10. Make You Feel My Love
– Originally a cover of Bob Dylan’s song of the same name, Adele’s classic piano makes this an achingly beautiful piece, along with her gorgeous voice, of course.
9. Set Fire to the Rain
– Whenever I hear this song, I can’t help but belt it at the top of my lungs. Adele is at her best with her vocals, and is a constant reminder of how out of this world she is as a singer.
8. Skyfall
– A richly bold trumpet and piano combo, Adele soars with the James Bond original song “Skyfall”. Even if you don’t know who James Bond is, this song will make you feel like a character in a spy movie.
7. Chasing Pavements
– It’s even more incredible once you realize Adele was only 19 when she wrote and sang this. Then I think about how I’m 19…
6. All I Ask
– I’ve listened to this song probably hundreds of times and it still makes me cry. A simple piano over Adele’s gorgeous vocals, this song is about one last night with a lover with little to no hope for rekindling their relationship… ouch. A ballad for the shower, in my opinion!
5. Water Under the Bridge
– Though yet another Adele-esque heartbreaker, Water Under the Bridge has some of my favorite production and songwriting of all Adele’s songs. A bit more up tempo than, say, All I Ask, she plays with the famous “water under the bridge” saying and sings about figuring out where her and her partner are at in their relationship.
4. When We Were Young
– This is nostalgia filled track about reminiscing on times spent with a lover or a friend. This song as I get older hits a little more every time I listen to it! The production and songwriting on this makes me feel like I’m actually in a movie, staring out the window at an ex boyfriend, or showing up at my high school reunion and seeing my old best friends in my fifties. It’s kind of like looking at old photos.
3. Hello
– I remember listening to this on iTunes when I was 14 every single day, and I will never ever get sick of such an iconic song. One of her very best.
2. Someone Like you
– How could this be a list about Adele if Someone Like You isn’t on it? My favorite part of this song is the bridge. Adele’s transitions from her head to chest voice are unbelievably incredible. A classic break up ballad!
1. Rolling in the Deep
– Rolling in the Deep won international acclaim, including two Grammys for Song and Record of the Year. This song, though perhaps more upbeat than her typical piano track ballads, really gets the blood flowing when you eventually hit the chorus: “We could have had it all!”