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Easy on Me

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For other uses, see Easy on Me (disambiguation).

"Easy on Me"
A black and white picture of Adele's eyes in a rearview mirror
CD single cover[a]
Single by Adele
from the album 30
Released15 October 2021 (2021-10-15)
Length3:44
LabelColumbia
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)Greg Kurstin
Adele singles chronology
"Water Under the Bridge"
(2016) 		"Easy on Me"
(2021)
Music video
"Easy on Me" on YouTube

"Easy on Me" is a song recorded by English singer-songwriter Adele for her upcoming fourth studio album, 30 (2021). The song was released on 15 October 2021 by Columbia Records as the lead single from the album, marking the first release from the singer in nearly five years. It was produced by American record producer Greg Kurstin, who also co-wrote the song with Adele. A minimally produced ballad, "Easy on Me" is set to a prominent, sombre piano, propelled by sparse bass beats. Expressing themes of nostalgia, regret, and forgiveness, the song's lyrics represent Adele's plea to her son, asking him to be undemanding by citing her troubles post-divorce.

"Easy on Me" received generally positive reviews from music critics, praising its poignant lyrics and emotional vocals, though some opined it did not match the heights of her previous singles. An accompanying music video, directed by Canadian filmmaker Xavier Dolan and shot in Sutton, Quebec, was released on 15 October 2021, continuing the setting established in the music video for Adele's 2015 song "Hello", where she is seen entering a furnished house. In the "Easy on Me" video, Adele vacates the house and drives off in a truck, while a pile of sheet music flies out of its windows, littering the road. Commercially, the song garnered the Spotify and Amazon Music records for the most streams for a song in a day, and has topped the charts in Australia, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Lithuania, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom.

Promotion and release

On 1 October 2021, multiple posters and projections stating "30" appeared on significant landmarks and buildings in different cities around the world.[2] Instalments of the logo were largely linked to the title of Adele's upcoming studio album.[3][4] On 4 October, the singer's social media accounts were updated for the first time in months.[5] The following day, Adele teased the song and its music video through an instrumental clip she posted on her social media.[6][7] The black-and-white teaser shows Adele putting a cassette tape into the tape deck of a truck and turning up the volume. She then drives off with the windows rolled down, while piles of sheet music fly out of the windows.[8][9] Billboard writer Gil Kaufman thought the visuals were "Adele to the core".[10] The teaser was widely compared to the music video of Adele's previous lead single, "Hello" (2015).[11] The instrumental music was described as a "piano ballad".[12] The teaser clip of the song garnered over 17 million views, becoming the most viewed clip by a female artist on Twitter.[citation needed]

During an interview with Vogue, it was revealed that long-time collaborator Greg Kurstin worked on the song.[13] The staff at Capital FM interpreted the song title as documenting the "start of a blossoming relationship".[11] On 9 October, the singer shared a 40-second preview of the song via Instagram Live.[14] "Easy on Me" was released on 15 October 2021, to all digital music platforms.[8] It marked the first single by Adele in nearly five years.[2]

Composition and lyrics

"Easy on Me" is a simplistic piano ballad[15] with bass drum beats joining halfway.[16] The song's chorus consists of its title sung in a prominently elongated melody.[17] The song is written in the key of F major with a slow tempo of 70 beats per minute.[18] Lyrically, Adele addresses her nine-year-old son in the song, explaining to him her divorce from his father and beseeching him to be "easy on [her]".[19]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
The Daily Telegraph[20]
Evening Standard[15]
The Guardian[21]
i[22]
The Independent[23]
NME[19]
The Times[24]

Upon release, "Easy on Me" received positive reviews from music critics.[25] Neil McCormick of The Daily Telegraph called the song a "bold comeback single", contrasting its simple piano arrangement with the sleek power ballad production of "Hello". He said Adele possesses a heartfelt voice, one "that digs deepest into the soul of the world."[20] Evening Standard writer Jochan Embley lauded "Easy on Me" for its plaintive piano, elegant vocals, and "lilting" melodies. He said the song is a testament to Adele's resistance to pop music trends, avoiding "bombastic hyperpop or anodyne reggaeton" and staying true to her style. Nevertheless, Embley felt the song "doesn't quite match the mascara-streaked sorrow of 'Someone like You' (2011), or the soaring emotional heights of 'Hello'. But it is just about as powerful."[15]

NME's Nick Levine proclaimed "Adele's has never sounded better" than on "Easy on Me", making a comeback with a "slice of classic Adele balladry."[19] Music critic Alexandra Pollard, writing for The Independent, opined that "Easy on Me" has Adele "addressing her nine-year-old son, attempting to explain to him why she chose to take apart the life he knew." Pollard admired the "raspy" vocals, sentimental lyrics, polished sound, and the piano composition evocative of "Exile" (2020) by Taylor Swift and Bon Iver. He nevertheless found the chorus of "Easy on Me" less catchy than that of "Hello".[23] In his The Guardian review, music journalist Alexis Petridis highlighted the typical "Adele-esque" sound of the song, consisting of soulful vocals and relatable lyrics, and added that, though "Easy on Me" is not as arresting as "Someone like You", it is still better than some forgettable tracks on 25 (2015).[21]

Fiona Sturges of i hailed it as a "heartfelt, anthemic" song that puts Adele's "remarkable instrument"—her voice—at the forefront; later in the review, Sturges expressed her concern over how the song's "slightly over-produced sheen" prevents it from being more heartaching.[22] Pitchfork critic Cat Zhang wrote "Easy on Me" sticks to a classic formula, "for better or worse". Zhang praised Adele's vocal delivery, and deemed the song a "stirring ballad" even though it "isn't really treading new ground within [Adele's] own discography".[17] Dubbing it a "great tune" that is not as impressive as Adele's previous lead singles, The Times' Will Hodgkinson said "Easy on Me" is "nice and accomplished" but felt "a sheen of thoroughly American professionalism that stops the emotions from really hitting home in the way they did on "Someone like You"."[24]

Music video

File:Adele – Easy on Me (music video screenshot).png
Adele performing "Easy on Me" in the music video.

The accompanying music video for "Easy on Me" was filmed on 15–16 September 2021 in Quebec, and directed by Canadian filmmaker Xavier Dolan who had previously worked with Adele on the music video for her 2015 single "Hello". Filming took place at the Chemin Jordan and the Domaine Dumont Chapelle Ste-Agnès in Sutton, a town in southwestern Quebec,[26][27] including the same house used for "Hello".[28] The music video opens in black and white and shifts to colour halfway through, as the track's beat becomes more prominent.[16] Adele vacates the house and drives off in a furniture-filled truck,[22] past a "Sold" sign board planted by the property.[29] Numerous pages of sheet music fly out the car's back windows and scatter all over a road as she drives away.[22]

Commercial performance

Upon release, "Easy on Me" broke the all-time record for the most streamed song in a single day on Spotify with 24 million global streams.[30] It additionally broke two Amazon Music records, the most first-day streams globally, and the most first-day Alexa requests for any song in the platform's history.[31] In the United Kingdom, it broke the record for the most streamed song in a day, with over 3.2 million streams earned.[32]

In the United States, "Easy on Me" broke the record for the most played song in the U.S. radio history and became the first song to be the most-added at five different formats (pop, adult contemporary, adult pop, adult album alternative and R&B) in a single week.[33] "Easy on Me" debuted on the Billboard Hot 100 (dated 23 October 2021) at number 68 with only five hours of availability in the country. In that timeframe, the song garnered 3.1 million streams, 3.1 million radio audience impressions, and 14,800 digital copies sold; it marked Adele's 14th career entry on the Hot 100.[34]

In the United Kingdom, "Easy on Me" debuted at number one on the Official Singles Chart on the week ending 28 October 2021, selling 217,300 units in its first week. It marked the highest first week sales week for a song since Ed Sheeran's "Shape of You" (2017). "Easy on Me" accumulated 24 million streams in the UK in its first week, breaking the record for the most streamed song in a single week previously held by Ariana Grande's "7 Rings" (2019).[35] Elsewhere, "Easy on Me" debuted atop Australia's ARIA Singles Chart, becoming her third song to reach the top after "Someone Like You" and "Hello".[36] In Germany, "Easy on Me" went straight to number one on Offizielle Deutschen Singles Charts, scoring her fourth chart-topper within Germany.[37] In Italy, "Easy On Me" debuted at number one on the FIMI Singles Chart, becoming her fifth chart-topper in the country.[38] It also debuted at number one in Ireland.[39]

Credits and personnel

Adapted from the CD single liner notes and YouTube.

Song

Video

Charts

Chart performance for "Easy on Me"
Chart (2021) Peak
position
Australia (ARIA)[40] 1
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[41] 1
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Wallonia)[42] 3
Canada (Canadian Hot 100)[43] 70
Canada AC (Billboard)[44] 14
Canada CHR/Top 40 (Billboard)[45] 28
Canada Hot AC (Billboard)[46] 19
Finland (Suomen virallinen lista)[47] 2
Germany (Official German Charts)[48] 1
Global 200 (Billboard)[49] 195
Ireland (IRMA)[50] 1
Israel (Media Forest)[51] 1
Italy (FIMI)[52] 1
Japan Hot Overseas (Billboard)[53] 18
Lithuania (AGATA)[54] 1
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[55] 1
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[56] 1
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[57] 1
Norway (VG-lista)[58] 1
Panama (PRODUCE)[59] 25
Poland (Polish Airplay Top 100)[60] 85
South Korea (Gaon)[61] 165
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[62] 1
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[63] 1
UK Singles (OCC)[64] 1
US Billboard Hot 100[65] 68
US Adult Alternative Songs (Billboard)[66] 33
US Adult Contemporary (Billboard)[67] 6
US Adult Top 40 (Billboard)[68] 14
US Mainstream Top 40 (Billboard)[69] 21

Certifications

Certifications for "Easy on Me"
Region Certification Certified units/sales
United Kingdom (BPI)[70] Silver 200,000‡

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Release history

Release dates and formats for "Easy on Me"
Region Date Format(s) Label Ref.
Various 15 October 2021
Columbia [6]
Italy Contemporary hit radio Sony [71]
United States 18 October 2021 Adult contemporary radio Columbia [72]
Triple A radio [73]
19 October 2021 Contemporary hit radio [74]
Germany 22 October 2021 CD single
  • Columbia
  • Sony
 [1]
Various November 2021 Cassette single Columbia [75]

References

Footnote

  1. ^ CD singles of "Easy on Me" were released on retail platforms in Germany only.[1]

Citations

  1. ^ a b "Easy On Me - Adele". Amazon (in German). Archived from the original on 15 October 2021. Retrieved 15 October 2021.
  2. ^ a b Mamo, Heran (1 October 2021). "Adele Fans Have at Least '30' Reasons to Think New Music Is Almost Here". Billboard. Archived from the original on 4 October 2021. Retrieved 5 October 2021.
  3. ^ "Progress Report: Adele". DIY. 5 October 2021. Archived from the original on 5 October 2021. Retrieved 5 October 2021.
  4. ^ Moreland, Quinn (5 October 2021). "Adele Teases New Song "Easy on Me": Watch". Pitchfork. Archived from the original on 5 October 2021. Retrieved 6 October 2021.
  5. ^ Savage, Marc (4 October 2021). "Adele: Anticipation builds for new music as singer updates social media". BBC News. Archived from the original on 4 October 2021. Retrieved 5 October 2021.
  6. ^ a b "Easy On Me - October 15". Retrieved 5 October 2021 – via Instagram.
  7. ^ "She's Back! Adele Announces New Single 'Easy On Me'". That Grape Juice. 5 October 2021. Archived from the original on 5 October 2021. Retrieved 5 October 2021.
  8. ^ a b Nardino, Meredith (5 October 2021). "Adele Announces New Song 'Easy On Me' After 5-Year Hiatus: Hear the First Preview". US Magazine. Archived from the original on 5 October 2021. Retrieved 5 October 2021.
  9. ^ Moreau, Jordan (5 October 2021). "Adele Returns: New Single 'Easy on Me' Is Coming Next Week". Variety. Archived from the original on 5 October 2021. Retrieved 5 October 2021.
  10. ^ Kaufman, Gil (5 October 2021). "Adele Is Back: Listen to 'Easy On Me' Teaser Now". Billboard. Archived from the original on 5 October 2021. Retrieved 5 October 2021.
  11. ^ a b "Adele's New 'Easy On Me' Music Video Has A Link To 'Hello'". Capital FM. 5 October 2021. Archived from the original on 6 October 2021. Retrieved 6 October 2021.
  12. ^ Rettig, James (5 October 2021). "Adele's New Song "Easy On Me" Out 10/15". Stereogum. Archived from the original on 5 October 2021. Retrieved 5 October 2021.
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  14. ^ Iasimone, Ashley (9 October 2021). "Adele Drops 'Easy On Me' Song Preview on Instagram Live: Listen". Billboard. Archived from the original on 10 October 2021. Retrieved 10 October 2021.
  15. ^ a b c Embley, Jochan (15 October 2021). "Adele - Easy On Me review: She's back, and she's still sublime". Evening Standard. Archived from the original on 16 October 2021. Retrieved 15 October 2021.
  16. ^ a b Camp, Alexa. "Adele's "Easy on Me" Is a Weepy but Understated Bid for Emotional Restoration". Slant Magazine. Archived from the original on 16 October 2021. Retrieved 15 October 2021.
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  18. ^ Adele, Adkins; Adele (5 October 2021). "Easy on Me". Musicnotes.com. Retrieved 15 October 2021.
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  20. ^ a b McCormick, Neil (15 October 2021). "Adele, Easy On Me, review: The voice that digs deepest into the soul of the world". The Daily Telegraph. Archived from the original on 16 October 2021. Retrieved 15 October 2021.
  21. ^ a b Petridis, Alexis (15 October 2021). "Adele: Easy on Me review – reliably, relatably Adele-esque". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 16 October 2021. Retrieved 15 October 2021.
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  23. ^ a b Pollard, Alexandra (15 October 2021). "With 'Easy on Me', Adele has returned with exposed wounds – review". The Independent. Archived from the original on 15 October 2021. Retrieved 15 October 2021.
  24. ^ a b Hodgkinson, Will. "Adele Easy On Me review: A great tune but it won't change the world". The Times. ISSN 0140-0460. Archived from the original on 16 October 2021. Retrieved 15 October 2021.
  25. ^ Woodyatt, Amy (15 October 2021). "Adele's new single, 'Easy On Me,' has finally dropped. So what's the verdict?". Herald & Review. Retrieved 15 October 2021.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
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  27. ^ "Adele a tourné son dernier clip au Québec... avec Xavier Dolan". 24 Heures (in French). 5 October 2021. Archived from the original on 6 October 2021. Retrieved 6 October 2021.
  28. ^ Spanos, Brittany; Legaspi, Althea (14 October 2021). "Adele Returns and Reduces the World to Tears With 'Easy on Me'". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on 16 October 2021. Retrieved 15 October 2021.
  29. ^ "Adele makes music comeback with new single Easy On Me, watch". The Indian Express. 16 October 2021. Retrieved 24 October 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  30. ^ Shafer, Ellise (15 October 2021). "Adele's 'Easy on Me' Breaks Spotify Record for Most Streams in a Single Day". Variety. Retrieved 17 October 2021.
  31. ^ Hassan, Jennifer (17 October 2021). "Adele's new single 'Easy On Me' shatters Spotify, Amazon Music records". Washington Post. Retrieved 17 October 2021.
  32. ^ Shafer, Ellise; Shafer, Ellise (15 October 2021). "Adele's 'Easy on Me' Breaks Spotify Record for Most Streams in a Single Day". Variety. Retrieved 17 October 2021.
  33. ^ Willman, Chris (22 October 2021). "Adele's 'Easy On Me' Is the Most-Added Song in Radio History, Plus More Record-Breaking Stats". Variety. Retrieved 22 October 2021.
  34. ^ Trust, Gary. "Adele's 'Easy on Me' Debuts on Billboard Hot 100 From Its First Five Hours of Release". Billboard. Retrieved 19 October 2021.
  35. ^ Ainsley, Helen (22 October 2021). "Adele makes record-breaking Number 1 debut with Easy On Me". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 22 October 2021.
  36. ^ "Adele claims third ARIA Chart #1 single with Easy On Me". Australian Recording Industry Association. 22 October 2021. Retrieved 22 October 2021.
  37. ^ "Helene Fischer mit bestem Start des Jahres und achtem Nummer-eins-Album - Offizielle Deutsche Charts" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved 22 October 2021.
  38. ^ "Salmo lascia spazio ad Adele in vetta" (in Italian). All Music Italia. Retrieved 22 October 2021.
  39. ^ Copsey, Rob (22 October 2021). "Adele's Easy On Me charges straight to Number 1 in Ireland". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 22 October 2021.
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  42. ^ "Adele – Easy on Me" (in French). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 24 October 2021.
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  54. ^ "2021 42-os savaitės klausomiausi (Top 100)" (in Lithuanian). AGATA. 22 October 2021. Retrieved 22 October 2021.
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