Maps of Music
30 (2021)
Where the lyrics of 30 take you, and where it was really made.
Adele's fourth studio album was written in response to her divorce, and it became the best-selling album of 2021 worldwide with 5.54 million copies sold.
View on the mapKey places
Eastcote, London: recording location (2021)
Recording site Eastcote Studios — Eastcote is listed as a recording location for 30 in the album's source text. The pin uses building-level coordinates. Google Maps · Apple Maps
How to get there: See the map for directions.
Henson Recording Studios: recording location (2021)
Recording site A&M Recording Studios — Henson Recording Studios in California is listed as a recording location for 30 in the album's source text. The pin uses building-level coordinates. Google Maps · Apple Maps
How to get there: See the map for directions.
Källbacken, Stockholm: recording location (2021)
Recording site Källbacken — Källbacken in Stockholm is listed as a recording location for 30 in the album's source text. The pin uses building-level coordinates. Google Maps · Apple Maps
How to get there: See the map for directions.
Metropolis, London: recording location (2021)
Recording site Metropolis Group, London — Metropolis in London is listed as a recording location for 30 in the album's source text. The pin uses building-level coordinates. Google Maps · Apple Maps
How to get there: See the map for directions.
MXM, Los Angeles: recording location (2021)
Recording site Motown Recording Studios — MXM is listed as a recording location for 30 with Los Angeles as the place. The pin uses city-centre coordinates, not a building. Google Maps · Apple Maps
How to get there: See the map for directions.
The EastWood Scoring Stage: recording location (2021)
Recording site The EastWood Scoring Stage — The EastWood Scoring Stage in California is listed as a recording location for 30 in the album's source text. The pin uses building-level coordinates. Google Maps · Apple Maps
How to get there: See the map for directions.
Album story
Overview
- 30: fourth studio album by English singer and songwriter Adele
- Released 19 November 2021 by Columbia Records
- First studio album in six years, following 25 (2015)
- Pop, soul, and jazz album that incorporates dance-pop, gospel, and R&B elements
- Themes: Adele's divorce, anxiety, motherhood, and fame
Background
- Adele began working on the album in 2018
- Divorced after filing in 2019, followed by therapy sessions
- Recorded regular conversations with her son, following advice from her therapist; these inspired her return to the studio
- The album took shape as a body of work that would explain to her son why she left his father
- Early in the promotion for 25, she said she planned to stop naming albums after her age
- Her 2020 announcement of an album by September 2020 was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic
Recording
- Adele wanted to create a 'safe space' during recording and worked with fewer people than on 25
- Vocal tracks used on the album are original demos, as on her previous albums
- Worked with Greg Kurstin on six songs, including 'Easy on Me' and 'Oh My God'
- Worked with producers for the first time, including Ludwig Göransson and Inflo
- By February 2020, the album was mostly completed, except for some orchestral elements and backing vocals
Sources: en.wikipedia.org
Artist
Career
- English singer-songwriter Adele Laurie Blue Adkins, born 5 May 1988 in Tottenham, London.
- Known for mezzo-soprano vocals and sentimental songwriting; regarded as a British cultural icon.
- Debut album 19 (2008) included UK top-five singles "Chasing Pavements" and "Make You Feel My Love"; won Grammy for Best New Artist.
- Second album 21 (2011) became the best-selling album of the 21st century and held the top spot on the Billboard 200 for 24 weeks.
- Won the Academy Award for Best Original Song for the James Bond theme "Skyfall" (2013).
- Third album 25 (2015) set first-week sales records in the UK and US; fourth album 30 (2021) was the best-selling album worldwide that year.
- Sold over 120 million records worldwide; 16 Grammy Awards, 12 Brit Awards, an Emmy and a Golden Globe.
- Held the Weekends with Adele Las Vegas residency (2022–2024) and announced an indefinite break from music in July 2024.
Sources: en.wikipedia.org
Reception
At release
- Metacritic weighted mean score of 88 from 23 reviews, indicating universal acclaim
- Critics emphasised Adele's vocal performance, lyricism, and subject matter
- Neil McCormick of The Daily Telegraph believed it features powerhouse songs, intense emotions and bravura performances
- Kate Solomon of The i Paper called it a reverent and messy, polished and painful album
- Robert Christgau described it as a breakthrough and a step up in variety from its predecessors
- Rob Sheffield of Rolling Stone described her vocal performance as even more expressive than her previous releases
- Annabel Nugent of The Independent thought it was distinguished by its inclusion of optimistic love songs
- Alexis Petridis of The Guardian thought its tracks which veer from Adele's usual formula were the best ones
- The Wall Street Journal believed 30 largely came and went compared to Adele's previous albums
Reappraisal
- It is Adele's highest-rated album on Metacritic
- Media outlets included it in their lists of the best albums of 2021
- Adele received four Brit Awards nominations in 2022 and won three
Records
- Debuted at number one in the UK with 261,000 copies, the highest first-week sales for a female artist since 25
- Spent five consecutive weeks at number one in the UK
- Debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 with 839,000 album-equivalent units; six total weeks at number one
- Certified triple platinum by the RIAA
- Best-selling album of 2021 worldwide with 5.54 million copies sold
- Topped the charts in 25 countries
Sources: en.wikipedia.org
Trivia
- Target-exclusive deluxe edition adds two bonus tracks and a duet version of 'Easy on Me' with Chris Stapleton
- 'All Night Parking' posthumously credits Erroll Garner as a featured artist, the first featured artist credit on a standard Adele album
- A preview of 'Hold On' was featured in an Amazon television commercial, 'Kindness, the Greatest Gift'
- Adele became the first person to appear on the covers of both British and American Vogue in the same month
- Three weeks before its release, 30 became the most pre-added album ever on Apple Music
Sources: en.wikipedia.org
View on the map