Weaving classic soul, confessional songwriting, and pop polish, English singer Adele became a global phenomenon starting in the 2010s, breaking records and collecting accolades along the way with her powerhouse vocals and all-too-relatable songs. Beginning with her 2011 sophomore set 21, no singer could compare in terms of sheer sales or stardom and Adele existed in a different stratosphere than her British or American peers, selling tens of millions of albums at a time when many musicians struggled just to get to a million.