listen to these songs while reading the lyrics, and understanding the musical arrangement.
  2. Boydiepoohs
    May 19, 2012
    10
    No amount of classy stylish production can hide the power and stunning beauty of the voice here. What a fabulous collection of songs. Even the cover version of the great Cure track is great!
  3. wallofjericho42
    May 14, 2012
    8
    While it lacks the peculiar charm "19" had, her immensely powerful vocals sweep the floor. Less bluesy and jazzy and more leaning towards Pop, "21" is a step in the right direction despite losing some of the original pep. "21" is less pep, and more sass, which is by no means bad - just different.
  4. Eddiegamer
    Mar 31, 2012
    10
    What a great album.Adele puts her heart and soul into this album.Great songs from Rolling in the Deep to Rumour Has It this is something to hear.21 is a album that you will love.Adele is a amazing singer.This is something you will enjoy and worth your money.
  5. doc2be
    Mar 26, 2012
    7
    Good album. Some of the songs feel a little repetitive on repeat listens. Her silky voice commands attention. But after a while the songs are a bit 'samesy'
  6. RIProo
    Mar 25, 2012
    7
    Without any incredible sounds, without any incredible video and without any fashion style Adele made a good album, for all the ages. Congrats. ( sorry for my English )
  7. TastyJamProject
    Feb 6, 2012
    10
    Although Foo Fighters' "Wasting Light" was my favourite album of 2011, Adele's "21" crosses, age and gender lines to create a solid album which everyone can enjoy. Her voice is majestic, the lyrical quality is transcendent and the music is catchy as hell. While the Foo's may have made my favourite album, Adele has made the best record of 2011. Great music is BACK.
  8. KleineSean
    Feb 5, 2012
    9
    It may be a little overrated but Adele and her team did an excellent job with this album. I'd rather hear this playing on the radio than those generic pop songs with lots of autotune and no lyrical content AT ALL. Very well developed though the topic on its lyrics may be a little repetitive, but it's understandable since writing music is what helped her get over her break-up. Very deep andIt may be a little overrated but Adele and her team did an excellent job with this album. I'd rather hear this playing on the radio than those generic pop songs with lots of autotune and no lyrical content AT ALL. Very well developed though the topic on its lyrics may be a little repetitive, but it's understandable since writing music is what helped her get over her break-up. Very deep and emotional. It definitely deserves the awards it has been nominated for.… Expand
  9. RonaldOVOXO
    Feb 3, 2012
    10
    Adele is such a good artist. Beautiful voice and music and she's the 2nd best singer (The Weeknd is the first). I bought this album for my mom and she loved it i checked it out it was one of the best albums of 2011
  10. Nikz2710
    Jan 23, 2012
    7
    21 is Adele's sophomore album after "19". It is a compilation of love ballads, about Adele's relationship fallout. The album was produced by a number of producers, "Ryan Tedder", being one of them.
    Adele's sophomore attempt is a huge success. Adele showcases the raw, spine-chilling, power of her beautiful voice among tracks like "Someone Like You", "Turning Tables" and "Set Fire To the    21 is Adele's sophomore album after "19". It is a compilation of love ballads, about Adele's relationship fallout. The album was produced by a number of producers, "Ryan Tedder", being one of them.
    Adele's sophomore attempt is a huge success. Adele showcases the raw, spine-chilling, power of her beautiful voice among tracks like "Someone Like You", "Turning Tables" and "Set Fire To the Rain". Her vocal performance on the 80s rendition-like "Rolling In The Deep" is amazing, and is one of the standouts of the album. Adele's songwriting ability is also to be given a tremendous amount of appreciation. Her heartfelt lyrics on "Someone Like You", and "Rumor Has It" is impressive, and shows her maturity as a songwriter.
    On the other hand, the album's depressing mood may not appeal to everyone, with most of the songs sounding the same, somewhat because of the production. Adele's voice may be the only thing that makes songs like "Rumor Has It", and "He won't Go" listen-worthy.
    Nevertheless, 21 is a great album that features great tracks, but its monotonous themes and depressing mood makes it far less epic than it is made out to be. Adele's third album will be the decider to judge how versatile she is as an artist, or whether she can only stick to the same breakup ballads as "21".    … Expand
  11. maxjtotsky
    Jan 20, 2012
    8
    On her debut '19', Adele sounded like a childish confused brat but on '21' she delivers some really diverse and touching songs, strong, emotional lyrics and her matured, powerful voice. The production is miles ahead of her debut, making this sound more comfortable and less insecure than you could have imagined. Adele's tales of heartbreak are likely to reach out to many, but for now we canOn her debut '19', Adele sounded like a childish confused brat but on '21' she delivers some really diverse and touching songs, strong, emotional lyrics and her matured, powerful voice. The production is miles ahead of her debut, making this sound more comfortable and less insecure than you could have imagined. Adele's tales of heartbreak are likely to reach out to many, but for now we can just celebrate how good a musician Adele has become.… Expand
  12. Mehowee
    Jan 15, 2012
    10
    Without a doubt 21 is a masterpiece. The flowing integrity of the album is simply astounding, starts with the singers breakup, progresses to loneliness, and eventually accepts everything. Rarely does an artist spill their heart onto an album, and make it pleasurable for the listener, it includes up-beat meaningful tunes that pull on emotional cords, all combined with a magical voice.
  13. victormedina
    Dec 30, 2011
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. This album has surprised me very positively for the take Adele has on its major themes. Vocally and lyrically, it is a great album as well. Her voice in "Don't You Remember" and "Someone Like You" makes 21 worth listening already. "Rumor Has It" and "Lovesong" are very interesting tracks in terms of experimentation, I'd say. They are responsible for giving the album its most important moments of breathing in a sea of pop/soul-oriented songs. The lyrics are strong at most and very touching in some tracks, especially in "Set Fire to the Rain", "Take It All", and "Rolling in the Deep". Despite being a 100% reflection of a bad relationship, Adele's different approaches to singing her lack of luck in love make this album something one should not ignore. It may sound over the top saying that, but this album sounds as the savior of pop song in 2011, a year with major acts relying too much on how to do whatever on the dance floor, instead of thinking about anything else - not to mention all the auto tune "divas" we were exposed to throughout the year.… Expand
  14. Wellbag
    Dec 12, 2011
    9
    One of the best albums of 2011, Great audio quality,mixing & production. I'm a metalhead and audio engineer, this is not really my style of music but it's still a great album with a great production. Haters gonna h8.
  15. vamosrafa07
    Nov 27, 2011
    10
    It's amazing. It's as simple as that. Her voice is so soulful and beautiful, it cannot NOT touch you in some way. The orchestration and the piano suit her perfectly.
    Both her albums are absolute must-buys.
  16. Leetha
    Nov 23, 2011
    10
    I "LOVE" this album........
    I think this is the best album i had ever listened to!
    Adele such an inspiration and a great singer as well. Everything about Adele is just wonderful . She really has the talent. Well done Adele ! 21 fabulous album forever â
  17. Bangkit20
    Nov 21, 2011
    10
    I â
  18. dharma
    Nov 16, 2011
    9
    The 'IT' girl of the year is an unlikely pop princess. Bolstered more by her talents than her looks and 'gimmicks', Adele brings in memories of pop powerhouse 'Dione Warwick', and soulful singer 'Aretha Franklin'. She is essentially the anti-'Lady Gaga'. 21 cemented her place as one of the best singer in the business right now, with some of the best vocal performance in recent memory. OneThe 'IT' girl of the year is an unlikely pop princess. Bolstered more by her talents than her looks and 'gimmicks', Adele brings in memories of pop powerhouse 'Dione Warwick', and soulful singer 'Aretha Franklin'. She is essentially the anti-'Lady Gaga'. 21 cemented her place as one of the best singer in the business right now, with some of the best vocal performance in recent memory. One of the year's best album.… Expand
  19. Ukwwhoitiz
    Nov 14, 2011
    9
    The albums sound a tad bit repeatitive, but listen to the lyrics and the vocal perfomance and you help to appreciate the album, my standout tracks are Someone Like You, Rolling IN The Deep, Rumor Has It, Turning Table, and the impressive vocal performance of Dont You Remember.
  20. Yoshipie
    Nov 14, 2011
    9
    Beautiful voice; powerful and meaningful. All the songs are very heart-warming and touching. However, I found the songs rather repetitive. Other than that, it is a perfect album. The song that stood out to me the most was 'Someone Like You' - such a heart-breaking song. A simple piano accompaniment was a fantastic decision to show off Adele's gorgeous vocals. Great job, keep it up!
  21. ilias1992
    Oct 25, 2011
    8
    I think Adele is a great vocalist, that will affect and inspire many from now and on! And I can see it in the album!!!Such songs as Rolling in the deep, Someone like you, Turning Tables, Don't you remember and One and only are surely worth to be listed as highlights on the album as they bring such an emotion that you couldn't expect from a 22 year-old woman!The rest is nice but not perfect!
  22. asjklas
    Oct 20, 2011
    7
    Aside from 21's biggest problem -- its insistence on recycling the same sound throughout its short eleven-track course -- Adele's phenomenal and almost magical voice and lyrical melodrama make this album one of the most enchanting listens of 2011.
  23. andykuchen
    Aug 29, 2011
    7
    A very soulful and powerful album, mostly revolving around breakup. Adele packs quite a punch with her stunning vocals. It is probably the most moving and touching album of the year... so far.
  24. AD421
    Aug 23, 2011
    8
    Adele. She's truly been a breath of fresh air this year. She's managed to let her slower songs take over peoples playlists in a time where dance songs run rampant. She's managed to bridge the gap and appeal to both young audiences and the older adult audience. Her strong voice and mopey sad love songs ave captivated many. "21" is a really solid album. Adele manages to drag you into her pitAdele. She's truly been a breath of fresh air this year. She's managed to let her slower songs take over peoples playlists in a time where dance songs run rampant. She's managed to bridge the gap and appeal to both young audiences and the older adult audience. Her strong voice and mopey sad love songs ave captivated many. "21" is a really solid album. Adele manages to drag you into her pit of despair. What's remarkable is her ability to get the audience to genuinely understand and feel for her. I do need to point out that she gets screechy a few times (it's noticeable on "I'll Be Waiting.") The standout on the album is most definitely "Set Fire to the Rain." Its one of the greatest songs I've come across this year. Its powerful and epic which makes it the black sheep of the album but it strangely finds it place and fits.… Expand
  25. nevalon1
    Aug 14, 2011
    10
    Adele never lets you down. You know, Adele gives you the "clean, high quality, polished" music feeling when you listen. Some songs are ear-worms, some are classics that won't be forgotten. And in this era full of bubbly-pop, Adele is like a refreshment.
  26. dudeperson
    Aug 3, 2011
    9
    There's a reason this album has been so popular this year. Lead off single Rolling In the Deep and Set Fire to the Rain show off the raw power of her voice, infusing elements of rock and blues. Meanwhile, songs like Someone Like You showcase her emotional vulnerability (she actually sounds like she's crying). Though those three are the best songs, the other songs are mostly good, too. TheThere's a reason this album has been so popular this year. Lead off single Rolling In the Deep and Set Fire to the Rain show off the raw power of her voice, infusing elements of rock and blues. Meanwhile, songs like Someone Like You showcase her emotional vulnerability (she actually sounds like she's crying). Though those three are the best songs, the other songs are mostly good, too. The middle of the album drags a little bit, since it is very ballad-heavy, but overall very good, and a big improvement over 19.… Expand
  27. bernlin2000
    Jul 23, 2011
    7
    Quite a bit more uneven than her first album, but there's some standouts here for me: "Rolling in the Deep" "Turning Tables" "Someone Like You". What always stands out, even on the less memorable pieces, is Adele's stunning voice: she is one of the most vocally talented musicians out there today.
  28. SnowDay
    Jun 29, 2011
    9
    Lady Gaga promised us the album of the decade. Unfortunately, she fell a little short, because Adele already had it. The album isn't perfect. It could use a little diversity, but all in all, our twenty-one year-old heroine is well on her way to becoming the next soul queen, up there with Norah Jones, Aretha Franklin, and Amy Winehouse.
  29. cartmenez03
    Jun 19, 2011
    8
    A great change from what we usually see in the charts. "Rolling In the Deep" was a great choice as a first single, as it made me get the album as soon as I could. Love it.
  30. TheGorilla
    May 30, 2011
    9
    an album full of soul that doesn't rely on hype to be successful. Adele has shown everyone that all you actually need is a voice and a good song filled with emotion and class. one of the best albums of the year and the best voice right now and i'm so glad she received this amount of success.
  31. CyyChi
    May 28, 2011
    10
    You will worship this album... in fact, you already are but you don't know. Like a critic said, after listening a few times to the album, you'll feel like you always knew them. This is quite true. If you loved 19, 21 will make you forget it quite fast.
  32. vispreeve
    May 25, 2011
    10
    I loved the un-pretentiousness and softness of the album. Love it! Adele has a unique voice, but in a few songs she reminds me on P!nk - and that's not a bad thing!
  33. LeadBox
    Apr 28, 2011
    9
    The thing about pop music is that it has roots in any genre, and of course, some might appeal for marketing, leaving it all too over-flooded by scheme productions, and some might leave their influential essences on it. In that case, Adele fits perfectly as some bluesy and soul influenced who got a way to make it sound radio friendly and melodically fitting for popular taste. That's whatThe thing about pop music is that it has roots in any genre, and of course, some might appeal for marketing, leaving it all too over-flooded by scheme productions, and some might leave their influential essences on it. In that case, Adele fits perfectly as some bluesy and soul influenced who got a way to make it sound radio friendly and melodically fitting for popular taste. That's what pop's all about, to captivate people with its own, though, commercial style. Well, â… Expand
  34. RuanCSC
    Apr 18, 2011
    9
    Adele's previous album â
  35. Turine
    Apr 9, 2011
    10
    Just after listening to it once, I became addicted to the album. Definitely one of my all-time favourites. Songs like 'Rolling in the Deep', 'Someone Like You' and 'Set Fire to the Rain' are main highlights of this album.
  36. Hackskeptic
    Mar 30, 2011
    8
    The maturity with which she delivers these 11 songs is astonishing, brought to life by her undeniable vocal ability and a commitment to deliver beautifully crafted songs without ever having to resort to calculated melodrama. Adele has without doubt, come of age.

    http://hackskeptic.com
  37. moosesick
    Mar 23, 2011
    10
    Compared to 19, this albumâ
  38. Theparty4one
    Mar 13, 2011
    10
    Adele has a talent that people wish they had. You can't help but fall in love with this album after you listen to it once. Adele is a true artist and you will not be disappointed purchasing 21.
  39. bamboo
    Mar 4, 2011
    10
    This is the best album of this year so far. All of the songs here are well-written and full of emotion that the audience can easily relate themselves to. With an instant classic and Grammy-nominated potential album like 21, I really cannot believe why it got only 76 points. All the mixed reviews are full of hatred and maybe the people who wrote those reviews need to check their definitionThis is the best album of this year so far. All of the songs here are well-written and full of emotion that the audience can easily relate themselves to. With an instant classic and Grammy-nominated potential album like 21, I really cannot believe why it got only 76 points. All the mixed reviews are full of hatred and maybe the people who wrote those reviews need to check their definition of what is called " true music " !… Expand
  40. Labarron
    Mar 1, 2011
    10
    This album is amazing! She has completely grew up and i am proud of her. The songs "Someone Like You" and "Turning Tabels" for example, shows how talent she is. To me, this album is 10 out of 10.
  41. jyo_tirmaya
    Feb 28, 2011
    7
    Adele's voice works great throughout the album, saving a couple of the songs which are aren't worthy of her pipes. All in all though, a much needed better return from her first album "19" - which I thought was sappy.
  42. Atech66
    Feb 24, 2011
    10
    OK first off.. Amy and Duffy?? wth are you smoking..
    This woman is in a class of her own and a truly rare talent.
    I preordered her latest release and im blown away...It will leave you captivated and wanting more.
  43. HEI5ENBERG
    Feb 23, 2011
    8
    This has to be one of the best albums to come out in a few years!!! Adele is a true artist, someone who writes from her heart and soul! This whole album is perfect to listen to if you're going through a break-up! Just sit back and let those tears flow :) The production on this album is tight! I give it 8/10
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Awards & Rankings

4
#4 Most Discussed Album of 2011
4
#4 Most Shared Album of 2011

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
76

Generally favorable reviews - based on 34 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 26 out of 34
  2. Mixed: 8 out of 34
  3. Negative: 0 out of 34
  1. Sputnikmusic
    Jun 14, 2011
    80
    Hearing a voice that grows scratchy and threatens to break and has not been tampered with, has not been slicked over in a studio, a voice that reveals all that can be found within a person and also seems to hold something back, to suggest another truth just behind the veil.
    Read full review
  2. Mojo
    Apr 20, 2011
    60
    The Brit School girl undergoes a successful soul-pop makeover. [Feb. 2011, p. 108]
  3. Consequence
    Apr 11, 2011
    70
    On her sophomore album, 21, Adele channels real emotion and blasts through sincere ballads and angry rockers with few missteps.
    Read full review
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