25 Tracklist
25 is the highly-anticipated third studio album by Adele. It was released on November 20, 2015, nearly 5 years after her previous LP, 21, and also after a 3-year hiatus from her music career altogether following the birth of her son.
25 broke the record for highest first week sales of an album in the US, previously set by ‘N Sync at 2.416 million. 25 broke the record in three days, selling 2.433 million within the three days, and going on to sell a total of 3.378 million copies across its first tracking week in the United States. It broke the same record in the UK, Canada, and globally. 25 has gone on to receive Adele’s second RIAA Diamond certification in the US, and sell a total of 20 million copies worldwide, making it the second-highest selling album of the decade, behind 21.
At the 59th Annual Grammy Awards, Adele took home 5 trophies, a sweep every category in which her work was nominated:
- Record of the Year: “Hello”
- Best Pop Solo Performance: “Hello”
- Song Of The Year: “Hello”
- Best Pop Vocal Album: 25
- Album of the Year: 25
According to the songstress, in an open letter, the album is a “make-up record”:
I’m making up with myself. Making up for lost time. Making up for everything I ever did and never did.
The first single, “Hello”, was released on October 23, 2015.
OneRepublic’s Ryan Tedder had previously confirmed his involvement in the album’s songwriting process, and a tweet shortly after the commercial aired may confirm his part in the song’s creation.
Due to Adele’s autobiographical approach to her music, 25 follows chronologically the themes discussed in 21 – now she moves beyond her past troubles as she finds happiness with her husband and son. According to iTunes:
25–a fresh foray into her stream of consciousness. Still dealing with the loss and regret on the smash standalone single “Hello”, the soulful artist has come full circle from her teenage debut in 19, making peace with the dark and light. Adele and her stunning voice are back as wonderful as ever.
On October 29th, 2017, Billboard reported that 25 reached its 100th consecutive week on the Billboard 200 chart. The album has yet to leave the top 200 since its debut at No. 1 (where it spent a total of 10 non-consecutive weeks at #1).
“25 ” Q&A
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Translations
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What have the artists said about the album?
When I was 7, I wanted to be 8. When I was 8, I wanted to be 12. When I turned 12 I just wanted to be 18. Then after that I stopped wanting to be older. Now I’m ticking 16-24 boxes just to see if I can blag it! I feel like I’ve spent my whole life so far wishing it away. Always wishing I was older, wishing I was somewhere else, wishing I could remember and wishing I could forget too. Wishing I hadn’t ruined so many good things because I was scared or bored. Wishing I wasn’t so matter of fact all the time. Wishing I’d gotten to know my great grandmother more, and wishing I didn’t know myself so well, because it means I always know what’s going to happen in the end. Wishing I hadn’t cut my hair off, wishing I was 5’7”. Wishing I’d waited and wishing I’d hurried up as well.
My last record was a break-up record and if I had to label this one I would call it a make-up record. I’m making up with myself. Making up for lost time. Making up for everything I ever did and never did. But I haven’t got time to hold on to the crumbs of my past like I used to. What’s done is done. Turning 25 was a turning point for me, slap bang in the middle of my twenties. Teetering on the edge of being an old adolescent and a fully-fledged adult, I made the decision to go into becoming who I’m going to be forever without a removal van full of my old junk. I miss everything about my past, the good and the bad, but only because it won’t come back. When I was in it I wanted out! So typical. I’m on about being a teenager: sitting around and chatting shit, not caring about the future because it didn’t matter then like it does now. The ability to be flippant about everything and there be no consequences. Even following and breaking rules… is better than making the rules.
25 is about getting to know who I’ve become without realising. And I’m sorry it took so long, but you know, life happened.
Love,
Adele
–Via Adele’s website
Album Credits
Album Credits
