The Best Selling Albums Since Thriller, or Usher; Adele Saving Record Business?

Her new album, “25,” (based on the age she was when she began recording), sold more than 3.25 million records in the US, within its first week!
Adele has an incredibly recognizable voice, with a range that rivals soulful legends like Sam Cooke and Aretha Franklin. The music industry is dying, with countless different FREE listening options, people are considerably less likely to pay for music, yet Adele is shattering records!
After releasing powerhouse hits like “Rolling in the Deep,” or singing the theme song to James Bond’s “Skyfall,” she has cemented herself as a household name worldwide. The Brit, who is valued as one of the few dignified artists in a sea of shallow entertainers who scream sex and money has broken many records including the fastest selling album, and most downloaded album of all time!
Her pattern of naming albums after her age began with her debut album “19,” but she hadn’t grasped international success until her second album “21,” selling over 30 million copies. A tough act to follow, “21” was gracing the Billboard top 200 for over 2 years (the first album to do this since Thriller!)
The listener has to take a moment to digest the complexity that is masked by the musical simplicity. “25” doesn’t have many drum beats, or bass lines, instead, the listener is captivated by her powerful voice, like Johnny Cash. To keep the audience fixed on the lyrics and vocals, the lyrics aren’t drowned out. There isn’t much opportunity to nod your head to the minimal beats, or sing along to the incredibly high pitches. Instead, the music is meant to lightly accompany the intense power through her voice, forcing you to listen in awe. The songs on the album don’t often have intense guitar riffs, or heavy beats, but there is a wide open feeling, similar to (but more than) a Kings of Leon album.
As Adele fans have probably been numbed to her vocal abilities, the lyrics are undeniably more captivating than her last album. These lyrics are relate-able, perhaps to a wider audience than “21,” which was acclaimed in the first place: for its relate-ability. The words resonate over time, while the listener can appreciate the way the lyrics relate to their own lives.
My absolute favorite song on the album is “Million Years Ago,” asking the depressing question that we all must eventually ask ourselves: ‘where has the time gone?
Paired with a new look after losing weight, Adele has a completely different attitude. She wields a new tone that embodies the respect of a mother. Her omniscient, maternal essence is prevalent throughout “Remedy” when she essentially tells those that she loves to lean on her.
Furthermore, it is obvious that her viewpoints have matured. Beyond adolescent tales of her heart being broken, she touches on the aspects of acceptance in different subjects. She moves past feeling sorry for herself through a long distance relationship, or seeing her ex moving on. In “Water under the Bridge,” she sings about fighting for her love, but again, from a more adult point of view, she makes it clear that she can live without it.
The wide array of topics presented throughout “25” is more grown up, than simply getting her heart broken. Adele embodies pride in different songs, including “River Lea,” where she talks about where she grew up. She has transitioned from being relate-able because she has been hurt, to being relate-able because she is strong.
There are country western influences, as the final track “Sweetest Devotion” sounds like it’s from a Carrie Underwood CD; and there are foreign influences, with my second favorite tune: “All I Ask,” sounding like a Mexican love ballad.
The overall musical quality of the album is honestly a mile behind “21,” which showcased original melodies, with moderate songs that a listener can jam out to, instead of simply just listening. “21”, is purely a classic boasting the longevity that “25” lacks.
Everyone loves Adele, and though this album is too soft for me, she is still one of the most respectable musicians of our time.
Overall rate: 3.4/5