Thursday 3 May 2012

Adele's "21" Overtakes Michael Jackson's "Thriller" on "Greatest Selling Albums ever" List



Adele keeps on selling! Have spent 65 weeks on the UK chart with her album 21, and amassing sales of 4,274,300 copies, the 23-year-old singer /songwriter manages the extraordinary feat of overtaking Michael Jackson's Thriller on the list of greatest selling albums in the United Kingdom.

Having been released in January of 2011, it's an amazing feat for it to have achieved those numbers in just a year and a half. But it's even more amazing that it has done so with minimal promotion, and no supporting tour. 

In fact, Adele has gone for prolonged periods, since the album's release, being totally out of the public eye, and yet the album continues to fly off of the shelf as if it contained the secret of life within it, both at home and abroad. A fact attested to by its 20 million worldwide sales to date!

Why is 21 so successful?
The success of the album has been attributed to many things by many people. Fans claim Adele and 21 showcase "real music" and "real talent", and that's why people have reacted so favourably to it. Others have said that her success has been part reactionary to the "gaudy" and "shallow" pop star that dominates popular music at the moment. While older souls, who have been around for many musical trends, say it's simply a case of the latest bandwagon rolling into town, and her success will fall and level off  from here on. I'm inclined to agree with all of the above to some degree, but it deserved success nonetheless.

But What do you think the reason for Adele's success is? Leave a comment below.

Whatever the case, 21 is indeed a rare beast in this digital age, and I'm toasting my morning coffee to you and your success, Adele. Keep on truckin'!



The top 10 biggest-selling albums in the UK:

1 - Greatest Hits - Queen
2 - Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band - The Beatles
3 - Gold: Greatest Hits - ABBA
4 - (What's The Story) Morning Glory? - Oasis
5 - 21 - Adele
6 - Thriller - Michael Jackson
7 - Brothers In Arms - Dire Straits
8 - The Dark Side Of The Moon - Pink Floyd
9 - Bad - Michael Jackson
10 - Greatest Hits II - Queen

Source:BBC




85 comments:

  1. Look at that list. She's up there with Queen, the Beatles, MJ, etc. That's fucking amazing

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  2. Lol DD these gifs are killing me haha!

    But its no surprise her climb up the charts, no doubt she might claw another couple of places yet...

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  3. I can't stand it anymore. When 21 was released and started to sell really well I was very happy that real music actually sells nowadays. But seriously NOW it's super overrated. It's a good album but not on the level of Michael Jackson, Pink Floyd, Queen or The Beatles!! 

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  4. It's nice to see actual music played with actually instruments sell nowadays, but I really don't get the hype. I mean, I think it was a solid album, not "album of the year." Maybe I would have liked it more if I related to it. And she says everyone relates to it, haha not true. I've never been in a relationship, so it's kinda hard to identify with the lyrics and feel the pain, but whatever. I guess that's why it's been so successful. Pretty much anyone can relate to it (expect me) and it's very genuine. But to be honest I do think this is more of a bandwagon thing. No matter what it is, it's nice to know that records can still sell. I think that's the main thing. 

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  5. I love even a whiff of a gif. And DD is the Gif King.

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  6. I know, and I am loving it. Infact I am gonna give it a go myself, DD this is the effect all those laughs are having on me....

    http://images5.fanpop.com/image/photos/24600000/Roger-The-Alien-roger-smith-24627234-500-316.gif

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  7. That didn't work how I intended it to so here goes again.

    http://27.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m3grpiK13u1qiwclbo1_250.gif 

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  8. lol that was me and it did ffs grrrr

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  9. I actually find Adele to be the perfect pop star. She is not the perfect model that everyone wants to be but maintains a beautiful demeanor nonetheless. Her talent is undeniable and her music definitely sparks flames of the idea of "real talent" in the hearts of many people. She stands out of everything at the moment and in doing so causes more attention to be brought to her. She also has a hilarious personality which just makes people smile and her music really speaks to her fanbase on a personal level. I think its just the fact that people want to support her as she doesn't appear to be a carbon copy clone.

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  10. Dude you are right, she is such an awesome personality and talent!

    She is a classic diva in her own right, no gimmicks, no studio trickery and no attention whoring....just her a mic and a band and bingo you have something extremely special. That only happens for the most special of people.

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  11. Was never the biggest Adele fan, but I feel proud nonetheless. Not only has it been a great couple years for the ladies but to have one overrtake the sales of such influential albums in the DIGITAL age is fucking fantastic. I only wonder where she'll go from here...

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  12. I'm going with the "real music" argument and the real person one as well.

     I also think she has managed to write songs that will be classics. The kind of songs "real" singers in future will cover.
     I'm sure there is some bandwagon effect. As there is with anything popular but I think the effect of that is negligible.

    Main reason...it's music that appeals to many different ages. And especially so to people in their twenties , thirties who , I think, were starving for something they could identify with and who by that age have heard enough to be able to distinguish quality, in a media which seems to now be completely geared towards teenagers.

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  13.  I tend to disagree with you in that being a main reason because I saw how people into "real" music responded to her first appearing on the scene. That Mercury nomination for instance and the way the people responded to her performance on the night, Not the kind of people who jump on any other bandwagon than the one of real talent I think.

    You must be way younger than I thought Hannah ;)

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  14. In my opinion is that her popularity stems from the same fact that like Fiona Apple, she kind of slowed things down in music ,being the complete antithesis of the mass produced generic music and overly sexed image in music currently (and back then) and brought back the appeal of understated simplicity. I don't think Adele's mainstream popularity will last, I think she'll fade out but she'll have a loyal almost cult like following similar to Fiona. 

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  15. I was saying that the most important thing to me about this news is that records are still selling. Whether it's a bandwagon or whatever, this bitch's records are selling. 

    And my reason for saying it's more like the Adele Bandwagon is because all of a sudden out of nowhere people are like "Oh Adele" "Rolling in the Deeeep" "Who's your favorite singer? Adele" "Who are you most looking forward to performing tonight? Adele." This is just a personal thing but I just think it's annoying, but people like who they like. I guess I call it a "bandwagon" because you know, it gets popular- like a reasonable amount of popular (like her first album- pretty popular, with her winning best new artist at the Grammys) and then out of nowhere everyone and their mother's favorite thing is Adele. I know this is probably a poor argument but in a way I'm not really trying to argue anything. Just telling my thoughts. 

    Also people act like she is the only singer who makes "real" (I define real music as music that uses actual instruments with minimally processed vocals) music. Or like she is the only person who can perform without gimmicks. 

    Don't get me wrong, I'm not hating on her. Rolling in the Deep is so overplayed but I do think it's a great song and deserving of the title Record of the Yea. Like the rest of her album; I do enjoy most of the songs on 21.It is a breathe of fresh air to see something that's genuine and deviates from the norm (dance music) get so much recognition. 

    I'm 18, by the way.   

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  16.  Oh I get the irritation with bandwagon business. There's many an artists I "hated" simply because everybody was doing just what you describe. :)
     ( to only after that all died down really listen and sometimes changing my mind drastically)
    And I agree there undoubtedly is a fair amount of that going on these days. But I  just disagree with it being the main reason for record sales like these. Because of what I mentioned and because I think people who talk like that don't necessarily spent money on actually buying the album.

    I understood your definition of real singer. It is the same one I use. And I agree, she is far from being unique. But most of the other ones around are unfortunately ignored by the media and therefor unknown to most and therefor not selling as many albums. Adele for some reason managed to avoid that general "ignore anything outside teenage interest" policy. But that is what I mean with it being a reason for her popularity. Her, the mass of people did get a chance to hear. Most of the others like her, one has to have a little luck and put some research into finding. ( Or go to my facebook likes or my youtube channel ;D )

    18? Well, in my opinion you have a way more mature than that age usually has, head on your shoulders Hannah.

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  17. oasis is an amazing band and theyre big in the UK 
    but congratz to adele shes a force of nature and shes a great singer/ songwriter 
    and i love her 

    but people need to stop saying that people who DONT just stand there and sing are not "real artists" 

    and the "real talent" or "real music" is totally subjective 
    i mean beyonce (IMO) is a far more talented vocalist than adele but the problem with beyonce is that she caters to R&B lovers more than anything else 
    and adele's lyrics, songs, and even her voice is easier to digest and is more relatable - which is why shes so successful 

    personally, i do think she is over hyped and it is the bandwagon effect but that in no way diminishes her talent - i mean i liked adele before she blew up when i first heard chasing pavements but when rolling in the deep came out everyone started listening to her and it spread like a virus 

    regardless of what i have to say - shes a winner and i love that there are people like adele who are not considered to be perfect in appearance - that serve as role models to their fans 

    i wonder if she will surpass shania twains - come on over which is the best-selling female album of all time (40 million copies sold) 

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  18. "real" talent? 
    what do you mean by that
    and "real" singers? 

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  19.  Hannah already explained the term very nicely  "real music as music that uses actual instruments with minimally processed vocals".
    I use it in much the same manner when I say "real" singer. I realize that is  very much a subjective definition in many ways and that is why I used the marks. It is also music which can be reproduced live exactly or very very close to how it sounded on the record/CD.

    The "real talent" was referring to people who can actually sing and or play instruments and have something unique going. It did in this case not refer to any specific style. I don't know if you know the mercury Prize but its nominees can come from any genre. And Jools Holland for instance is very much involved. He is one of the people I meant with "people who are into real talent". As it evident from the fact that he is responsible for just about the best music program on either side of the ocean. :)

    ps are you Lisa or Juiseppe or both?

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  20.  No doubt Beyonce is the more talented vocalist but it takes more than the just vocal skills/ability to be a great singer. ( not that Beyonce isn't). IMO  It takes more singing talent to win an audience over with just your voice and song than a with a big show containing so many elements, if the audience isn't crazy about the song, maybe they enjoy the singers technique and if not that maybe the light show and if not that maybe the costumes and if not that than maybe the dancers and if not that maybe the whole combined. It maybe be "more" entertaining but it doesn't make one a great singer. And therefor, by my definition, not a real singer. More like a real entertainer.

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  21. OH MY GOD IM SO DAMN HAPPY FOR ADELE!!! I think shes up there cuz her live shows sound just like her album....also she really connects with the audience . Also another reason : she a freaking amazing artist

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  22. Do i get  a crown of some sorts?

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  23. I totally agree. Beyonce is my favorite singer but there is something about Adele's songs/lyrics/music that has registered in the hearts and souls of people. 

    When it comes to sells like these I think someone technically being a better singer is irrelevant. It's more about the content. Adele could have her same voice and different songs but whose to say people would register with them and flock to the record stores/itunes to buy them?

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  24. I totally agree with what you said about people saying that people who don't just stand there and sing are not "real artists" and "real singers" who don't have "real talent." Someone can put on a great show by dancing and singing and still have real talent. But then people are like "All Adele needs is her voice" and "she doesn't need gimmicks" I think that's a bullshit argument. I mean, Adele can't dance, maybe that's why she doesn't, so all she can rely on is her voice. I'd think someone who can dance and sing is more talented.

    And I see where you're going with the Beyonce reference. Beyonce is known for her dancing just as much as her singing and she can get on stage doing both (at the same time) and kill it, so does that mean she's not a real artist? By the bullshit Adele argument it does. But obviously that's not true. Beyonce has gotten on stage and sung her heart out with no dancing and put on a great show. And even though I hate to admit it, Lady Gaga can do that as well. Having lights and choreography doesn't mean anyone's less than an artist than anyone else. So again, I agree with you. I think it's actually really pretentious to use that "she doesn't need gimmicks" argument. 

    And I'd rather see Beyonce cater to the R&B audience than sell out and cater to the pop/dance/electronic one that everyone else is.  

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  25. Adele and her album are EPICALLY OVERRATED. This is just crazy, I can't even begin to understand why is she so damn overrated, why? WHY? She's not better singer than, well, any other amazing singer from Kelly C to Leona Lewis, from Amber Riley to BeyoncĂ©. Live she's so damn boring, so static. I'm not hater, I'm just sick of this endless hype, people who gives adoration to Adele like if she were the best artist that has ever put a foot on Earth. This is insane! She didn't desere all those Grammies, specially the album of the year, and she doesn't deserve to sell so much because her album, and her music in general, is not THAT great. Everything is just my opinion, so nobody has to agree with it but I know what I'm talking about.

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  26.  I think that argument of "all she needs is her voice" is usually used as opposed to those who are weak vocally and therefor have a lot of gimmicks around. and it is used by people who just care a lot about vocals and go to see a singer to hear that voice live.

    I get your argumentation but I feel there is a difference between being a great entertainer and being a great singer and judge whether I consider someone a great singer solely by the quality of their vocals and the ability to entertain without gimmicks

    I'd say for instance Michael Jackson was a excellent singer AND an excellent dancer and an excellent entertainer. Gaga is an excellent entertainer, an average singer and an average dancer

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  27.  I do not agree with her music in general not being that great or her singing being over rated and certainly not about her live show being boring and I also know what I am talking about. ;)

    But I do agree Album of the year was not really deserved. (In general!
    It was however compared to the other nominees.) and there are a lot of people around being excessive about Adele. Much like there were around any extremely popular person.

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  28. yes michael is the king - and gaga is good i mean i admire her ambition 
    but like hannah said adele cant dance because her body type doesnt really allow for that 
    AND THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NOTHING WRONG WITH HER - its just irritating to see adele stans pick on entertainers who sing/dance at the same time and claim they need that "gimmick" to stay relevant - well this world would be a boring world if every artist stood and sang straight into a mic like adele - everyone is different 

    personally i like adele and i think shes great but i also like gaga, beyonce, MJ, madonna, and all those entertainers who incorporate production value and vocals simultaneously 

    that said adele is great its just people need to stop claiming that adele is the only "real" artist because her music has "real" instruments 
    well guess what instruments have evolved significantly over time and whos to say whether synthesizers and electronic soundboards are fake or not as good 
    i mean im all for guitars, bass drums, pianos, and saxophones ... but i am also open-minded towards new sonic interpretations and new approaches to music - becuase music is every growing and just because something is new and hasnt been around doesnt mean its not "real" music 

    but this is my opinion and i respect your stance and the opinions of others

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  29. same here i agree one hundred percent
    oh by the way hannah im 18 too!

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  30. I also feel like there's a difference between being a great entertainer and a great singer. To me, Adele is a great singer, that is all. But I don't feel like it's fair to call someone "talentless" if they are a great entertainer who doesn't just get up there and sing.

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  31. my mom and i share this computer shes lisa and im juiseppe

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  32. i also think there was not "hating" or negative vibe in your comment and i actually agree with you 

    and although i love adele and i have her album 21, i really dont find her original at all 

    nevertheless - congratz to this woman its impossible to hate her because shes so sweet and i love her accent =D

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  33. Whether you like or dislike Adele's singing and live shows and material, with sales numbers like these and packed concert halls, stating Adele only needs her voice and no gimmicks is not so much an argument as it is a statement of fact.

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  34.  Agreed, the reasoning doesn't work both ways automatically. Just because some are weak vocally and then use "show" to cover that, does NOT mean that all who put on a big "show" are vocally weak.

    Can't agree with being a great singer somehow being less than also being a great entertainer but that is because I personally don't care for "show" nearly a tenth as much as I care about singing. I think a great vocal performance IS the greatest show I can see.

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  35.  In my opinion electronics can be another instrument, if it is used like that. Using it to imitate another instrument where you'd otherwise would have used the actual instrument is faking it. And it is not real music because where for instance an electronic device will produce the same sound originally programmed every time, a human being playing an instrument will sound different every time. Where a drum machine can produce the exact same rhythm endlessly, a human cannot and it depends on skill level how long he can. That is what I call "real" therefor
    .
    Instruments themselves btw have not evolved significantly over time. A sax is still pretty much what it was when invented and most acoustic instruments are still pretty much the same they have been for quite a while. The only thing new is the invention of electronics.And electronics HAVE drastically evolved in the last 3 or so decades.

    And I am open minded as well, I listen to it all...once. More though if it feels real to me. the "feel" is a very personal judgment of course. :)

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  36.  Thanks J. I like to know who I am talking to. Helps in not repeating oneself to the same person....hopefully. ;)

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  37. Once again, I totally agree with your statement on the whole "real music" thing. Earlier in the comments I defined what I think "real music" is and now I think I should clarify that I don't think "real music" is synonymous with good music. I personally don't think music made by synthesizers and stuff is any less music than music made by pianos, guitars, etc. I just appreciate real instruments at this particular time in popular music because synthesizers are so popular now. I hope that made sense! It's kinda hard to explain over the internet. 

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  38. You mom is Lisa?? HAHA, she was stanning for Lady Gaga harder than you! (Just a lighthearted joke, by the way! You can never be to sure about how people perceive things over the internet.) 

    Opie, how'd you know that? That's insane. 

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  39. Oh, I was just doing stan damage control! Just in case!

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  40. Okay, I understand what you're saying now and I agree to a certain extent. It's rare for people to actually put their money where their mouth is when it comes to some fads/bandwagon situations. 

    Thanks for the complement!

    I'm glad it didn't seem like I was hating on her! I was just doing some stan damage control just in case (you never know how people will perceive things)! 

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  41. If you really know what you are talking about, then you have to agree with her singing being just average. I've heard lots of songs from her two albums and can't find anything that special, besides a very soulful and with lots of emotions; but when it comes to singing perse, is not big deal. I enjoy listening her, though. But I can't believe that just with her average vocals she has reached such a big sucess.

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  42.  Sure I will agree her singing is average. Of course by that standard I will have to call the people you mentioned average as well seeing as I have heard plenty singers who sound much like them. ;D

    Great singing is a combination of tone of the voice, skill and interpretive ability. What you  described as very soulful and with lots of emotion, that is actually a very important part of singing. THAT is what speaks to other human beings and that is what makes a singer a singer instead of just any Tom , Dick or Harry opening his mouth. I don't think dismissing those attributes as no reason to call someone a great singer sounds like somebody talking with much knowledge.

    You confuse your opinion with fact and you did so deliberately by adding that "it's just my opinion, you can disagree but I know what I am talking about". My use of the phrase was actually intended to ridicule both the practice of confusing the two, the conviction you do speak fact rather than opinion and the silliness of stating such a thing as an anonymous poster on the internet.

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  43.  Hannah, I clicked on Lisa's profile and say comments that were posted under the name Juiseppe and vice versa and so I wondered whether it was one person posting under different names or two posting under the same account.

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  44.  I am new to this expression "stan" So far I get the impression it refers to the kind of fan who will defend their favorite beyond the rational and/or realistic? Is that correct and do you maybe know why "stan"?

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  45. Yeah, you pretty much got it. They attack anyone who doesn't like their favorite musician. A stan is like a crazy, super obsessed fan. It's a combination of the word stalker and fan and originated in Eminem's song titled Stan, about a crazy obsessed fan.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hiqERjtAkwE 

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  46. I have to agree with you. I'm not into elaborate stage productions but I sure as hell wouldn't pay to see someone sitting in a rocking chair. I guess it depends on who's performing. I mean, I wouldn't want to see Adele dance but I also don't want to see her in a fucking rocking chair. If it's someone like Lady Gaga, I'd rather see her sing her heart out and play the piano, I could live without the dancing. But I'd want someone like Beyonce dancing for sure. Yeah, it just depends on the performer. But I do hate elaborate stage productions though, most of the time it takes away from the performer. Which is where that argument I was completely ranting against comes from! 

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  47.  LOL I don't know any artist performing in a rocking chair but I know several I would pay good money to hear sing live and if they did so sitting in a rocking chair..that would be just fine with me.;)
    Here's one sitting on a stool. I guess that's close enough to a rocking chair to compare. ( the original to one of the bonus track covers on 21)

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BP7hv3SDpyY

    I think other than that we are saying much the same thing? There is nothing inherently wrong with an elaborate stage production except when it's  taking away from the vocals of the singer.be that deliberate or as an unfortunate side effect. And I use the term "wrong" only in the sense of it is not what I care about when I want to hear singing.

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  48.  Thanks for the explanation. And the vid. Powerful song about obsessive fans and I like how he put that up against Dido.

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  49. most mainstream singers are of average skill 
    the most talented vocalists are either underground, on broadway, or just undiscovered 

    and adele is far from being the best singer but shes defo not the worst 

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  50. beyonce, like gaga, is also better without choreo 
    i mean bey is great at dancing and singing simultaneously 
    but i saw her live singing halo and she wasnt doing any choreo and it was just flawless 

    but with that said gaga and bey like to dance and sing at the same time and theres nothing wrong with that 
    and adele usually just stands and sing and theres nothing wrong with that either 

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  51. yeah i agree with that but i meant in ancient civilizations people didnt use guitars or pianos - and i was trying to say that instruments grow and change and new instruments are created over time so its not fair to say that music made with electronic synthesizers or electronic devices aren't real 

    idk its hard to explain like hannah said 
    but i agree music is subjective and i guess its up to listener to label something as "real" or "artifice" but it just gets annoying when someone's fans feel the need to put other artists down just because they are different 

    *im not directing this to you though i am just saying this about singers/artists fans in general

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  52. i agree the heartbroken all around the world have related to her songs and its a cultural phenomenon 

    and idk well just have to wait and see if she will surpass shania 
    i mean shes still steadily selling

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  53. hahaha yeah my mom learned about lady gaga this year and shes obsessed 
    i would say my moms a bigger fan than me though ive known about gaga for three years now but i wouldnt say im a stan - i just admire that shes brought back the element of performance in the pop landscape 
    and her videos have urged people to up their game (except queen bey she was already up there) -
    but i have a really eclectic taste in music 
    i like gaga, beyonce, adele, amy winehouse, nine inch nails, 30 seconds to mars, frank sinatra, edith piaf, tony bennett and alot of artists 

    i guess my mom just got bored and wanted to defend lady gaga haha - dont take it too seriously though - she doesnt mean to insult anyone 

    but this blog is for people to have an open discussion about DIVAS so theres bound to be disagreements 

    but its great to have someone to talk to here lol! 

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  54. yeah! dont worry ill always post as juiseppe and ill try to get on another computer - i should be getting my laptop soon

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  55. yeah i dont think it should surpass MJ hes KING 
    and it better not surpass queen OMG

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  56. Yeah, I mean 20 million in little over a year!!! And she's not slowing down either...I like how she just sits back and watches the sales rack up. No controversy is so nice. She doesn't have to constantly make herself relevant, which I really admire. 

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  57. Hahaha, me and your mom's discussion got pretty heated, but I don't want to seem disrespectful or upset anyone either! 

    By the way, I LOVE Amy Winehouse too. And of course, I love Beyonce, but I already mentioned that. I like a bunch of different artists too, not just divas. This site has really helped me appreciate divas a lot more! I mean, this blog introduced me to Florence + the Machine, for which I am eternally grateful. 

    I wouldn't consider you a stan either, by the way. 

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  58.  Well yeah, that is my contention as well. :)

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  59.  I saw your point and agreed with what I thought you meant but not your phrasing of it.Since that implied other points as well to which I cannot agree. :)
     Kate Bush is an excellent example of someone using electronics really as an instrument rather than replacement of it. So are Faithless and Massive Attack and I am sure other bands I don't know. Mainly because I don't listen to a lot of that kind of thing since all in all I just prefer vocals above all else.With the possible exception of the fiddle.

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  60.  Don't forget, Shania is probably still selling as well. But if you check out the list of 71 best selling albums...almost all are from pre the time most people have internet. Many people are convinced the music business as it is is pretty much running on it's last legs because people don't buy albums much anymore and are accessing music in different ways. It's really just a few flukes who have managed to get in amongst a list of albums almost all prior to 1998/1999 but even then, not nearly the numbers as those top albums.

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  61.  I'm a fan of Amy Winehouse as well and Edith Piaff. :)

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  62.  Not worried, your name is above the comments. Just got confused because I clicked on the profile. :)

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  63. i love massive attack 

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  64. im sorry i keep changing my name - my mom keeps forgetting to sign in as lisa 

    so if i comment back it will probably be under a name starting with "J" 
    but my real name is juiseppe

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  65. yes so true 
    that is why i admire people who manage to even shift atleast 5 million copies in todays music landscape because no one wants to admit it but why pay for music when you can get it free even if its illegal - most of the people i know use limewire or frostwire and other F2P sites that allow u to get music for free 

    and yeah i agree the internet has massively affected album sales 

    i think adele will continue to sell but idk if its just me i think its weird she surpassed MJ in the UK because for me thriller is one of the most, if not the most, iconic albums of all time and IMO thriller is a better album than 21 

    *oh and another thing people itunes, naptser, and all these download sites where you DO buy music - but its more convenient and you can just buy the songs you like- have also drastically impacted album sales 

    but right not i see adele selling atleast 30 million - i dont know if she has enough steam to sell 40

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  66. wait i had to change names again cuz my mom is posting under juiseppe !!!
    omg um maybe i should just post from another computer and ill post under "J" 
    sorry for the comfusion =(

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  67.  British are a very different people than Americans and they live in a different society and have a very very different cultural history. I am not all that surprised MJ doesn't do as well as in the States. I haven't checked but I dare say Oasis is doing a lot better in Britain than in the States. They are a very typically English band ( complete with the whiny male lead ;D )

    and yes, I agree on the illegal downloading and people downloading single songs rather than albums.
    I am not going to dare guess the total all time 21 might eventually sell. ;)

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  68. I just gave my opinion, never said that they were facts. What I tried to say is that I have some degree of knowledge about music, singing and dramatic arts; so my opinion has some sustance behind. Yeah, the emotions and soul in somebody's voice is a really important thing, but so is to me the body language, the passion on stage, and the theatrical skills. BeyoncĂ© is a great example of that. She may be singing a nice ballad like Scared of Lonely (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0SzGKnRg4fs), but she never stays stand and you can see how she's feeling the song. Adele is so static, lacks so much of body language and live acting, that is just plain boring by my standards. She should really improve that, because for now she's just a singer, and an average one. Being an artist and part of the entertainment industry takes more than just an average voice and good emotions in your singing. I don't belive any of the artist I named are average, their voices are outstanding in their own different way and when you see them live you can relate and connect not only with the voice but with their movements, facial expresions and they just own the stage. Adele can't do that to me, I'm sorry if you love her with all your heart but that's just how I feel, I can't change it. 

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  69. Give a microphone to any of the current chart topping acts and how many can actually sing?  1 in 5? 1 in 10?...  And from that number, how many write their own music?  That's the reason why people have gravitated to Adele.  We're tried of computer enhanced voices and singing stars who are really dancers or models.

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  70. I've always found Beyonce to be a mediocre singer at best - way to screechy for my taste.  But she is beautiful, can dance and has a huge corporate machine behind her.

    There are much better singers around who don't have this things going for them.

    The one thing I hope is that the success of someone like Adele gives some of these others a chance.

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  71. yes bey grunts a lot but still the control she has over her voice is superior to adele's 
    and just overall beyonce is just the whole package and IMO even though shes not the absolute best singer in the world-shes a better vocalist than adele

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  72. OPIE but u dont think 21 will suprass shanias come on over?

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  73. I've seen them both live and sorry to disagree, but Adele is worlds beyond Beyonce in vocal ability.

    If Beyonce looked like Adele, she would never have made it.

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  74.  Well, there ya go again. I am afraid I am not going to accept your claim your opinion has more substance behind it than mine but I am sure you understand that. ;D

    You stating "just a singer" bores you, well, people differ and consequently find different things boring. Personally I see plenty of emotion in Adele's ( and other singers like her) voice, body language, music and lyrics to keep me from getting bored. Beyonce and singers in that style...they for instance bore me very quickly because I feel no emotional connection to what they do. And I do think her voice and the voices of the others all sound pretty similar to me which makes them  to me average R&B singers.

    Not sure where you get that "love with all your heart". I must have given the wrong impression because in truth, I like her and admire her but that's about it. I wouldn't even put her in my personal list of greatest singers.

    I think how you define "artist" is how I define "entertainer" and in that sense I totally agree that to be called an entertainer you need to do more than just sing on stage.But like I said, I do not rank one above the other but I do lack interest in the one in favor of the other. You it seems are of the opposite view. Let's agree to disagree?

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  75.  Shoot! I keep clicking the wrong button.
     Anyway, no I do not think she will surpass Shania. I think both albums will continue to sell though for many years to come.

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  76. I agree and to be fair you don't have to be the most technical singer in the world or the most unique to deliver something truly spectacular. I love both ladies equally but when I first bought 4 and heard this it was one of the very few songs that touched my heart (yes people I am a big softie - I know)

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KaasJ44O5lI

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  77. Lol you really like Shania? I loved 'Come on Over' one of my fav all time albums!

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  78.  Uhm No I don't like Shania. Poor singer and way too nasal and her songs are too poppy for my taste. I was just being rational about sales numbers.

    I do have her DVD but that's only because of Alison Krauss & Union Station being the band. Now THERE's a singer and a band.

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  79. this is tooooooooooo much! yeah Adele is great ! 21 was classic ! she probably is the best thing that could happen to music right now with all this katy perry and rihanna's soulless and meaningless musics! but this is tooooooooooooooooooooo much! i mean 20 million worldwide?? are u kidiing me its like we are living in early 2000's or 90's! and for the love of god why is she keep selling? its like for 12 or something months she is in top 5 album chart!

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  80. i agree to some degree because i own a copy of 21 - i bought it way before it skyrocketed around late january or early february and i enjoyed listening to it 
    but it does not deserve all of this praise - everyone saying shes the best artist to have ever existed 
    if you listen to the whole album a majority of it is about heartbreak and love - this kind of album has been done so many times before and i still dont understand why people call her original and unique 

    i mean when i lived in the UK with my parents i went to bars and pubs and sometimes singers would perform there and ive heard many "soulful" artists like adele with much more creative material 

    with this said - i adore adele and its nice she has gotten so big but i too do not understand the hype 

    i do understand though that her album 21 came at the perfect time and all the stars aligned 

    but i do still think beyonce is a much better singer than adele and i think i would inch kelly clarkson ahead of adele just because her voice is insanely versatile 

    but in no way am i hating on adele - i just think this album is overrated and so is her voice 
    not because of its quality (because god knows her stuff is better than some artists out right now) but because everyone - and i mean everyone praises her like she is the best vocalist/songwriter/artist to have ever been on planet earth

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  81. *oh and just wanted to clarify that was january of 2011 - so dont attack me 

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  82. Oh my gosh! I'm crying :(
    Adele is OK, but the only real reason why she's more successful than Michael Jackson in the UK is because she's british, and Michael Jackson was a black American, which was a challenge he had to rival against in the 80's. Michael has more talent then 10 of the worlds ''best pop stars'' combined. Forget about ''pop'', Michael Jackson is a form of art now.

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  83. That's ridiculous. I don't believe for a second, any album in the UK sold less because of the artists being black.
    If you look at the albums which were already outselling Jackson's and compare that UK list to the US list ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_best-selling_albums_in_the_United_States)
    You can see the UK simply is a different culture as as a nation has different tastes than the US.
    And not for nothing but the whole US top 30 only has two black performers on it. Jackson and Whitney ( movie soundtrack) .

    And what do you mean by "which was a challenge he had to rival against in the 80's "?
    And who are those "10 of the worlds best pop stars" you mentioned exactly?
    Having said that, to be clear,I am not arguing Michael wasn't an awesome pop artist.

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  84. Uhm...guess when you said "and i mean everyone" that was before reading the rest of this thread? I know I for one very clearly stated she doesn't even make my list of 15 greatest singers even though I like her a lot.

    Seems to me as much as some over rate Adele, a lot of people also over rate how many people over rate.

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