Summary

• Pop hit "Rumor Has It" from Adele's album "21" has 315,042,577 streams, as of January 2024.
• Adele's haunting James Bond theme song, "Skyfall," showed her magical ability to create music quickly.
• Adele's emotional ballad "Water Under the Bridge" peaked at number 26 on the Billboard Hot 100.

Adele Laurie Blue Adkins, better known simply by her first name, is a powerhouse in the music industry. After making her debut with her first studio album "19," fans flocked to her and never really left her side as she went on to produce more music that never failed to make the charts.

At this point, Adele has created quite a discography, and it's difficult to definitively say which Adele songs are the best (because they're all arguably unique in their own ways). However, Billboard has an indisputable record of Adele songs that have charted throughout her career alongside their duration. With this, we've gathered Adele's most popular songs and ranked them according to Spotify streams, and here are the results.

10 'Rumor Has It'

Spotify Streams As Of January 2024 - 315,042,577

Appearing on Adele's sophomore album "21," is the track "Rumor Has It." In this upbeat, pop record, Adele is heard calling out the song's muse and the other lover he's rumored to be with.

In an interview with "Rumor Has It" co-writer, Ryan Tedder, Tedder revealed that the hit song was birthed after Adele came into the studio visibly upset, saying, "She was in a bit of a mood the day we got together for 'Rumor Has It.' She was like, 'I want to write a song. I'm so pissed off right now.'" This mood was definitely translated and felt by listeners.

According to Billboard, "Rumor Has It" peaked at number 16 on the Billboard Hot 100.

9 'Skyfall'

Spotify Streams As Of January 2024 - 540,958,514

Adele's "Skyfall" was released in 2012 as part of the soundtrack for the James Bond franchise.

According to Vanity Fair, the suspenseful, vocally enriching song only took Adele 10 minutes to record. Her producer, Paul Epworth, who co-wrote the song, said that the British singer "had the lyrics ready in her head when she drove over" to record the song, and that "it was the most absurd thing" given the speed at which Adele was able to create magic.

This magic was acknowledged and awarded with numerous titles: Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song (2013), Academy Award for Best Music (Original Song) (2013), Critics' Choice Movie Award for Best Song (2013), Grammy Award for Best Song Written for Visual Media (2014), Brit Award for Song of the Year (2013).

8 'Water Under The Bridge'

Spotify Streams As Of January 2024 - 610,385,320

"If you're not the one for me / Then how come I can bring you to your knees? / If you're not the one for me / Why do I hate the idea of being free?" starts Adele's hit song "Water Under the Bridge," which appears on her third studio album "25."

According to Old Time Music, "Water Under the Bridge" originated from the moment Adele attempted to make sense of her relationship with her then husband, Simon Konecki.

Apparently, the scenario painted by Adele in "Water Under the Bridge" is a relatable situation for many, seeing the love it received from listeners. The song peaked at number 26 on the Billboard Hot 100 while remaining on the charts for 22 consecutive weeks.

7 'Send My Love (To Your New Lover)'

Spotify Streams As Of January 2024 - 1,013,899,475

Appearing as the second track on Adele's second studio album,"25," is her hit record "Send My Love (To Your New Lover)."

The song trails behind "Hello," another popular song attached to the singer's growing discography. "I'm giving you up / I've forgiven it all / You set me free" are lyrics that highlight the theme of Adele finally setting herself free, and when listening to the album in order, listeners will note the key role "Send My Love (to Your New Lover)" plays in portraying Adele's chaotic love life.

6 'When We Were Young'

Spotify Streams As Of January 2024 - 1,204,054,851

Also appearing on "25" is Adele's song "When We Were Young."

As told by the title, the song is about Adele's perspective on getting older: "It was based on us being older, and being at a party at this house, and seeing everyone that you've ever fallen out with, everyone that you've ever loved and stuff like that, where you can't find the time to be in each other lives," Adele told Rolling Stone. "And you're all thrown together at this party when you're like 50, and it doesn't matter, and you have so much fun, and you feel like you're 15 again. So that's the kind of vibe of it really."

Ah, the nostalgia of being young again. The love this track garnered pushed it to number 14 on the Billboard Hot 100, where it stayed for 20 weeks.

5 'Set Fire To The Rain'

Spotify Streams As Of January 2024 - 1,394,867,964

"Set Fire to The Rain" played non-stop on radio stations when it was first released in 2011. Peaking at number one on the Billboard Hot 100, "Set Fire to the Rain" continues to be a fan favorite among Spotify users.

"Set Fire To The Rain" appeared on "21," which Adele had a difficult time writing due to the nature of its content, according to MTV.

"It broke my heart when I wrote this record, so the fact that people are taking it to their hearts is like the best way to recover. 'Cause I'm still not fully recovered.... It was the biggest deal in my entire life to date."

The song was well received by listeners and peaked at number one for a total of two weeks.

4 'Hello'

Spotify Streams As Of January 2024 - 1,490,514,891

Appearing on "25" as the first track, "Hello," immediately drew listeners in. It peaked at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 for ten weeks.

The song itself held sentimental value for the "Hello" singer because the record detailed a time she was trying to find herself in the midst of a romantic relationship that was slowly falling apart at the seams. If you ever find yourself at an Adele concert, you'll likely hear her opening with "Hello" since it represents her ever-continuing evolution as a person.

3 'Easy On Me'

Spotify Streams As Of January 2024 - 1,577,880,647

The heart-wrenching "Easy On Me" appeared on Adele's recent studio album "30," which encapsulated her tumultuous journey of divorce.

The track was released as a single during the time some fans were seeking comfort from their seasonal depression. To say the least, the record delivered what fans were looking for: intricate lyricism, dynamic vocals, and a captivating story to relate to.

The song peaked at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 for ten weeks.

2 'Rolling In The Deep'

Spotify Streams As of January 2024 - 1,650,843,710

The critically acclaimed "Rolling In The Deep" was released in 2010 as the first track on Adele's sophomore album, "21."

According to The Independent, Adele wrote "21" while she was still in the depths of her "first real relationship" with an older man. The relationship wasn't all sunshine and rainbows and eventually ended, driving Adele to write "Rolling in the Deep."

The track peaked at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 for seven weeks.

1 'Someone Like You'

Spotify Streams As Of January 2024 - 1,778,484,762

Continuing "Rolling in the Deep" and its storyline was "Someone Like You."

"Someone Like You" peaked at number one for five weeks following its release in 2011. In an interview with ELLE, Adele shared how the lyrics for the hit record effortlessly flowed right out of her, and how she didn't expect the song to be a success in the way that it was, since it was a ballad.

"The first chorus, I got really, really emotional. I had to sit on the floor in the booth, and I actually wanted to redo that chorus the next day, but Dan loved it, and he said 'it's full of emotion,' so we kept it. But there's so much grace and forgiveness in these lyrics, which was very important for me in that relationship that '21' is about."

The song peaked at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 for five weeks.