‘Billboard’ Announces Adele As Top Artist Of 2011, Posts Year-End Charts
Turns out Idolator, Rolling Stone and iTunes aren’t the only ones bestowing end-of-the-year honors upon “Someone Like You” hit-maker Adele. The London singer, whose sophomore LP 21 is inching toward 5 million copies sold as 2011 draws to a close, has been unveiled as Billboard‘s Top Artist of the year. Perhaps unsurprisingly, Adele also has the top album and song on the publication’s year-end charts. Despite all the accolades, the 23-year-old songbird tells Billboard she’s maintained a pretty level head about the stellar year she’s had. “When it comes to staying myself — my career isn’t my life, it doesn’t come home with me. So it’s a piece of piss staying grounded and not being changed by it,” Adele says.
Nor does the singer ever find herself swinging from the rafters in clubs and at parties with her pop star peers. “The same things I’ve always liked still satisfy me,” she notes. “Of course I’m bowled over by people’s response to 21, and when I meet artists I love, it blows my mind. But it baffles me as well. I go home and my best friend laughs at me, rather than going to a celebrity-studded party to rub shoulders with people who know me but who I don’t know. I’m Z-list when it comes to that shit.”
In her interview, Adele gives props to late British pop-soul singer Amy Winehouse, who passed away in July and whose posthumous collection Lioness: Hidden Treasures was released this week.
“I certainly think Amy set the bar and a standard, but for singers and artists in general. Though of course there was a flurry of British women who came out with debut records after Back to Black, and I do think there was more interest because of her,” says Adele. “I loved her for the same reasons everyone else did — firstly, she was a remarkable singer but she was a believable and relatable artist, feisty but timid and fun but tragic — normal! She created herself. That’s what inspired me.”
Below are the singles and albums that soared throughout the year, thanks to sales and airplay. Check them out, and let us know below how many you have in your own collection! (View all of Billboard‘s year-end charts.)
THE TOP 10 OF BILLBOARD‘S 2011 YEAR-END HOT 100 CHART
1. Adele, “Rolling In The Deep” 2. LMFAO feat. Lauren Bennett & GoodRock, “Party Rock Anthem” 3. Katy Perry, “Firework” 4. Katy Perry feat. Kanye West, “E.T.” 5. Pitbull feat. Ne-Yo, Afrojack & Nayer, “Give Me Everything” 6. Bruno Mars, “Grenade” 7. Cee Lo Green, “F**k You” 8. Nicki Minaj, “Super Bass” 9. Maroon 5 feat. Christina Aguilera, “Moves Like Jagger” 10. The Black Eyed Peas, “Just Can’t Get Enough”
THE TOP 10 OF BILLBOARD‘S 2011 YEAR-END TOP 200 CHART
1. Adele, 21 2. Taylor Swift, Speak Now 3. Lady Gaga, Born This Way 4. Jason Aldean, My Kinda Party 5. Susan Boyle, The Gift 6. Lil Wayne, Tha Carter IV 7. Nicki Minaj, Pink Friday 8. Mumford & Sons, Sigh No More 9. Rihanna, Loud 10. Katy Perry, Teenage Dream
21 is out now on XL/Columbia. Purchase it at eMusic.
