Adele soars to top of UK charts with latest album '30'

A member of staff sorts copies of the new album from British singer-songwriter Adele titled "30," in Sister Ray record store in Soho, central London, U.K., Nov. 19, 2021. (AFP)

by REUTERS

Nov 28, 2021 10:39 am

Some six years since her third album, Adele has released her long-awaited "30," topping U.K. charts with a record-breaking comeback.

One of the world's best selling singer-songwriters, the Grammy Award winner released her fourth studio album last week, with critics and fans praising her honesty on the record she said she made to explain her divorce to her son Angelo, 9.

First week sales for "30" totaled 261,000, giving it the biggest opening week of the year so far, the Official Charts Company said. The figure is the biggest for an album since Ed Sheeran’s "Divide" in 2017 and the biggest for a female solo album since Adele’s last record, 2015's "25."

Adele waves to singer Beyonce who is in the audience as she and co-songwriter Greg Kurstin (not pictured) accept the Grammy for Song of the Year for "Hello" at the 59th Annual Grammy Awards in Los Angeles, California, U.S., February 12, 2017. (REUTERS)

"It becomes Adele’s fourth UK Number 1 album; she has now reached Number 1 on the Official Albums Chart with all of her studio albums, a record for a female act," the Official Charts Company said in a statement.

"All of Adele’s previous albums are also present in the chart this week; 25 (Number 15), 21 (Number 18) and 19 (Number 31)."

"30" was also the most-streamed album this past week, recording 55.7 million plays across its 12 songs, the Official Charts Company said.

Known for her ballads about heartbreak and nostalgia, Adele also topped the U.K. singles charts for a sixth week with "Easy On Me," the first track to be released from "30."

Adele sings "Hello" at the 59th Annual Grammy Awards in Los Angeles, California, U.S., February 12, 2017. (REUTERS)

The song has overtaken her 2011 mega-hit "Someone Like You" to become her longest-running No. 1 on the Official Singles Chart. "Oh My God" and "I Drink Wine," two other singles from "30," also made it into the top five.

The 33-year-old is expected to top the charts elsewhere. Earlier this week, Billboard said "30" was the fastest-selling album in the U.S. after just three days, citing initial data.

Like her previous albums, "30" is named after a milestone age in Adele's life. The singer announced her split from her husband Simon Konecki in 2019.