Adele is still smashing ALL THE RECORDS. Because of course she is. Because we were so hungry for real music and someone with an amazing voice to come out of hiding. As we discussed last week, Adele’s “Hello” video smashed Vevo records by becoming the most-watched video ever in a 24-hour period. Vevo also sent out a press release at the end of last week about how “Hello” is now the music video that had the fastest ascent to 100 million views in Vevo history. It only took FIVE DAYS for “Hello” to rack up 100 million views and become “Certified.” The previous record was held by Miley Cyrus for “Wrecking Ball,” which took six days to become “Certified.” And that’s not all! Adele is smashing download records too.
As expected, Adele’s big return broke the charts. “Hello,” her first song in three years, debuts on this week’s Billboard Hot 100 at No. 1, with a record 1.1 million downloads in a week. The last artist to even come close to that feat was Flo Rida, who had over 600,000 downloads of “Right Round.” With her fourth No. 1, Adele ends the Weeknd’s six-week dominance, becoming the first woman to top the chart since Taylor Swift did it in June. When the nostalgic “Hello” video first dropped more than a week ago, it was reportedly being viewed upwards of a million times per hour, obliterating Swift’s previous single-day Vevo record. On today’s chart, she’s credited with 61.6 million U.S. streams in one week, second only to Baauer’s viral hit, “Harlem Shake.” Predictions for Adele’s 25 are through the roof, with industry forecasters expecting her to sell more than a million albums her first week with no problem; they’re now betting on her pushing 2 million.
Saying hello from the other side is Justin Bieber, who would have likely debuted at No. 1 had he released his new single literally any other week. Instead, “Sorry” enters the chart behind Adele, at No. 2. (For comparison, his single was downloaded 277,000 times to Adele’s 1 million–plus.) Bieber’s “What Do You Mean?” is also in the Top 10, at No. 5. Sadly, with the additions of new Adele and Bieber, Drake’s “Hotline Bling” got bumped down to No. 3 — but the song’s video is on YouTube and Vevo now, so Drake’s chase for his first solo No. 1 is still alive! At the very least, he can say he beat out his fellow Canadian the Weeknd, whose “The Hills” dropped to No. 4 this week.
The only person I feel sorry for is Drake. “Hotline Bling” is a great, fun song and it deserved to be at the top of the charts… on any other week. Maybe Drake didn’t know or care that he was releasing new music around the same time as Adele? I keep reading that several artists who planned on releasing new stuff this month have pushed everything back because they don’t want to compete with Adele. I do have to chuckle at the thought of Justin Bieber’s big comeback taking a backseat to Adele though. That is perfect. While I have no doubt that Adele’s album will destroy records as well, I hope industry people aren’t saying “If ‘25’ doesn’t sell 2 million in a week, we’re done with Adele!” That’s crazy.
Meanwhile, “some people” claim that Adele stole some lyrics or a lyrical concept from Tom Waits. The Daily Mail is pointing out some “similarity” between Waits’ “Martha” and Adele’s “Hello”. I can hear a similarity between the lyrical concepts, but that’s not the same thing as saying that Adele “copied” Tom Waits in any way.
Photos courtesy of WENN.
I can’t believe Right Round had that many downloads.
Adele’s song is kinda growing on me. She makes me miss Celine Dion, I wish she would drop another album.
And yeah I’ll take Adele’s version over Waits. Don’t think it’s that close in lyrics just similar sentiments.
I’m so happy for Ms. Adele! That’s all, just looking forward to good, soulful music again.
Did you see the ridiculous Buzzfeed article that shades Adele’s “autune removed” voice with a Taylor Swift side eye?
http://www.buzzfeed.com/mjs538/sits-back-and-waits-for-the-comments#.kqmBmmAQJ
I get it’s a joke but it created a huge fandom war… Buzzfeed gets a side-eye from me for it
It seems Buzzfeed is quite hungry for any kind of attention. I couldn’t bear to watch the video because it gave me a proper headache in less than 5 seconds but I must admit that I chuckled at the OoooooOOhs. Reminded me of good old Chewy because of her coat 😀
Isn’t there a rumour going around that Swifty™ is pulling Adele-praising articles?
Just something I heard on the bus, though.
How is Swift and her management capable of pulling articles that have nothing to do with her? I’m interested in what you’ve heard. Obviously Adele is going to blow everything out of the water. I know Swift hold a lot of wait in the industry, but it’d be moronic to pull Adele articles when she is going to very clearing be the biggest hit in a very long while.
She deserves it! one of the few truly talented people around!
Good for Adele. She deserves it all.
The best thing about the roll out for Adele’s new music is that she herself is mainly focused on the music, and not all the attending hoopla. I am sure she will be gratified by the plaudits, and so she should be, but you can guarantee it will not change her delightful persona one whit. Take note Ms Cyrus, and Mr Bieber, this is how it is done!
Yes! Call me an Olde (I’m old enough to have that e), but I am grateful for artists like Adele who stick to the work and can act like adults.
I love Adele but so far I don’t like this song. Every time it gets to the chorus I just want her to stop yelling at me. Yes! Hello! I hear you! Do I just need to give it more time?
so… this happened.
last night i was watching a rerun soap opera when my son called.
he yelled down the phone “hello from the outside!!!”
and i heard his voice from outside of our house.
i unlocked the door and he told me that he’s been trying to ring the doorbell for some minutes.
so i figured that the doorbell was acting up again (maybe mice) because i could swear i didn’t hear it (and the soap opera was pretty flat at that point i couldn’t have been engrossed in it)
i told him he should’ve called sooner.
“but at least i could say that i’ve tried… to ring the doorbell!”
i don’t know whether to be amused of my son or be angry for being so cheeky. i’m sure he’s been hoping to sing that line for ages now!
I got so many wonderful chuckles out of this!
OMG! I´m so simple, I burst out laughing imagining this! I think you should be amused for having such a fun son!
I love Adele and her music as I said in the Rolling Stone interview thread, I just don’t like when people imply that there aren’t artists who make great music apart from her. There are a lot of similar talents in pop-soul out there, they just need some more push to the mainstream.
Adele isn’t the only person to make good music; music is subjective just like beauty. I don’t like a lot of Adele’s song but there are some Beyoncé songs that I like as well as Katy Perry and I love Emilie Sand’s music. Mary J. Blige had a lot of great songs. it’s not that Adele’s songs are better than other artist, they are just different. Some people don’t want to hear an entire album about break-ups, some like a mixture. Adele is talented but I too wish people would stop putting her on this pedestal as if she’s the great white hope for music.
Same here V4Real!
Oh come on. “Martha” is one of my favourite Tom Waits songs; the concept is so different! Adele’s lyrics are about feeling guilty for breaking someone’s heart, while “Martha” is about someone reminiscing about the past relationship in a way more rose-tinted, though melancholic way.
Just out of curiosity, just how often exactly has this “I’m adressing some ex from the past” concept been done in a song already? Oh, we don’t have enough fingers and toes to count? This is a completely artificial storm in a teacup if I ever saw one.
Martha is an amazing song. I can’t think of more than a couple of songs that could ever match it.
I appreciate singers, like her and Celine, whose voice is so good they don’t have to try and sell their product through ridiculous dress or antics. Always professional.