Features
Cultural impact of Adele
Erin Berg, Writer | 04/08/2022
Adele is a British singer and songwriter who made her debut in 2007 and has continuously inluenced the modern music industry ever since. Her first song to be released was “Hometown Glory” which has now surpassed 100 million streams on Spotify as of April of 2020.
Adele has sold millions of albums worldwide and has won a total of 15 Grammy’s as well as an Oscar. Her first two albums were 19 and 21, which earned praise commercially and culturally. The first two songs on the album 19, “Chasing Pavements” and “Hometown Glory” led her to fame.
Before starring as a musical guest on Saturday Night Live in October 2008, her album was ranked at No. 40 on iTunes. In less than 24 hours after her appearance on the show, it reached No. 1.
Her much anticipated album, 21, was released in 2011 and became a huge hit, selling 352,000 copies within the first week. Her next albums 25 and 30 were met with equal levels of success, cementing Adele as a cultural icon in the pop music industry.
Adele not only established herself as one of the most successful artists of the millennium, but she created a culture of empowerment.
In 2019 Adele split with her ex-husband Simon Konecki who took $157,962,459.00 as a result of their divorce. This made several news headlines, leaving many to speculate about a potential new album from Adele.
The fans were not disappointed when her album 30 was released. Her top song, “Easy On Me”, receiving 794,508,942 million streams, was a prime example of her ability to connect with her audience regarding empowerment.
During a British Vogue interview, Adele revealed that “Easy On Me” has a deeper meaning than it may seem.
“I’ve shed many layers but also wrapped myself in new ones. Discovered genuinely useful and wholesome mentalities to lead with, and I feel like I've finally found my feeling again.” Adele said.
Her wise words and vulnerability about recovering from turmoil in life have touched her audience deeply. Her songs have become a go to when moving through different stages in life.
Nicole Dirkse, a teacher at Pewaukee High School, uses Adele as an outlet when experiencing struggles in her life. “Her music has a calming and soothing effect, not only lyrically, but melodically.”
Adele has had a tremendous impact on the music industry. Her music reflects growth and reminds her audience that healing isn’t linear or easy and her cultural impact has not gone unnoticed.