Adele released the hit single “Rolling in the Deep” in 2010. The song was written by Adele and Paul Epworth and became the lead single from her second studio album, 21, released in 2011.
The track was recorded in London and released digitally on November 29, 2010. Its powerful blend of soul, blues, gospel, and pop helped establish Adele as a global star. The lyrics describe the anger and resolve of someone dealing with a painful breakup, while the production builds from a relatively restrained opening into a huge vocal climax.
“Rolling in the Deep” became Adele’s first number-one single in the United States, where it topped the Billboard Hot 100 for seven weeks. It also reached number one in several other countries and won three Grammy Awards in 2012, including Record of the Year and Song of the Year.
A common mix-up is confusing the song’s release year with the album’s release year: the single arrived in late 2010, while 21 followed in January 2011.