Recommendations of the Editorial team
With only four albums Adele created a canon so flawless that other artists only achieved it after decades. She began her career as a heartbroken teenager 19 and is now well into her thirties, grappling intensely with motherhood, love, regret, and of course, even more heartbreak. She has written more modern pop standards than anyone of her generation. And each of their singles became instant classics.
Choosing Adele’s best song is no easy task. There is not a single failure in their discography. This list includes all officially released songs she has released as a featured artist, from her four albums and some live recordings. We’ve included a number of officially released covers she recorded, as well as bonus tracks and rarities.
Call your therapist!
Although many of them aren’t streaming yet, dedicated fans have uploaded them to YouTube for all to enjoy. Only two songs are missing from the list (for now): 30 Bonus tracks that are still best (and exclusively) heard on the physical deluxe editions of the album.
For now, pour yourself a glass of wine. Get a pack of tissues. And call your therapist. Here’s our official ranking of Adele’s songs.
60. “Tired”
This cheerful little song is hidden in “19” and sounds like it comes from another corner of 2008. More Duffy than Amy Winehouse.
In this indie-pop-lite track, Adele is tired of approaching someone who doesn’t give her that energy back. It’s a catchy song, but lacks the charisma and vibrancy of their other songs. —B.S
59. “Remedy”
Ryan Tedder joined Adele at the start of the 25sessions again to write this piano-driven ode to her son Angelo. She promises to always be there for him. To protect and honor him throughout his life. At the time, this tearjerker was a rare glimpse into Adele’s life as a mother 30 would explore much deeper. —B.S
58. “Now and Then”
This guitar-accompanied track from the album “19” is a great precursor to the kind of heartbroken nostalgia she explores even more deeply later in her discography. Here, the youthful Adele proves to be extremely wise for her age as she tries to understand why it hurts so much to lose someone you love. Accompanied by a gently plucked guitar. —BS
57. “First Love”
With first love comes first heartbreak. And it’s exactly this all-too-familiar feeling that Adele conveys in this title 19. The track is characterized by a bell-like sound, which gives it a delicate lullaby feel throughout.
In the song, she realizes that she needs to move on and fall in love with someone else to get over her first love that broke her heart. She speaks directly to this person. And asks her to stop apologizing and let her move on in peace. —B.S
56. “Sweetest Devotion”
In theory, “Sweetest Devotion,” a lighthearted lullaby dedicated to Adele’s son, is more heartwarming. But ultimately the song, which sounds like the soundtrack to a Joshua Tree sound bath, comes across as a foreign body 25.
Adele’s son Angelo sings along in the album’s intro and outro. Which of course has sentimental value. But for those most drawn to Adele’s songs that deal with heartbreak and regret, this song misses the mark. —IK