Adele's Success and Achievements in Timeline

A success timeline featuring the most significant achievements of Adele.

Adele Laurie Blue Adkins, known professionally as Adele, is a highly acclaimed English singer-songwriter recognized as a British icon. She is celebrated for her powerful mezzo-soprano voice and emotionally resonant songwriting, which often explores themes of love, loss, and heartbreak. Her career is marked by extraordinary success and numerous prestigious awards, including multiple Grammy Awards, Brit Awards, an Academy Award, a Primetime Emmy Award, and a Golden Globe Award, solidifying her status as one of the most successful and influential artists of her generation.

Sections (5)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements Success & Recognition Legacy & Impact

1964: Achievement Since The Beatles

In 2011 Adele became the first living artist to achieve the feat of two top-five hits in both the Official Singles Chart and the Official Albums Chart simultaneously since the Beatles in 1964.

1985: 21 becomes longest-running album at number one since 1985

In March 2012, Adele's album '21' became the longest-running album at number one since 1985. Prior to Adele's achievement in 2012, no other album had maintained the top spot for so long since 1985.

1991: Nielsen SoundScan Tracking Data

In 1991, Nielsen SoundScan began tracking data. Following Adele's Grammy win in 2012, the album '21' achieved the biggest weekly sales increase since Nielsen SoundScan began tracking data in 1991.

1991: Nielsen Begins Monitoring Sales

In 1991, Nielsen began monitoring sales. Adele's album '25' became the fastest-selling album in UK chart history with over 800,000 copies sold in its first week and the largest single sales week for an album in the US since Nielsen began monitoring sales in 1991.

January 2008: Brit Awards Critics' Choice and BBC Sound of 2008

In January 2008, Adele was the first recipient of the Brit Awards Critics' Choice and was named the number-one predicted breakthrough act of 2008 in the BBC's Sound of 2008 poll. She also released her second single, "Chasing Pavements".

2008: Critical Acclaim for Singing

In 2008, Adele's singing began to garner significant acclaim from music critics, with praise for her soulful phrasing and emotive quality.

2010: "Hometown Glory" Grammy Nomination

In 2010, Adele received a Grammy nomination for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance for "Hometown Glory", showcasing the song's enduring impact.

May 2011: "Team Adele" ranked number one on The Guardian's "Music Power 100"

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.

December 2011: Record-Breaking Album Sales

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. She also became the first artist ever to sell three million albums in the UK in one calendar year.

2011: Best-selling Album Worldwide

In 2011, Adele's album '21' became the best-selling album worldwide. This contributed to Adele becoming the only artist or band in the last decade in the US to earn an RIAA diamond certification for a one disc album in less than two years.

February 2012: Adele listed at number five on VH1's 100 Greatest Women in Music

In February 2012, Adele was listed at number five on VH1's 100 Greatest Women in Music, solidifying her place among the most influential female musicians.

March 2012: 21 becomes longest-running album at number one since 1985

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 became the fourth-best-selling album of the past 10 years in the US.

March 2012: Adele achieves multiple Billboard milestones

In the week ending March 3, 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". She also became 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. That same day Billboard announced that Adele's 'Rolling in the Deep' is the biggest crossover hit of the past 25 years.

Loading Video...

April 2012: Adele named one of Time magazine's 100 most influential people

In April 2012, Time magazine named Adele one of the 100 most influential people in the world, recognizing her impact beyond the music industry.

July 2012: Forbes Listing

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.

December 2012: Billboard Artist and Album of the Year

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. She was also named top female artist, and The Associated Press named Adele Entertainer of the Year.

2012: Live Comeback at the Grammy Awards and Continued Success

In 2012, Adele made her live comeback at the Grammy Awards in February, winning in all six categories she was nominated for, making her the second female artist after Beyoncé to achieve this. Her album, 21, experienced a sales surge following the Grammy win. The album's sales surpassed 4.5 million in the UK in October and 10 million in the US in November. It was also the best-selling album worldwide in both 2011 and 2012.

February 2013: Adele named one of the 100 most powerful women in the UK

In February 2013, Adele was named one of the 100 most powerful women in the UK by Woman's Hour on BBC Radio 4, highlighting her influence and impact in the country.

June 2013: Adele appointed a MBE in the Queen's Birthday Honours list

In June 2013, Adele was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the Queen's Birthday Honours list for her services to music.

December 2013: Adele receives MBE from Prince Charles at Buckingham Palace

On December 19, 2013, Adele received her MBE award from Prince Charles at Buckingham Palace, marking a formal recognition of her contributions to music.

2013: Richest Young Musician

From 2013, 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: Grammy Award for Best Pop Solo Performance

In 2013, 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.

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.

July 2014: Privacy Case Settlement

In July 2014, Adele and Simon Konecki accepted damages from a UK-based photo agency that published intrusive paparazzi images of their son.

2014: Estimated Album and Single Sales

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.

2015: Release and Success of '25'

In 2015, Adele's album '25' debuted at number one in the UK and the US, breaking sales records in both countries and becoming the best-selling album of the year in many countries. It sold 17.4 million copies worldwide, and Adele was named the Global Recording Artist of the Year by IFPI.

2015: Release and success of Adele's third album, 25

Released in 2015, Adele's third album, '25', became the year's best-selling album and broke first-week sales records in several markets, including the UK and the US. Additionally, 'Hello' became the first song in the US to sell over one million digital copies within a week of its release.

Loading Video...

April 2016: Adele appears on Time 100 list for the second time

In April 2016, Adele appeared for the second time on the Time 100 list of the world's most influential people, solidifying her impact on a global scale.

July 2016: Forbes Ranking

In July 2016, Adele was ranked number nine on the Forbes list of the 100 highest-paid celebrities in the world.

November 2016: Forbes List of Highest-Paid Women in Music

In November 2016, Adele was in second place on the Forbes list of the world's highest-paid women in music, earning US$80.5 million.

2016: Album Sales Milestone

As of 2016, Adele's album '21' had sold over 31 million copies worldwide, solidifying its status as a global success.

2016: Brit Awards and Glastonbury Performance

In 2016, Adele received four Brit Awards, including British Album of the Year for "25" and British Single of the Year for "Hello." She headlined the Pyramid Stage at the Glastonbury Festival, describing it as the best moment of her life. She also released two more singles from '25': "Send My Love (To Your New Lover)" and "Water Under the Bridge".

Loading Video...

January 2017: Highest First-Week Sales Since January 2017

On 15 October 2021, Adele's song 'Easy on Me' had the highest first-week sales for a single since January 2017.

February 2017: Grammy Wins and George Michael Tribute

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". She also performed a tribute to the late George Michael.

Loading Video...

March 2017: Australian Tour and Stadium Records

In February and March 2017, Adele performed in Australia for the first time, breaking stadium records throughout the country. 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.

November 2017: Forbes Ranking

In November 2017, Adele was in second place on the Forbes list of the world's highest-paid women in music, earning $69 million.

2017: Largest Opening Week Since Ed Sheeran's Divide

On 19 November 2021, Adele's album '30' debuted at number one in the UK with 261,000 copies sold, garnering the largest opening week for an album since Ed Sheeran's Divide in 2017.

2018: Richest Young Musician (Continued)

In 2018, Adele continued to top the List of Richest Young Musicians under 30 in the UK and Ireland as part of the Sunday Times' annual Rich List, marking six consecutive years in the position.

2018: Adele inducted into Royal Albert Hall's Walk of Fame

In 2018, Adele was inducted into the Royal Albert Hall's Walk of Fame, making her one of the first eleven recipients of a star on the walk, a symbol of her contribution to music and entertainment.

December 2019: Adele named singer of the 2010s by Israeli media

In December 2019, Israel's largest TV and radio stations named Adele singer of the 2010s, recognizing her significant impact on music throughout the decade.

2019: Top Artists of the Decade

In 2019, Insider Inc. listed Adele among the top artists of the decade, highlighting her artistry and style.

2019: Sunday Times Rich List Valuation

On the 2019 Sunday Times Rich List, Adele's wealth was valued at £150 million (US$180.5 million), making her the 22nd-richest musician in the UK despite not having toured since 2017.

November 2021: Album Release Date Announcement and Single Success

In November 2021, Adele announced a release date of 19 November 2021 for her album "30". On 15 October, she released "Easy on Me" to a positive reception, breaking streaming records and topping charts in the UK and US.

November 2021: 30 Album Release and Global Success

On 19 November 2021, Adele released her album "30", which became a global success, reaching number one in 24 territories. It had the largest opening week in the UK since Ed Sheeran's Divide in 2017 and was the best-selling album of 2021.

2021: Adele named the UK's best-selling female album artist of the 21st century

In 2021, Adele was named the UK's best-selling female album artist of the 21st century, based on Official Charts Company data, showcasing her enduring popularity and commercial success.

May 2022: Adele named one of Time magazine's 100 most influential people for the third time

In May 2022, Time magazine named Adele for the third time among the 100 most influential people in the world, placing her in the "icons" category, celebrating her enduring impact.

July 2022: Hyde Park Concerts Sell Out

On 28 October 2021, pre-sale tickets for Adele's two concerts in Hyde Park, London, scheduled for 1 and 2 July 2022, sold out in less than an hour, with 130,000 tickets sold. Over 1.3 million people attempted to buy tickets.

February 2023: Grammy Award Win

In February 2023, Adele attended the 65th Annual Grammy Awards and won the Grammy Award for Best Pop Solo Performance for "Easy on Me", extending her record as the artist with the most wins in the category.

October 2023: Sober Revelation

On 14 October 2023, during a Weekends with Adele concert residency, Adele revealed she had suffered from "borderline alcoholism" since her 20s and had been sober for three months.

December 2023: Adele listed in The Hollywood Reporter's 2023 Women in Entertainment Power 100

In December 2023, Adele was listed in The Hollywood Reporter's 2023 Women in Entertainment Power 100, and received the Sherry Lansing Leadership Award.

2023: Rolling Stone's 200 Greatest Singers List

In 2023, Rolling Stone listed Adele at 22nd in their list of 200 Greatest Singers of All Time.

2023: Rolling Stone ranked her no. 22 on their list of 200 Best Singers of All Time

In 2023, Rolling Stone ranked Adele as number 22 on their list of the 200 Best Singers of All Time, highlighting her vocal talent and impact on music.

2025: Billboard listed her at number 4 on its 2025 "Top 100 Women Artists of the 21st Century" list.

In 2025, Billboard listed Adele at number 4 on its 2025 "Top 100 Women Artists of the 21st Century" list, further cementing her position as one of the most influential and successful female artists of the century.