"Rolling in the Deep" is a song by English singer-songwriterAdele from her second studio album,21 (2011). It is thelead single and opening track on the album. The song was written by Adele andPaul Epworth. The singer herself describes it as a "dark blues-y gospel disco tune".[1] In 2011, it was reportedly the biggestcrossover hit in the United States since 1985; "Rolling in the Deep" gained radio airplay from many different radio formats.[2] It was released on 29 November 2010 as the lead single from21 in digital download format. The lyrics describe the emotions of a scorned lover.
"Rolling in the Deep" received widespread critical acclaim with praise drawn towards the song's production, its lyrics, and Adele's vocal performance. It represented a commercial breakthrough for Adele, propelling her to global superstardom. The song topped the charts in twelve countries and reached the top 10 in over twenty territories. It was Adele's first number-one song in the United States, reaching the top spot on manyBillboard charts, including theBillboard Hot 100 where it was number one for seven weeks. By February 2012, "Rolling in the Deep" had sold over 8.7 million copies in the United States, making it the best-selling digital song by a female artist in the US,[3] the second-best-selling digital song in the US and Adele's best-selling single outside her native country, topping her previous best-selling "Chasing Pavements". Worldwide, it was the fifth-best-selling digital single of 2011 with sales of 8.2 million copies.[4] As of 2019[update], with sales of over 20.6 million copies worldwide, "Rolling in the Deep" is one of thebest-selling digital singles of all-time.[5][6][7] The song spent 65 weeks on the chart, making the song at that timethe fourth-most weeks spent on the chart, tying the place withJewel with her double single "Foolish Games"/"You Were Meant for Me".
In an interview,Adele expressed her initial reservations prior to meetingPaul Epworth due to their divergent musical styles; she characterised their collaboration as "a match made in heaven".[14] She also credited Epworth for her increased vocal confidence, stating, "He brought a lot out of me. He brought my voice out as well—there's notes that I hit in that song ("Rolling in the Deep") that I never even knew I could hit."[14] According to reviewer Bill Lamb, "Rolling in the Deep" features "martial beats, pounding piano keys and chantingbacking singers".[15] Adele's vocals have been described as having a "hint ofWanda Jackson's dirty-blues growl".[16] According to Nadine Cheung fromAOL Radio Blog the song is "sung from the perspective of a scorned lover, who is finally able to see the light, but despite regretful sentiments, reconciliation is not an option here."[17] "Rolling in the Deep" is written in thekey ofC minor (B minor for live performances), incommon time with atempo of 105 beats per minute. The accompaniment usesopen fifths, in a progression of C5(i5)–G5(v5)–B♭5(VII5)–G5(v5)–B♭5(VII5) and two Progressions of Progression #1: A♭(VI)-B♭(VII)-Gm(v)-A♭(VI)-B♭(VII)-A♭(VI)-B♭(VII)-Gm(v)-G(V), Progression #2: Cm(i)-B♭(VII)-A♭Maj7(VI M7)-B♭(VII). Adele's voice spans from B♭3 to D5.[18] Musically, Simon Reynolds ofThe New York Times described the song as "1960srhythm-and-blues tightened up with modern production" and vocals rooted insoul.[19]Rolling Stone also noted its "[buildup] to a gospel fever".[20]
The song was reportedly inspired by a Nashville-schooled US tour bus driver,[21] and composed by Epworth and Adele in a single afternoon following Adele's breakup with her boyfriend.[22] It was "her reaction to, 'being told that my life was going to be boring and lonely and rubbish, and that I was a weak person if I didn't stay in the relationship. I was very insulted, and wrote that as a sort of "fuck you".'"[23]
The song received universally rave reviews by critics. Lamb gave it a score of 5 out of 5, saying: "'Rolling in the Deep' [...] wastes no time in presenting the stunning bluesy authority of her voice....Here is a voice that can raise chills up the spine, and, when she is in a mood like this, the sense of foreboding will rivet your attention."[15] Jason Lipshutz ofBillboard magazine complimented the song's "sweeping chorus" and felt that the song "places a similar emphasis on its refrain but its multilayered instrumentation gives the English singer's wail a previously unheard depth".[24] Lipshutz said, "Adele's noticeable leap in vocal confidence highlights the track. She gracefully lingers on the last line of the verses and attacks the sorrowful chorus' first words, 'We could have had it all,' head on."[24]Rolling Stone magazine's Barry Walters stated, "'Rolling in the Deep' finds the 22-year-old in bluesy gospel mode, sounding powerful but not particularly pop. Starting with a stroked acoustic guitar, this breakup-mourning track builds to a stomping, hand-clapping climax that affirms the British knack for rejiggering the sound of American roots music."[25]
The writers ofRolling Stone placed "Rolling in the Deep" at number one on their list of "50 Best Singles of 2011".[26] Claire Suddath ofTime magazine named "Rolling in the Deep" one of the Top 10 Songs of 2011.[27] MTV chose the song as their "Song of the Year".[28]The Village Voice'sPazz & Jop annual critics' poll ranked "Rolling in the Deep" as the top single of 2011. In 2019,Rolling Stone,[29]Consequence of Sound,[30] andPitchfork[31] ranked the song as the 3rd, 8th, and 171st best song of the 2010s, respectively.Time named it as one of the 10 best songs of the 2010s,[32] andBillboard chose the song as one of the 100 "Songs That Defined the Decade".[33] In 2021,Parade ranked the song number one on their list of the 25 greatest Adele songs,[34] and in 2022,American Songwriter ranked the song number eight on their list of the 10 greatest Adele songs.[35]
In the UK, "Rolling in the Deep" debuted at number 2 (her second number 2 debut, after "Chasing Pavements"), behindBruno Mars's "Grenade". The song spent the first ten weeks of its chart run in the top ten.
Upon its American release, "Rolling in the Deep" became Adele's second single to chart in the country. The song debuted on theBillboard Hot 100 at number 68 on 25 December 2010. Later on, it became her first ever single to top aBillboard chart when it reached number one on theHot Adult Top 40 Tracks chart in May 2011,[36] and became her first number one hit in the country when it topped theBillboard Hot 100 in May 2011.[37] As a result, Adele became the first British singer to have topped both theBillboard Hot 100 andBillboard 200 charts in the same week sinceLeona Lewis did the same back in 2008.[38] In its 24th charting week, "Rolling in the Deep" stayed at number one, making it the latest single at the top sinceLady Gaga's "Just Dance" spent its third and final week at number one in its 24th charting week as well.[39] It stayed on top of the chart for seven straight weeks, the second longest run in 2011 behindRihanna's "We Found Love", which spent eight weeks on top in 2011, and two weeks in 2012.
It has been certified 8× platinum, and in September 2011 became the first song to sell 5 million in digital sales, achieving the feat in 35 weeks, faster than any other song in digital history.[40] As of October 2015[update], "Rolling in the Deep" sold 8.4 million digital copies in the United States, becoming the second-best-selling digital song overall and the best-selling digital song by a female artist.[41] It was the second song to have crossed 8 million digital copies sold in the country.[42] In France, despite not having been certified, the single has sold 348,900 copies and became one of the best-selling singles in France.[43]
As of 26 July 2011[update], "Rolling in the Deep" was the third-best-selling digital single across Europe with 1.26 million copies sold.[44] As of the 5 November 2011 issue ofBillboard, it had been number one on theAdult Contemporary chart for 19 consecutive weeks. "Rolling in the Deep" became Adele's labelXL Recordings' best-selling single, overtakingM.I.A.'s "Paper Planes" released in 2008 which until 2011 held the record.[45] The song became also the longest-charting release in Finland, peaking at number one and charting for 50 weeks.[46][47]
In 2013, as a celebration of the chart's 55th anniversary,Billboard counted down the 100 biggest Hot 100 hits ever, and the song was ranked at number 31.[48] In 2018, it was placed at number 35.[49]
In Australia, "Rolling in the Deep" entered the singles chart at number 40 in the week of 14 November 2010, and reached a peak position of number three where it remained for four weeks. In New Zealand, the song debuted at its peak position at number three, and was her highest-charting single in both countries until the release of her single "Someone Like You". The song achieved number one positions inBelgium (both Flanders & Wallonia),Finland,Germany,Portugal,Switzerland, and theNetherlands, remaining atop theDutch Top 40 singles chart for seven weeks. It reached the top ten inAustria,Bulgaria,Denmark,France,Ireland, andNorway. It reached the top 20 inSweden.
Themusic video for "Rolling in the Deep", directed bySam Brown, premiered onChannel 4 on 3 December 2010.[50][51]The video begins in an abandoned house, where Adele is sitting in a chair singing. During the video, the scenes show hundreds of glasses filled with water that vibrate to the beat of a drum. Jennifer White, who also choreographed the sequence, dances in a room kicking up white flour.[52] The drummer plays his drums under the stairs, and china is thrown breaking on a piece of suspended plywood at the bottom of a staircase. There is a white model of a city which is set onfire by five bursting light bulbs at the end of the song. The music video received critical acclaim, with critics praising its dark tone and simplicity.
Adele performed the song several times. On 25 November 2010, the singer appeared on Dutch presenterPaul de Leeuw'sMadiwodovrij Show to perform the song for the first time. She also performed it onThe Ellen DeGeneres Show in the United States on 3 December 2010.[73] The song was also performed in front of the Royal Family at theRoyal Variety Performance, on 9 December 2010; the performance was broadcast 16 December 2010. OnAlan Carr: Chatty Man in the United Kingdom on 17 January 2011. On 21 January 2011, Adele performed "Rolling in the Deep" in the finale ofThe Voice of Holland where she also performed "Make You Feel My Love" with finalist Kim de Boer. On 26 January 2011, she performed the song in the French television showLe Grand Journal. The song has also been featured in a television spot for the 2011 filmI Am Number Four, in which it is also featured.[74] As part of a promotional tour in North America for the album, Adele performed the song onLate Show with David Letterman on 21 February 2011, onJimmy Kimmel Live! on 24 February 2011, on 1 March 2011 onMTV Live, andDancing with the Stars on 10 May 2011. On 12 February 2012, she made another rendition of the song at the54th Grammy Awards.
In early 2016, US businessman and media personalityDonald Trump began using "Rolling in the Deep" as warm-up music at rallies during hiscampaign to become that year'sRepublican Party candidate forPresident of the United States, prompting Adele to issue a statement distancing herself from Trump. A spokesperson for the singer confirmed that "Adele has not given permission for her music to be used for any political campaigning".[87] The song is one of two by Adele that Trump used as part of his campaign, the other being "Skyfall".[88] Trump continued to use the songs despite Adele's objections.[89] Commentators, including David Lister ofThe Independent, have noted thatUnited States Copyright law does not prevent politicians from using pieces of music at their rallies, providing the venue has apublic performance licence.[90]
* Sales figures based on certification alone. ^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. ‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. † Streaming-only figures based on certification alone.
"Rolling in the Deep" was covered by Americanrock bandLinkin Park and was included on theirliveEP,iTunes Festival. The song was covered twice by the band, one was aLPU meeting and one was inThe Roundhouse during the 2011iTunes Festival. The song was well received by the UK. "Rolling in the Deep" was sent to alternative radio stations as a promotional single on 8 July 2011. Performed as an acoustic version of the song as part of their set, withChester Bennington as the lead vocalist andMike Shinoda on the piano. This recording was released to the iTunes Store as a single, reaching number 42 in the United Kingdom (particularly number 38 in the constituent country of Scotland) and topping the nation'sRock & Metal Singles chart.[277][278][279]
In 2014,Aretha Franklin covered the song on herAretha Franklin Sings the Great Diva Classics album.[280] The performance may be termed a mash-up or medley as it includes the chorus from "Ain't No Mountain High Enough" written by singer-songwritersAshford & Simpson. It was released 29 September 2014 as the collection's lead single. This version peaked at number one on theDance Club Songs chart, giving Aretha Franklin her sixth number one on the chart. It also debuted at number 47 on theBillboardHot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart. Franklin thus became the first female, and fourth artist overall (followingLil Wayne,Jay-Z andJames Brown), to place 100 songs on the charts (with her first entry on the chart being "Today I Sing the Blues" in 1960). This version of "Rolling in the Deep" entitled "Rolling in the Deep (The Aretha Version)" was Franklin's final single to be released before her retirement in 2017, and her death the following year.[281] The song also reached number 30 on theAdult R&B Songs, an urbanadult contemporary airplay chart.[282]
In January 2018, American rock bandGreta Van Fleet released a cover of "Rolling in the Deep" with a partnership withSpotify after being invited to record atSpotify Studios inNew York City.[283][284][285] The song was released along with an acoustic version of "Black Smoke Rising" on digital media on 24 January 2018.[284] The song did not chart but the band will play it at live performances occasionally.[286][287]
On 14 July 2011,Patti Smith covered "Rolling in the Deep" during a performance at theCastle Clinton.[290] In July 2011,PS22 Chorus sang the song at the Newport Folk Festival.[274] On October 2011,Misha B performed a "show-stopping"[291] cover of the track on theeighth season ofThe X Factor, regarded by theDaily Telegraph as one of the highlights of the series.[292]The Telegraph noted that Misha B delivered "impressive soulful vocals and a quirky rapping style" injecting it with a "fresh UK urban twist".[293] Mexican sibling trioVázquez Sounds released a cover version which quickly became popular on YouTube. It was later released as a single in Mexico and was certified platinum byAMPROFON.[294] On 12 June 2012,Celine Dion covered the song at her Vegas show atThe Colosseum at Caesars Palace, before she performed the song, she told the crowd, "I love Adele so much. She's amazing."[295] A cover bymetalcore band Amyst was played to Adele byJonathan Ross on his TV show in September 2011, to a poor reception from Adele, who along with Ross dismissed it as "screamo".[296]
^"Online download – 2012 Year End Chart".Gaon Chart (in Korean). Korea Music Content Industry Association. To view sales from 2011, select "2011 년" and then "101–200".Archived from the original on 10 June 2013. Retrieved21 January 2013.
^Dean, Will (20 January 2011)."Adele:21 – review".The Guardian. London: Guardian News and Media.Archived from the original on 10 February 2011. Retrieved31 January 2011.
^"International Work of the Year". Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA) | Australasian Mechanical Copyright Owners Society (AMCOS).Archived from the original on 30 October 2016. Retrieved30 October 2016.
^"BBC – 1Xtra Live 2012 – Acts – Misha B".bbc.co.uk. 2012.Archived from the original on 14 December 2012. Retrieved5 December 2012.A break from the traditional X Factor contestant, Misha made waves with show-stopping performances of Respect, Rolling in the Deep and Purple Rain on her way to the semi-final.
