21 cover art

  Studio Album · No. 2

21 Songwriting Credits by Adele

2011 XL Recordings / Columbia 11 tracks 48 min

Produced by Paul Epworth, Ryan Tedder, Rick Rubin, Fraser T Smith, Dan Wilson, Jim Abbiss

XL Recordings / Columbia PopSoulR&B
91%
Authorship
Artist

Holds writing credit on 10 of 11 tracks

Authorship Breakdown 10 / 11 documented

Who wrote the songs?

Scored across the 11 tracks with documented writers, by whether Adele carries a lyricist or composer credit.

91%
10 trackswritten by Adele 1 trackoutside writers
Adele's roles on this album

Share of the 11 tracks where a band member is credited, by role.

Lyricist91%
Composer91%
Producer0%
Performer100%

By the Numbers

11
Tracks
9
Lyricists
7
Producers
3
No.1 Singles
31 million
Worldwide Copies Sold
2011
Released

Awards & Recognition 6

Grammy Award for Album of the Year (2012)
Grammy Award for Best Pop Vocal Album (2012)
Grammy Award for Record of the Year (2012)
Grammy Award for Song of the Year (2012)
Grammy Award for Best Short Form Music Video (2012)
Grammy Award for Best Pop Solo Performance (2012)
Data Insight

21 was produced by Paul Epworth (primary architect of the album's soul-gospel sound), Rick Rubin, Ryan Tedder, Fraser T Smith, Dan Wilson, Jim Abbiss, and Adele herself, and was recorded across AIR, Angel, Metropolis, and Shangri-La studios. Written after a painful breakup during Adele's American touring period, it was her first major engagement with gospel, country soul, and classic Motown. It became the best-selling album of the 21st century with over 31 million pure copies sold worldwide; "Rolling in the Deep," "Someone Like You," and "Set Fire to the Rain" all reached #1 on the Billboard Hot 100. The album won six Grammy Awards at the 54th ceremony (2012), including Album of the Year, Record of the Year, and Song of the Year.

The record that turned Adele into a global phenomenon, written almost entirely in the aftermath of a failed relationship. 21 spent 24 weeks at number one in the United Kingdom and six Grammy Awards, including Album of the Year. 'Rolling in the Deep' and 'Someone Like You' became two of the defining songs of their era. The sole cover, The Cure's 'Lovesong,' was chosen because, as Adele put it, Robert Smith had already written exactly what she wanted to say. The album's commercial scale is almost unprecedented for a record this emotionally unguarded.

Track Listing & Credits 11 tracks

Written by the artist Written by outside writers
#TitleLyricist(s)Composer(s)Producer(s)Performers
1
Rolling in the Deep #1
AdelePaul Epworth AdelePaul Epworth Paul Epworth Adele (Lead Vocals)
2
Rumour Has It
AdeleRyan Tedder AdeleRyan Tedder Ryan Tedder Adele (Lead Vocals)
3
Turning Tables
AdeleRyan Tedder AdeleRyan Tedder Ryan Tedder Adele (Lead Vocals)
4
Don't You Remember
AdeleDan Wilson AdeleDan Wilson Dan Wilson Adele (Lead Vocals)
5
Set Fire to the Rain #1
AdeleFraser T Smith AdeleFraser T Smith Fraser T Smith Adele (Lead Vocals)
6
He Won't Go
AdeleEg White AdeleEg White Jim Abbiss Adele (Lead Vocals)
7
Take It All
AdeleEg WhiteJim Abbiss AdeleEg WhiteJim Abbiss Jim Abbiss Adele (Lead Vocals)
8
I'll Be Waiting
AdelePaul Epworth AdelePaul Epworth Paul Epworth Adele (Lead Vocals)
9
One and Only
AdeleGreg WellsDan Wilson AdeleGreg WellsDan Wilson Greg Wells Adele (Lead Vocals)
10
Lovesong
Robert Smith Robert Smith Rick Rubin Adele (Lead Vocals)
11
Someone Like You #1
AdeleDan Wilson AdeleDan Wilson Dan Wilson Adele (Lead Vocals)

Songwriter & Credit Spotlight 10 contributors

A
Adele
Writer · Vocals
On this album10 written
DW
Dan Wilson
Writer · Producer
On this album3 written
PE
Paul Epworth
Writer · Producer
On this album2 written
RT
Ryan Tedder
Writer · Producer
On this album2 written
EW
Eg White
Writer
On this album2 written
JA
Jim Abbiss
Writer · Producer
On this album1 written
FT
Fraser T Smith
Writer · Producer
On this album1 written
GW
Greg Wells
Writer · Producer
On this album1 written
RS
Robert Smith
Writer
On this album1 written
RR
Rick Rubin
Producer
On this album1 produced

More from Adele

2008 92%
19
XL Recordings
12 tracksProd. Jim Abbiss
2015 100%
25
XL Recordings / Columbia
11 tracksProd. Paul Epworth
2021 100%
30
Columbia Records
12 tracksProd. Greg Kurstin

Frequently Asked Questions 21

Who produced 21 by Adele?
21 was produced by Paul Epworth (the album's primary producer), Rick Rubin, Ryan Tedder, Fraser T Smith, Dan Wilson, Jim Abbiss, and Adele herself. Recording took place across AIR Studios, Angel Studios, Metropolis Studios, and Shangri-La. The album was released January 24, 2011, through XL Recordings in the UK and Columbia Records in the US.
How many copies did 21 by Adele sell worldwide?
21 has sold over 31 million pure copies worldwide, making it the best-selling album of the 21st century. It is certified Diamond by the RIAA in the United States (over 10 million copies) and 16× Platinum by the BPI in the UK. In 2012, the IFPI certified it decuple platinum in Europe, one of the fastest-selling albums in European history.
Did Rolling in the Deep by Adele reach number 1 on the Billboard Hot 100?
"Rolling in the Deep" peaked at number 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and remained there for 7 weeks. It also reached number 1 in 11 countries and won Grammy Award for Record of the Year and Song of the Year at the 54th Grammy Awards (2012). It is widely considered Adele's signature song.
Did 21 by Adele win the Grammy Award for Album of the Year?
Yes, 21 won Grammy Award for Album of the Year at the 54th Grammy Awards in 2012, one of six Grammy wins at that ceremony. The album also won Best Pop Vocal Album; "Rolling in the Deep" won Record of the Year, Song of the Year, and Best Short Form Music Video; and "Someone Like You" won Best Pop Solo Performance.
How many Billboard Hot 100 number-ones did 21 by Adele produce?
21 produced three number-one hits on the Billboard Hot 100: "Rolling in the Deep" (7 weeks at number 1), "Someone Like You" (number 1), and "Set Fire to the Rain" (number 1). This made Adele one of the very few artists to produce three number-one Hot 100 singles from a single album in the same year.
Who wrote Someone Like You by Adele?
"Someone Like You" was written by Adele and Dan Wilson, one of the co-producers on 21. Wilson, who co-wrote "Closing Time" with Semisonic, collaborated with Adele in a single session focused on the song's emotional core: Adele's response to learning her ex-boyfriend had married someone else. It won Grammy Award for Best Pop Solo Performance at the 54th Grammy Awards (2012).
What is the runtime of 21 by Adele?
21 runs 48 minutes and 1 second across 11 tracks on the standard edition. Various international editions include bonus tracks extending the runtime. It was released January 24, 2011, through XL Recordings in the UK and Columbia Records in the US, and debuted at number one in 30 countries.

Sources

Wikipedia: 21 (Adele album) MusicBrainz: 21 (release group) Cover Art Archive: 21 Cover Art Archive: 21 by Adele