Rise to Success: Career Highlights of Adele
Discover the career path of Adele, from the first major opportunity to industry-changing achievements.
Adele Laurie Blue Adkins, known as Adele, is a highly acclaimed English singer-songwriter celebrated for her powerful mezzo-soprano vocals and emotionally resonant songwriting. A British cultural icon, she has achieved remarkable success and recognition, evidenced by her numerous awards. These include 16 Grammy Awards, 12 Brit Awards, an Academy Award, a Primetime Emmy Award, and a Golden Globe Award, solidifying her status as one of the most successful and respected artists in contemporary music.
1964: Adele breaks Beatles Record
In February 2011, Adele's emotional performance of "Someone Like You" at the Brit Awards propelled the song to number one in the UK. In December 2011, Adele became the first living artist since the Beatles in 1964 to simultaneously have two top-five hits in both the Official Singles Chart and the Official Albums Chart.
1967: James Bond Song Nomination
In 2013, Adele won the Academy Award for Best Original Song for the James Bond theme "Skyfall". This is the first James Bond song to win and the fifth to be nominated—after "For Your Eyes Only" (1981), "Nobody Does It Better" (1977), "Live and Let Die" (1973), and "The Look of Love" (1967).
1973: James Bond Song Nomination
In 2013, Adele won the Academy Award for Best Original Song for the James Bond theme "Skyfall". This is the first James Bond song to win and the fifth to be nominated—after "For Your Eyes Only" (1981), "Nobody Does It Better" (1977), "Live and Let Die" (1973), and "The Look of Love" (1967).
1977: James Bond Song Nomination
In 2013, Adele won the Academy Award for Best Original Song for the James Bond theme "Skyfall". This is the first James Bond song to win and the fifth to be nominated—after "For Your Eyes Only" (1981), "Nobody Does It Better" (1977), "Live and Let Die" (1973), and "The Look of Love" (1967).
1981: James Bond Song Nomination
In 2013, Adele won the Academy Award for Best Original Song for the James Bond theme "Skyfall". This is the first James Bond song to win and the fifth to be nominated—after "For Your Eyes Only" (1981), "Nobody Does It Better" (1977), "Live and Let Die" (1973), and "The Look of Love" (1967).
1985: Longest-Running Album Record
In March 2012, Adele's album 21 spent its 23rd week at number one, making it the longest-running album at number one since 1985 and the fourth-best-selling album of the past 10 years in the US.
1991: Nielsen SoundScan Tracking
In 1991, Nielsen SoundScan began tracking data, and in 2012 Adele's '21' achieved the biggest weekly sales increase following a Grammy win since this data tracking began.
1991: Nielsen began monitoring sales
In 2015, Adele's album debuted at number one in the US where it sold a record-breaking 3.38 million copies in its first week, the largest single sales week for an album since Nielsen began monitoring sales in 1991.
June 2006: Jonathan Dickins Becomes Adele's Manager
In June 2006, Jonathan Dickins at September Management became Adele's official representative after being recommended by Nick Huggett.
September 2006: Signing with XL Recordings
In September 2006, Adele signed with XL Recordings, after Nick Huggett.
2006: Graduation from BRIT School and Record Deal
In 2006, Adele graduated from the BRIT School in arts and signed a record deal with XL Recordings.
June 2007: Television Debut on 'Later... with Jools Holland'
In June 2007, Adele made her television debut performing "Daydreamer" on BBC's 'Later... with Jools Holland'.
October 2007: Release of 'Hometown Glory'
In October 2007, Adele's breakthrough song, "Hometown Glory", which she wrote when she was 16, was released.
2007: Adele Performs at Little Noise Sessions
In 2007 and 2008, Adele performed at the Little Noise Sessions in London, with proceeds benefiting Mencap, which supports people with learning disabilities.
January 2008: Release of 'Chasing Pavements'
On 14 January 2008, Adele released her second single, "Chasing Pavements", which reached number two on the UK Chart.
March 2008: Signing with Columbia Records and XL Recordings for US venture
In March 2008, Adele signed a deal with Columbia Records and XL Recordings for her foray into the United States and embarked on a short North American tour.
May 2008: Start of 'An Evening with Adele' World Tour
In May 2008, Adele began her 'An Evening with Adele' world tour.
October 2008: Appearance on 'Saturday Night Live'
On 18 October 2008, Adele appeared as the musical guest on NBC's 'Saturday Night Live', which boosted her album and single sales.
November 2008: Adele Performs at Keep a Child Alive Black Ball
In November 2008, Adele performed at the Keep a Child Alive Black Ball in both London and New York City to support the charity.
2008: Tour in North America
Adele's second album, 21, shares the folk and soul influences of her debut album, but was further inspired by American country and Southern blues music to which she had been exposed during her 2008–09 tour An Evening with Adele in North America.
2008: Release of Debut Album '19'
In 2008, Adele released her debut album, 19, which featured the hit singles "Chasing Pavements" and "Make You Feel My Love".
February 2009: Adele Performs at MusiCares Charity Concert
In February 2009, Adele performed at the 2009 MusiCares charity concert in Los Angeles.
February 2009: Grammy Awards Wins
In February 2009, at the 51st Annual Grammy Awards, Adele won the award for Best New Artist and Best Female Pop Vocal Performance for "Chasing Pavements".
June 2009: End of 'An Evening with Adele' World Tour
In June 2009, Adele's 'An Evening with Adele' world tour came to an end.
July 2009: Album Sales Reach 2.2 Million Worldwide
By July 2009, Adele's album, 19, had sold 2.2 million copies worldwide.
September 2009: Adele Performs at VH1 Divas Event
On 17 September 2009, Adele performed at the Brooklyn Academy of Music for the VH1 Divas event, a concert to raise money for the Save The Music Foundation charity.
2009: Adele Wins Grammy Awards and Receives Letter from Prime Minister
In 2009, at the 51st Annual Grammy Awards, 21-year-old Adele won awards for Best New Artist and Best Female Pop Vocal Performance. Also in 2009, British Prime Minister Gordon Brown sent a thank-you letter to Adele, acknowledging her positive impact during a financially troubled time for the country.
2010: Album Sales
At one point in 2010, a copy of Adele's 21 and 19 albums was sold every seven seconds in the UK.
2010: Grammy Nomination and Chart Success in Germany
In 2010, Adele received a Grammy nomination for "Hometown Glory", and her song "My Same" entered the German Singles Chart.
January 2011: Release of Album 21 in the UK
On 24 January 2011, Adele released her second studio album, 21, in the UK, which was inspired by a breakup and influenced by country and roots music.
May 2011: Adele's Earnings Begin to Rise
Between May 2011 and May 2012, Adele earned £23 million.
May 2011: "Team Adele" Ranked Number One
In May 2011, "Team Adele" was ranked number one on The Guardian's "Music Power 100" list, recognizing the 100 most influential people in the music industry.
November 2011: Vocal Cord Surgery and 'Live at the Royal Albert Hall' Release
In November 2011, Adele underwent laser microsurgery on her vocal cords. Her tour recording, Live at the Royal Albert Hall, was released and became the best-selling music DVD of the year.
December 2011: Album Sales and Chart Records
By December 2011, Adele's album, 21, had sold over 3.4 million copies in the UK, becoming the biggest-selling album of the 21st century. "Set Fire to the Rain" became her third number-one single on the Billboard Hot 100.
2011: Adele Donates Autographed Items to MusiCares
In 2011 and 2012, Adele donated autographed items for auctions to support MusiCares.
2011: Adele Gives Free Concert for Pride London and Performs at Comic Relief
In 2011, Adele gave a free concert for Pride London, an LGBT charity, and performed "Someone like You" for the UK charity telethon Comic Relief for Red Nose Day 2011.
2011: Release of Second Album '21'
In 2011, Adele released her second studio album, 21, which became the best-selling album of the 21st century and topped the Billboard 200 for 24 weeks.
2011: Album Sales Success
In 2011, Adele's album '21' became the best-selling album worldwide.
2011: Adele Credited with Reviving Music Industry
In 2011, the year of '21's release, Billboard credited Adele for reviving the music industry, highlighting her unique talent and relatable personality.
2011: "Rolling in the Deep" Award
In 2012, at the Ivor Novello Awards in May, Adele was named Songwriter of the Year, and "Rolling in the Deep" won the award for Most Performed Work of 2011. At the 2012 BMI Awards held in London in October, Adele won Song of the Year (for "Rolling in the Deep") in recognition of the song being the most played on US television and radio in 2011.
2011: Previous tour
November 2015 marked the announcement of Adele's 2016 tour, her first tour since 2011.
March 2012: 21 Longest-Running Album
In March 2012, Adele's album 21 spent its 23rd week at number one, making it the longest-running album at number one since 1985 and the fourth-best-selling album of the past 10 years in the US.
March 2012: Billboard Chart Dominance
In the week ending 3 March 2012, Adele became the first solo female artist to have three singles in the top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100 simultaneously with "Rolling in the Deep", "Someone Like You", and "Set Fire to the Rain" as well as the first female artist to have two albums in the top 5 of the Billboard 200 and two singles in the top 5 of the Billboard Hot 100 simultaneously.
April 2012: Confirmation of Third Album Timeline
In April 2012, Adele confirmed that her third album would likely be at least two years away, citing the need to "take time and live a little bit."
May 2012: Adele's Earnings Rise
Between May 2011 and May 2012, Adele earned £23 million.
July 2012: Adele Listed Among Highest-Paid Celebrities
In July 2012, Adele was listed at number six in Forbes list of the world's highest-paid celebrities under the age of 30, having earned £23 million between May 2011 and May 2012.
October 2012: "Skyfall" Theme Song and Chart Performance
In October 2012, Adele confirmed writing and recording "Skyfall" for the James Bond film. The song rose to number 2 on the UK Singles Chart and entered the Billboard Hot 100 at number 8.
December 2012: Billboard Accolades
In December 2012, Adele was named Billboard Artist of the Year, and her album 21 was named Album of the Year, making her the first artist to receive both accolades two years in a row.
2012: Adele Donates Autographed Items to MusiCares
In 2011 and 2012, Adele donated autographed items for auctions to support MusiCares.
2012: Grammy Awards and Album Success
In 2012, Adele made her live comeback at the Grammy Awards, winning in all six nominated categories, including Album of the Year, Record of the Year, and Song of the Year. Her album, 21, experienced a significant sales increase, becoming the best-selling album worldwide in both 2011 and 2012.
2012: Release of 'Skyfall' and Academy Award Win
In 2012, Adele released "Skyfall", the soundtrack single for the James Bond film Skyfall, and subsequently won the Academy Award for Best Original Song.
2012: Ivor Novello Awards and BMI Awards
In 2012, at the Ivor Novello Awards in May, Adele was named Songwriter of the Year, and "Rolling in the Deep" won the award for Most Performed Work of 2011. At the 2012 BMI Awards held in London in October, Adele won Song of the Year (for "Rolling in the Deep") in recognition of the song being the most played on US television and radio in 2011.
June 2013: Appointed a MBE
In June 2013, Adele was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the Queen's Birthday Honours list for services to music.
September 2013: Collaboration with Wiz Khalifa
In September 2013, Wiz Khalifa confirmed that he and Adele had collaborated on a song for his fifth studio album, Blacc Hollywood, though the collaboration did not make the final track listing.
December 2013: Receives MBE
On 19 December 2013, Adele received the MBE award from Prince Charles at Buckingham Palace.
2013: Performance at the Academy Awards ceremony
Adele's first television appearance since performing at the 2013 Academy Awards ceremony on BBC One, was a one-hour special presented by Graham Norton.
2013: Third Album Development
At the 2013 Grammy Awards, Adele confirmed that she was in the very early stages of her third album and would most likely work with Paul Epworth again.
2013: Grammy Award Win for Live Performance
At the 2013 Grammy Awards, Adele's live version of "Set Fire to the Rain" won the Grammy Award for Best Pop Solo Performance, bringing her total wins to nine.
2013: Adele Tops Richest Young Musicians List
From 2013 to 2018, Adele topped the List of Richest Young Musicians under 30 in the UK and Ireland as part of the Sunday Times' annual Rich List.
2013: Academy Award and Brit Award for "Skyfall"
In 2013, Adele won the Academy Award for Best Original Song for the James Bond theme "Skyfall". "Skyfall" also won the Brit Award for Best British Single at the 33rd Brit Awards.
January 2014: Grammy Award for "Skyfall"
In January 2014, Adele received her tenth Grammy Award with "Skyfall" winning Best Song Written for Visual Media at the 56th Annual Grammy Awards.
May 2014: Cryptic Message and Album Speculation
In May 2014, on the eve of her 26th birthday, Adele posted a cryptic message via her Twitter account which prompted media discussion about her next album.
October 2014: Album Release Update
In October 2014, accounts filed with Companies House by XL Recordings ruled out a 2014 release for Adele's next album.
2014: Album Sales Milestone
By the end of 2014, Adele had sold an estimated 40 million albums and 50 million singles worldwide, marking a significant milestone in her career.
August 2015: Album Release Plans
In August 2015, Billboard reported that Adele's label, XL Recordings, intended to release her third studio album sometime in November 2015. Danger Mouse, Tobias Jesso Jr., and Ryan Tedder were involved in the album's production.
September 2015: Sia Announces Co-written Single
In early September 2015, at the 72nd Venice International Film Festival, Sia announced that her new single "Alive" was co-written by Adele and was originally intended for Adele's third album.
November 2015: Announcement of Adele Live 2016 Tour
In November 2015, Adele's 2016 tour, her first since 2011, was announced. The tour, named Adele Live 2016, included dates in Europe and North America.
November 2015: Possible Album Release
In November 2015, XL Recordings, had intentions of releasing Adele's third studio album.
2015: Adele Declines Endorsement Offers and Pays Taxes
In 2015, Adele declined lucrative endorsement offers and reported paying £4 million in taxes in the UK.
2015: "Hello" Release and Chart Success
In 2015, Adele released "Hello", which broke YouTube records with over 27.7 million views in its first 24 hours. It debuted at number one in multiple countries and became the fastest video to hit one billion views on YouTube.
2015: Release of Third Album '25'
In 2015, Adele released her third studio album, 25, breaking sales records in the UK and US, and the lead single "Hello" achieved worldwide success.
2015: Adele Declares Herself a Feminist
In 2015, Adele stated, "I'm a feminist, I believe that everyone should be treated the same, including race and sexuality".
2015: Release and Success of Album 25
In 2015, Adele's album 25 was released, debuting at number one in the UK and US, breaking sales records in both countries. It became the best-selling album of 2015 worldwide.
2015: James Bond Theme Song Chart Record
In 2015, Sam Smith's "Writing's on the Wall" surpassed "Skyfall" by Adele to become the highest-charting James Bond theme song on the UK Singles Chart.
2015: Album Release Speculation
In early 2015, Paul Moss suggested that Adele's album would be released in 2014 or 2015.
January 2016: Carpool Karaoke with James Corden
In January 2016, Adele's Carpool Karaoke through the streets of London with James Corden was filmed. It was featured on Corden's talk show The Late Late Show with James Corden and became the biggest YouTube viral video of 2016.
March 2016: Adele Live 2016 Tour Begins in Europe
In March 2016, Adele's Live 2016 tour included dates at the Manchester Arena and the O2 Arena in London.
July 2016: Adele Ranked Among Highest-Paid Celebrities by Forbes
In July 2016, Adele was ranked number nine on the Forbes list of the 100 highest-paid celebrities in the world.
November 2016: Adele Ranked Among Highest-Paid Women in Music by Forbes
In November 2016, Adele was ranked second on the Forbes list of the world's highest-paid women in music, earning US$80.5 million.
2016: Album Sales Success
As of 2016, Adele's album '21' had sold over 31 million copies worldwide, marking significant success.
2016: Brit Awards and Glastonbury Festival
In 2016, Adele received four Brit Awards, including British Album of the Year for 25 and British Single of the Year for "Hello". She also headlined the Pyramid Stage at the Glastonbury Festival.
January 2017: "Easy On Me" Single Sales
On October 15, 2021, Adele released "Easy on Me", which had the highest first-week sales for a single since January 2017.
February 2017: Grammy Awards Win
In February 2017, at the 59th Annual Grammy Awards, Adele won all five of her nominations, bringing her number of awards to fifteen. She won Album of the Year and Best Pop Vocal Album for 25, and Record of the Year, Song of the Year and Best Pop Solo Performance for "Hello".
March 2017: Australian Tour and Stadium Records
In March 2017, Adele performed in Australia for the first time as part of her world tour, setting stadium records. Her Sydney show on March 10 was seen by 95,000 people, the biggest single concert in Australian history, a record she broke the following night with more than 100,000 fans.
March 2017: Adele Confirms Marriage
In March 2017, Adele referred to Simon Konecki as her husband during a concert in Brisbane, Australia, seemingly confirming reports of their marriage.
June 2017: Adele Attends Grenfell Tower Vigil and Visits Firefighters
In June 2017, Adele attended a vigil for the victims of the Grenfell Tower fire in west London and visited Chelsea fire station, bringing cakes for the firefighters.
July 2017: Switched Performance Rights Management
As announced on July 31, 2017, Adele switched performance rights management in the US from BMI to SESAC.
November 2017: Adele Ranked Among Highest-Paid Women in Music by Forbes
In November 2017, Adele was ranked second on the Forbes list of the world's highest-paid women in music, earning $69 million.
2017: Ed Sheeran's Divide Album
In the UK, the album debuted at number one on the Official Albums Chart with 261,000 copies sold, garnering the largest opening week for an album since Ed Sheeran's Divide in 2017.
2018: Working on fourth album
By 2018, Adele was reportedly working on her fourth studio album.
2018: Adele Tops Richest Young Musicians List
From 2013 to 2018, Adele topped the List of Richest Young Musicians under 30 in the UK and Ireland as part of the Sunday Times' annual Rich List.
May 2019: Adele's 31st Birthday Instagram Post
On her 31st birthday, May 2019, Adele posted black-and-white pictures on Instagram, reflecting on the past year and hinting at a new album with the message "30 will be a drum n bass record to spite you".
2019: Adele's Wealth Valued at £150 Million
On the 2019 Sunday Times Rich List, Adele was valued at £150 million (US$180.5 million) as the 22nd-richest musician in the UK despite not having toured since 2017.
February 2020: Album Announcement at Friend's Wedding
In February 2020, Adele announced at a friend's wedding that her fourth studio album would be released by September 2020.
September 2020: Album Delay Confirmation
In September 2020, Adele confirmed that the production and release of her fourth album had been delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
October 2020: Saturday Night Live Hosting Debut
In October 2020, Adele made her first television appearance in almost four years, hosting the October 24, 2020 episode of Saturday Night Live with musical guest H.E.R.
October 2021: Hints and Announcement of "Easy on Me"
In early October 2021, projections and billboards of the number "30" appeared worldwide, hinting at Adele's new album title. On October 5, 2021, Adele announced her single "Easy on Me" for release on October 15, 2021.
November 2021: Album Release Date Announcement and Vogue Cover
In November 2021, the release date of November 19, 2021 was announced for Adele's album. On October 7, 2021, she was announced as the November cover star for both Vogue and British Vogue, a first for anyone.
November 2021: Release of "30" and Global Success
On November 19, 2021, Adele released her album "30", which achieved global success, reaching number one in 24 territories and becoming the best-selling album of 2021 in the UK.
November 2021: Las Vegas Residency Announcement
On November 30, 2021, Adele announced a Las Vegas residency, Weekends with Adele, scheduled to run from January 21, 2022, until April 16, 2022, at the Colosseum at Caesars Palace.
2021: Release of Fourth Album '30'
In 2021, Adele released her fourth studio album, 30, which included the hit song "Easy on Me".
2021: Adele's Album Viewed as a Global Cultural Event
In a 2021 article from The Daily Telegraph, James Hall wrote that "a new Adele album isn't just a release − it's a global cultural event".
January 2022: Las Vegas Residency Postponement
On January 20, 2022, Adele announced that her Las Vegas residency was postponed due to "delivery delays" and the COVID-19 pandemic.
April 2022: Original end date of residency
Adele's Las Vegas residency, Weekends with Adele, was originally scheduled to run until April 16, 2022, at the Colosseum at Caesars Palace.
July 2022: Hyde Park Concert Tickets Sold Out
On October 28, 2021, pre-sale tickets for Adele's two concerts in Hyde Park, London, scheduled for July 1 and 2, 2022, sold out in less than an hour, with 130,000 tickets sold and over 1.3 million people attempting to buy them.
November 2022: Start of Rescheduled Las Vegas Residency
On July 25, it was announced her Las Vegas residency would run from November 18, 2022. In November, during the residency's second weekend, Adele announced two additional dates on New Year's Eve weekend bringing the total amount of shows to 34.
2022: Adele's Record Sales Reach 170 Million
As of 2022, Adele has sold more than 170 million records worldwide, with 70 million in album sales and over 100 million in single sales, making her one of the world's best-selling music artists.
February 2023: Grammy Win for "Easy on Me"
In February 2023, Adele attended the 65th Annual Grammy Awards and won the Grammy Award for Best Pop Solo Performance for "Easy on Me", marking her as the artist with the most wins in that category.
March 2023: End date of rescheduled residency
On July 25, it was announced her Las Vegas residency would run until March 25 2023, with eight more dates than initially planned, for a total of 32 concerts.
January 2024: Start of "Weekends with Adele: The Final Shows"
In October, Adele extended her shows one last time, stylizing the extension as "Weekends with Adele: The Final Shows". This extension added 32 shows starting in January 2024.
July 2024: Indefinite Break from Music Announced
On July 16, 2024, Adele revealed in an interview that she would be taking an indefinite break from music following the end of her residency, with no plans for a new album at that time.
2024: Chart Topping Albums
As of 2024, all of Adele's studio albums, except 19, have topped the yearly best-selling albums chart worldwide in the 21st century.
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