Lady Gaga – WelcheMusic.com

What Was Your Favorite Adele Moment of 2011?

Almost a year ago, I blogged about the anticipated release of Adele’s set 21. It sold more than 16 million copies worldwide which is remarkable. In the US, 21 had the biggest annual sales figure since Usher’s 2004 set Confessions. Three official singles have been lifted off Adele’s sophomore set, what was your favorite?

Adele – Rolling in the Deep

‘Rolling in the Deep’ was initially released at the end of November 2010, preceding the album. The song topped no less than four Billboard charts, including the Hot 100. It was also nominated for three Grammy awards. Despite spending almost a year on the Swedish singles tally (48 wks), it never reached the top ten peaking at No.11.

Adele – Someone Like You

The second single off 21 actually charted last January as many bought it as an à la carte download. Adele’s performance at the 2011 BRIT Awards sent the track from No.46 to No.1 in the UK, beating Lady Gaga’s ‘Born This Way.’ The single was the UK’s biggest seller of 2011. It initially bowed at No.57 in Sweden last June, not reaching its No.3 peak until September.

Read – BRIT Awards Performance Gives Adele Her First UK No.1

Adele – Set Fire to the Rain (Live at The Royal Albert Hall)

The power ballad ‘Set Fire to the Rain’ was released last July, missing out the top ten in the UK. It fared better in the US, peaking at No.7 on the Hot 100. It earned its biggest success in Belgium, where it became the No.5 best seller of 2011. It peaked at No.13 in Sweden.

Read – Adele Sets Fire to the Rain with Spiking Sales

I’m still waiting for 21 to appear on Spotify, to date only a selection of tracks has been made available.

Chris Medina Honored Utøya Victim at Funeral

CHART REFLECTION. Pop singer Chris Medina sang “What Are Words” at the funeral of Utøya victim Monica Iselin Didriksen earlier this week. The appearance was broadcasted by NRK and attended by Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg.

Monica Iselin Didriksen’s parents asked Chris Medina to perform at the funeral as it was one of her favorite songs. “What Are Words” was originally issued at the end of February this year a day after the singer was eliminated from American Idol. The song was written for Chris Medina’s fiancée who was seriously injured in a car accident. Haven reached the Billboard Hot 100, the hit single struck a chord with Scandinavian audiences. It topped the Norwegian singles chart for twelve weeks, haven notched up six weeks atop the Swedish singles tally. “What Are Words” is co-written/produced by Rodney Jerkins, who co-wrote Brandy & Monica’s “The Boy Is Mine” and Lady Gaga’s “Telephone.”

Countdown to Alexandra Stan’s Saxobeat

CHART SPOTLIGHT. Mark the calendar for the September release of Saxobeats, the debut album from Romanian disco queen Alexandra Stan. Currently charting with “1 Million,” the album will of course include the two hits “Mr. Saxobeat” and “Get Back (ASAP).”

“1 Million” features the guest rapper Calprit who reigns from Zimbabwe. He has also collaborated with the electro house producer Laurent Wolf and German singer Cascada. Following the same routine as Inna, Alexandra Stan is one of many Romanian dance acts who experience great success at the moment.

The Return of the Sax

In a recent article in the leading Swedish news daily Svenska Dagbladet, the reporter Jenny Damberg highlights that saxophones are suddenly everywhere. In addition to Alexandra Stan’s “Mr. Saxobeat,” Kenny G gatecrashes Katy Perry’s “Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.),” while Clarence Clemons is featured on Lady Gaga’s “Edge of Glory.” Alternative acts such as Deerhunter, Destroyer and Patrick Wolf also pay tribute to the sax.

Listen to Alexandra Stan’s “One Million”

Alexandra Stan feat Carlprit – One Million by AlexandraStanItalia

Adele Sets Fire to the Rain with Spiking Sales

CHART SPOTLIGHT. Following years of decline, sales are finally spiking in the US. It’s headline news that the music industry’s sales are up according to USA Today. In total, sales were up 8.5% year-on-year according to a recent Nielsen SoundScan/Billboard report. Adele’s 21 sold 2.5m copies. Lady Gaga’s Born This Way is the runner-up with 1.5m copies.

“Set Fire to the Rain” to Bow This Sunday

Adele is set to return to the UK singles chart this Sunday with “Set Fire to the Rain,” the third single off the 21 album. WelcheMusic has tracked a lot of buzz surrounding “Turning Tables,” a track co-written and by Ryan Tedder, which was performed on Glee by Gwyneth Paltrow.

“Set Fire to the Rain” follows “Someone Like You” which topped the singles tally in the UK earlier this year becoming Adele’s first No.1 in that country ever. While “Rolling in the Deep” peaked at No.2, the track topped the Hot 100 and is currently topping Billboard Songs of Summer Chart. “Set Fire to the Rain” was co-written by Fraser T. Smith who previously penned James Morrison’s “Broken Strings” and Tinchy Stryder’s “Number 1.” “Rain” has already been released as a second single in different parts of Europe. It was released as the third single this Monday in the UK and is expected to bow on Sunday’s singles tally. It has topped the singles tallies in Holland and Belgium. So far it has peaked at No.88 on the Billboard Hot 100 and No.21 on the UK singles tally. Adele performed the track live for the first time on April 29 on The Graham Norton Show.

Adele to Join the The Voice UK

Adele is also reported to one of the judges on the UK version of The Voice according to The List. The other two judges are Cee Lo Green and Cheryl Cole. Not confirmed yet. Digital Spy also reports that the singer won’t release another album if she’s happy. The source also says that Adele is the first British artist to sell more than one million copies of a single album with 21, her second record. The set is the biggest selling album of 2011 in the US.

Etikett: Lady Gaga