Adele is an artist who writes and sings beyond her years. Her thoughtful lyrics and powerhouse vocals have skyrocketed her to stardom.
Regardless of whether they enjoy her music, almost everyone agrees that Adele is one of the most talented artists of our time. Here are the best Adele songs ever.
1. “Hello” by Adele
Song Year: 2015
Despite the common use of the phrase “hello” in our everyday language, when you search for this word on Google, Adele will likely pop up. That’s how impactful this song was throughout the country and the globe.
In this timeless ballad, Adele reflects on a time with someone she loved. Now that she is distanced from this person, and their lives have gone in different directions, she strives to say hello and apologize for breaking their heart.
This song is ideal for listening to when you are missing someone you are no longer close to physically but still feel close to emotionally.
2. “Someone Like You” by Adele
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hLQl3WQQoQ0
Song Year: 2011
The song “Someone Like You” is arguably Adele’s most popular heartbreak hit. She sings about how she is still madly in love with someone who has moved on.
In the riveting chorus, she begs this ex-lover not to forget about her while also trying to convince herself that she’ll find someone like him eventually.
Many of Adele’s songs perfectly illustrate the complicated, up-and-down emotions that arise from getting your heart broken, and this song’s one of the best. It’s helpful to listen to it after a breakup, especially when someone has broken up with you, because it makes you feel understood.
3. “Easy On Me” by Adele
Song Year: 2021
“Easy On me” is a deep song and one of the best on her 2021 album 30. The song (and the entire album) is centered around her divorce from Simon Konecki.
It speaks to how it’s difficult to progress in a relationship when there are deep-seated differences, let alone a challenging lifestyle.
It’s a song about forgiving yourself and acknowledging that you tried. Relationships are challenging, but if you had good intentions, you shouldn’t scold yourself for something not working out how you originally hoped and dreamed it would.
4. “Chasing Pavements” by Adele
Song Year: 2008
Before she was a global superstar, Adele released her album 19, symbolizing her age at the time of production.
At such a young age, she captured the hearts and souls of passionate folks across the country, and the hit “Chasing Pavements” was a significant factor.
It perfectly illustrates a confusing relationship that’s challenging to navigate because you don’t know if it will turn out well.
5. “Send My Love (To Your New Lover)” by Adele
Song Year: 2015
This catchy tune is fun to bop to, even with the semi-scathing lyrics about a past lover that presumably did not treat her well.
When listening to the song, it feels like you’re listening to a goodbye letter from Adele to her ex, perhaps one that Adele is writing to find closure and finally feel free from that relationship. She wants to be the bigger woman by sending good wishes to his new lover.
Not every breakup song has to be so melancholy, and Adele proves it with this catchy, sassy tune. This song is great to listen to if you’re getting over a relationship and want to regain your confidence, strength, and sense of self-worth.
6. “Set Fire To The Rain” by Adele
Song Year: 2011
Another powerful Adele ballad with scathing, fierce lyrics is “Set Fire To The Rain.” She sings about the games her lover would play and how frustrating they became.
There are two sides to this person she sings about. One who was loving and kind, which is what she thought he was. Then the other side, who was deceitful. The relationship ultimately died because everything she knew was a lie.
7. “Rolling in the Deep” by Adele
Song Year: 2011
Like “Set Fire To The Rain,” “Rolling in the Deep” was another fiery hit from her album 21. Adele sings about the metaphorical scars created by a tumultuous relationship.
The lyrics, combined with her powerful tones and scream-singing style, make you feel all of the emotions that this relationship brings up for her, making it very relatable if you’ve been in a relationship that seemed promising but ended up failing.
8. “I Drink Wine” by Adele
Song Year: 2021
The entire album 30 can make many listeners shed a few tears, but “I Dink Wine” is a particularly vulnerable and heart-wrenching tune.
The song speaks about how complicated her relationship became, especially due to public attention, societal ideas and pressure, difficult sacrifices, and more.
It’s not her typical loud, powerhouse ballad, but the lyrics are just as – if not more – striking to listen to. And, as always, her vocal range is wide and impressive.
9. “When We Were Young” by Adele
Song Year: 2015
“When We Were Young” is one of Adele’s deepest songs, which says a lot because they are all extremely meaningful. But something about the nostalgic lyrics combined with the deep piano chords and scratchy vocals makes this song hit home.
If you miss someone or miss a part of your past life, this song is a great one to listen to in order to cry it out and honor that time/person.
10. “Daydreamer” by Adele
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_lKVfZ0RthQ
Song Year: 2008
“Daydreamer” is the perfect song for someone who has a crush on someone else. It has lyrics that anyone whose experienced falling in love will relate to.
More specifically, she’s describing someone who seems to be daydreaming, but in her description, you can tell that she’s the one dreaming about him or at least paying awfully close attention to his mannerisms.
11. “One and Only” by Adele
Song Year: 2011
Adele’s song “One and Only” is a romantic, realistic song about falling in love and feeling a bit nervous about it. Regardless of the nerves, the lyrics suggest telling the person you want to move forward and be exclusive.
Listening to it helps inspire people to take a chance at love, making it an ideal song for a wedding proposal.
12. “Hometown Glory” by Adele
Song Year: 2008
“Hometown Glory” is one of the best Adele songs because it’s relatable to almost everyone. Regardless of where you’re from, there are particular aspects of your hometown that stick with you and make you feel nostalgic.
This song has a melodic piano instrumental that sounds dream-like, which pairs well with the daydream-like feeling of nostalgia.
13. “Best for Last” by Adele
Song Year: 2008
If you like subtle, jazzy tunes with real bass instrumentals, listen to “Best for Last.” The instrumentals of this song have funk and spunk, especially during the chorus.
During the verses, Adele demonstrates her impressive vocal range while scaling up and down and singing about crushing on someone from afar. Her thoughts in the song go up and down, and so do her vocals.
14. “Take It All” by Adele
Song Year: 2011
Another passionate and vulnerable ballad from Adele is “Take It All.” In this song, Adele pours her heart out about lost love. Her lover walked away from her, and she is having a hard to getting over it.
However, the song illustrates trying to accept the fact that the relationship is over, even though it’s so painful to admit it.
15. “Crazy for You” by Adele
Song Year: 2008
Adele’s vocals in “Crazy for You” are seemingly all over the place but in a very strategic and beautiful way.
She’s singing about being all over the place mentally because she’s falling in love, so the runs and scales she artfully sings in the song match the mental state she’s trying to portray. The soft instrumentals are the perfect background, so you can hear every striking note.
16. “Make You Feel My Love” by Adele
Song Year: 2008
“Make You Feel My Love” is one of those songs that makes you tear up almost immediately, not because it’s sad, but because it’s so heartwarming!
Given the romantic lyrics that discuss holding someone for more than a lifetime and sharing your love and affection, this song would be a beautiful choice for the first dance at a wedding or even the aisle walk.
17. “I Found a Boy” by Adele
Song Year: 2011
“I found a Boy” is one of Adele’s most soulful songs in both vocals and instrumentals.
The song is about becoming the heartbreaker after her heart has been broken. The tables have turned, and the love interest wants her back, but Adele doesn’t want him anymore because she has found someone she truly loves.
It was a bonus track on her album 21 and highly appreciated by her fans.
18. “Tired” by Adele
Song Year: 2008
Have you ever been in a half-in/half-out relationship where the person is not giving as much effort and attention as you are? You grow tired of putting in unreciprocated care, and that’s what this song is about.
Without listening to the lyrics, you might mistake it for a joyful tune due to the upbeat instrumentals, but it describes the frustration of unrequited love so well.
19. “Oh My God” by Adele
Song Year: 2021
“Oh My God” is a catchy, pop-soul hit about wanting to have fun, open up, and revel in a new sense of self but feeling conflicted and confused because that might entail leaving someone (presumably her husband) behind.
This song illustrates how complicated it can feel when you start seeing yourself going in a separate direction from someone you love and care about.
20. “Cold Shoulder” by Adele
Song Year: 2008
Like “Tired,” “Cold Shoulder” has a joyful-sounding upbeat tempo that artfully contrasts with the song’s lyrics.
“Cold Shoulder” is also similar to “Tired” because it’s about unrequited love and someone playing games. She sings about feeling like a fool because she keeps falling for the person, just for him to repeatedly give her the cold shoulder.
21. “Don’t You Remember” by Adele
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RDRwqTNLGDs
Song Year: 2011
Another heartbreaking hit by Adele is “Don’t You Remember,” in which Adele sings in a passionate, begging tone, calling for her love interest to remember the good time and the reason they were together in the first place.
Presumably, the person she is referring to is trying to end the relationship, and this song is her last effort to keep them together or try again.
22. “Can I Get It” by Adele
Song Year: 2021
“Can I Get It” is a groovy pop- song on her album 30, in which she sings about hoping to “get it” from a love interest.
Her sultry tone is sexually suggestive, but the song actually speaks to hoping for a romance that’s deeper and more meaningful than a relationship based on sex alone.
23. “Woman Like Me” by Adele
Song Year: 2021
Adele is revealing and raw in her song “Woman Like Me,” depicting a relationship on a downhill slope.
She sings about her partner being complacent, lazy, and inconsistent. From her perspective, he doesn’t understand how good he has it with her, and he’s always feeling too insecure about being with a woman like her. It’s a slow yet highly impactful song.
24. “Melt My Heart to Stone” by Adele
Song Year: 2008
“Melt My Heart to Stone” is about a complicated relationship in which the narrator depicts unrequited love, stating that she now realizes she’s the only one who feels love, even though the person of interest keeps leading her on.
Her heart is metaphorically melting because she’s falling into deeper and deeper love, but it’s melting to stone because since it’s not reciprocated, it’s going nowhere in the long run.
25. “To Be Loved” by Adele
Song Year: 2021
Adele’s “To Be Loved” is arguably the most heart-wrenching song of her entire career. It starts slow and somber, with just a few piano chords to support her soft-spoken vocals.
The song’s premise is that love is challenging, regardless of how promising it starts or how many sacrifices you make. Even more, when you make those sacrifices, you can still feel like you’re living a lie.
Knowing that Adele went through a divorce at this time makes it all the more heartbreaking.
26. “Turning Tables” by Adele
Song Year: 2011
“Turning Tables” is about an emotionally-turbulent relationship and how it feels to fight with someone you care about constantly.
She wants to end the cycle of fighting and feeling hurt, which might mean leaving the relationship. It’s another highly relatable song that depicts how challenging a relationship can be.
27. “Water Under the Bridge” by Adele
Song Year: 2015
Adele is no stranger to songs about breaking up, and even more so someone breaking up with her, and “Water Under the Bridge” touches upon this dynamic well, including all the feelings of sorrow that come with it.
She feels a breakup coming but wants to be let down gently because she still has feelings for this person.
28. “Strangers By Nature” by Adele
Song Year: 2021
“Strangers By Nature” opens up Adele’s album 30 and sets the tone for a revealing, contemplative album. She sings about the fact that no one will truly understand what it’s like to be in the relationship she was in besides her and her ex-partner.
In the same way, it also makes the listener think about how we’re all strangers, and there’s a certain level of understanding that no one has with anyone else but themselves.
This idea is relevant, as it’s one of the many reasons people separate – because they no longer understand each other as they once did.
29. “Right as Rain” by Adele
Song Year: 2008
Adele incorporates many metaphors in her song “Right as Rain,” making it catchy and relevant to many listeners.
This song is a good one to listen to when nothing seems to be going your way, and you need a pick me up. You can find solidarity in the fact that things do perfectly for everyone all the time – you’re not alone!
30. “He Won’t Go” by Adele
Song Year: 2011
Adele’s song “He Won’t Go” was inspired by a couple she knew. The characters are struggling with a complication in the relationship, but they don’t want to end the relationship because the love is real.
In the real couple, the male was a heroin addict. As you might expect, this issue is a challenge to overcome in a relationship, but being able to love someone through their recovery is a difficult yet beautiful and powerful thing.
31. “My Little Love” by Adele
Song Year: 2021
Many of Adele’s songs read like love letters to her romantic partners, but “My Little Love” is a love letter to her child.
It’s a sad song, as she admits that she has caused her child to feel lost and confused, mostly because of her struggles in her marriage. She is being vulnerable to her child, thus being vulnerable to the general public.
Including voice clips of her conversations with her child makes the song even more impactful and raw.
32. “Rumour Has It” by Adele
Song Year: 2011
“Rumour Has It” wasn’t as popular as other songs from her album 21, such as
In the song, Adele sings with a fiery tone and with a bit of sass and annoyance in her voice. The song is directed toward a partner who left her for a younger woman and is now paying the price because this woman is no longer interested in him.
The storyline is intriguing, and there are several twists and turns in the song.
33. “I’ll Be Waiting” by Adele
Song Year: 2011
Have you ever been broken up with but thought that it was not the right decision on their part? If so, the song “I’ll Be Waiting” will resonate with you.
Adele sings about how she was with someone who was perfect for her, but time, distance, and other complications ruined the partnership.
Now that they’ve grown and learned from their mistakes, she feels like they have a promising future together, so she doesn’t mind waiting for him to fall in love with her again. Even though it might seem unrealistic, it’s a hopeful and cheerful song.
34. “Lovesong” by Adele
Song Year: 2011
“Lovesong” is a dreamy song with soft-spoken vocals and a seductive guitar instrumental. It has a Spanish-inspired sound and would be a lovely song to put on to start a romantic dance night.
The song’s title is true to the song, as it’s truly a love song. It’s like a love letter vocalized.
The song is actually Adele’s rendition of the English alternative rock band The Cure’s original version from 1989. Other artists covered this hit song as well, but Adele’s is arguably the best and most romantic.
35. “Love Is a Game” by Adele
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oPmMUZbnc3o
Song Year: 2021
Last but far from least is “Love Is a Game.” Throughout her career, Adele has referenced the idea of love being like a game.
This includes people playing games with her in her relationships or love being so complicated that it feels like you’re losing.
This song ties those ideas into one highly relatable song, speaking to the fact that love is a tricky, complicated problem. It sometimes feels like love is something you have to try to win, and you often end up losing.
Thus, when you consistently try to make love work, it almost feels like you are self-inflicting pain. And not only is love a game, but it often feels like an unfair one. It’s sad, of course, but it’s a realistic song to include in an album about divorce.
Top Adele Songs, Final Thoughts
Adele writes and sings about love, heartbreak, divorce, passion, home, hope, and the messiness of it all. She has songs that make you dance, cry, laugh, and relax.
But the commonality between almost all of her music is that it’ll make you want to sing (or scream) along! What are your favorites out of our top Adele songs?