Released on 28 January 2008 through XL Recordings, 19 is the remarkable debut album from Adele Laurie Blue Adkins, named for the age at which she wrote it. Graduating from the BRIT School in 2006, Adele had already attracted attention with a three-song demo posted on MySpace before being signed to XL Recordings at just 17 years old. What followed was an album that confounded expectations and launched one of the most successful careers in contemporary music.
Produced by Jim Abbiss, Mark Ronson, and Eg White among others, 19 draws on blue-eyed soul, folk rock, and jazz influences to explore themes of heartbreak, nostalgia, and early-adult relationships with a maturity that belied her years. Adele's extraordinary voice, rich, warm, and capable of breathtaking dynamic range, is the album's constant anchor, whether wrapping itself around the melancholic "Chasing Pavements", the tender "Melt My Heart to Stone", or a definitive reading of Bob Dylan's "Make You Feel My Love".
The album debuted at number one in the UK and reached the top ten in fifteen countries, selling over 8.5 million copies worldwide. It was shortlisted for the Mercury Prize and received widespread critical acclaim, with reviewers noting Adele's "soulful phrasing" and rare ability to convey emotional authenticity. "Hometown Glory", written by Adele at just 16, remains one of the most beloved British soul recordings of the 21st century.
Pressed on vinyl, 19 rewards attentive listening, the analogue format adding warmth and intimacy to recordings that were already among the most personal and direct of their generation.
Track Listing
Side A
1. Daydreamer, 3:41
2. Best for Last, 4:19
3. Chasing Pavements, 3:31
4. Cold Shoulder, 3:12
5. Crazy for You, 3:28
6. Melt My Heart to Stone, 3:24
Side B
7. First Love, 3:10
8. Right as Rain, 3:17
9. Make You Feel My Love, 3:32
10. My Same, 3:16
11. Tired, 4:19
12. Hometown Glory, 4:31