Adele's '21' sets new record in music industry
Adele has made history as 21 tops all time album sales
January 21, 2026
Adele, known for her powerful, soulful voice, has achieved an incredible milestone by becoming the artist behind the best-selling album of all time with 21.
The achievement follows a bombshell announcement made on Monday revealing that the Hello singer's 2011 record has overtaken Whitney Houston's The Bodyguard in 1992.
Adele has sold a staggering 56.375 million copies worldwide, surpassing the record previously held by the late Whitney, whose album sold 56.372 million copies, according to The Sun.
Adele rose to world wide fame with21, with many of its tracks becoming household names.
Songs featured on the record include Turning Tables, Rumour Has It and Someone Like You.
Meanwhile, Whitney's album, the soundtrack to The Bodyguard had several of her most iconic hits including; I Will Always Love You, I Have Nothing, I'm Every Woman and Run To You.
One-Republic singer Ryan Tedder, who co-wrote and produced Rumour Has It and co-wrote Turning Tables for 21, took to Instagram to celebrate the milestone.
He wrote: 'I think it’s safe to say that NONE of us involved in this album, including Adele, truly realised what we were a part of during “21”.
'We were just having the best time and sprinting like mad to keep up with Adele’s pace and get the music finished.
The sound was so different from popular music at that time we didn’t even know if there were legit “hits” on the album to be honest, only that we loved these songs more than anything and were fully aware we were working with one of greatest singers to ever step behind a microphone.
'Breaking this record is madness, The Bodyguard is one of my all-time favorite albums and Whitney…no words. Records are meant to be broken but until the next one passes us - muchas gracias. Viva la musica'.
Alongside Adele and Whitney Houston, who hold the number one and number two positions respectively, the list of best-selling female albums of all time includes artists such as Sgania Twain, Celine Dion, Lady Gaga, Alanis Morissette, Taylor Swift, and Madonna.
