Adele's album 21 has claimed number one in the end-of-year ARIA top 100 albums chart, after 23 weeks topping the roll-call of best sellers. LMFAO's infectious Party Rock Anthem is the top-ranking single of 2011. Gotye is the highest-ranking Aussie, with his single Somebody That I Used To Know, featuring Kimbra, at number two. Gotye's album Making Mirrors has also made the album top-five list, coming it at number four. Australian artists contributed a total of 22 albums to the top 100. Angus Julia Stone made the chart for the second year in a row, hitting 32 with Down The Way. Also among the top 20 is X-Factor winner Reece Mastin at 15 with his self-titled debut, and perennials Cold Chisel at 17 with The Best Of Cold Chisel All For You. Justin Bieber and Glee Cast have three titles in the ARIA Top 100 Album Chart. Coming in behind Adele in the top 100 albums is Michael Buble's Christmas at two and Bruno Mars with Doo-Wops Hooligans at three. Making Mirrors and LMFAO'...

The singer had throat surgery in the United States earlier this year Adele track Rolling In The Deep has beaten the likes of Grenade by Bruno Mars and S&M from Rihanna to become Spotify UK's most played single of 2011. The singer also had another song, Make You Feel My Love from debut album 19, in the top 10. Rihanna was the most successful artist with three tracks in the rundown including What's My Name? (eight) and Only Girl In The World (10). Katy Perry also made it onto the list. Her track Firework was at number 10 on the music streaming service rundown. Jessie J's Price Tag and Do It Like A Dude were at fourth and fifth place. LMFAO's Party Rock Anthem rounded out the top 10 in sixth position. Foster The People's Pumped Up Kicks was top in America while in Spain On The Floor from Jennifer Lopez was the most played single. Adele also topped the Spotify list in France and the Netherlands. The Spotify top 10 in the UK was as follows: 1. Adele - Rolling In Th...

Adele deservedly takes top billing on my list of best CDs released this year, but the other story line is 2011 was a very good year for rock. Five of my top 10 CDs rocked convincingly. And thats not counting Radiohead, the Tedeschi-Trucks Band or Wilco, which would also be considered rock bands, albeit with a slightly lighter touch. Here are the CDs that rocked me in 2011. 1. Adele: 21 (Columbia Records) The competition for album of the year ended in the spring this year when 21 arrived. Headlined by Rolling In The Deep, an emphatic soul-flavored thumper with a powerhouse vocal, 21 shows that Adele has only grown more dynamic as a songwriter and performer since her auspicious 2009 debut, 19. The remaining top 10 2. Wild Flag: Wild Flag (Merge) 3. Radiohead: The King of Limbs (self-released) 4. R.E.M.: Collapse Into Now (Warner Bros.) 5. The Roots: undun (Island/Def Jam) 6. The Black Keys: El Camino (Nonesuch) 7. The Strokes: Angles (RCA) 8. Tedeshi Trucks Band: Revelator (Sony Masterwo...

December 29, 2011, 2:00 PM EST Netflix U.K. Debut Without Downton Abbey Shows Local Grip Richter Tops Hot Artists as New Buyers Boost $1.7 Billion Sales Top 2011 Films Star Clooneys Baron, Goslings Getaway Driver Lady Gagas Dress, Chinese Penis Potion Mark Wine World in 2011 IPad Beat on Power, Speed by New Non-Clones: Rich Jaroslovsky By Mark Beech Dec. 29 (Bloomberg) -- The year started with Lady Gagas forecast that her new CD would be the centurys best. Now 2011 ends with Gagas little monster fans resorting to Twitter sniping at her British rival Adele, whose 21 is the best selling album in four years, shifting more than 13 million copies worldwide, according to her record label, XL. Adeles commercial success has alienated those critics who shy away from recommending anything too obvious. Still, 21 remains the finest of the 1,000 or so new CDs Ive heard in 2011, and a strong pick for Grammy and Brit award success in February. Its retro in an Amy Winehouse way, right from Rolling in ...

Grammy Award-winning singer Adele's album "21" sold more copies in one year than any other artist in seven years. Photos: Stories: Adele is 'doing really well' after vocal cord surgery Adele's spokesperson denies rumors of throat cancer Adele releases music video for 'Someone Like You' - What do you think? According to Reuters , "21" sold over 5.6 million albums stateside since its release in January, which is more than any other album released in the U.S. in 2011 and the first album to cross the 5 million mark since Usher's 2004 album "Confessions," which sold a whopping 7.9 million units. Adele released two singles from the album, "Rolling in the Deep" and "Someone Like You" and cancelled numerous shows due to vocal cord ailments. The British singer took home two American Music Awards on November 20, for Favorite Pop/Rock Female Artist and Favorite Album ( See a full list of winners ). Adele recently took t...

To say that Adele Rugg has a "colorful" personality would certainly be an understatement. As the reigning queen of the Red Hat Mama's of Maui (a chapter of the International Red Hat Society) and a "Pink Paddler" for the Reach for Recovery Program for Breast Cancer Survivors, Adele is as colorful as the clothes (and accessories) she wears. Her multihued character, combined with a generous and compassionate nature, is why the Maui Weekly has chosen Adele Rugg as its 2011 "Person of the Year." Adele is no stranger to (as she is well-deserving of) this type of accolade. In 2008, Adele received the Outstanding Volunteer Recognition Award for the County of Maui, as well as the Governor's Volunteer Recognition Award. Last year, the Maui County Committee on the Status of Women selected her as a woman who has made a difference for others in Maui County in the past 30 years. And in June, she was honored as one of two Outstanding Older Americans for Maui Coun...

If it seems like there is at least one Adele -themed story per day on Billboard's site -- you're right. It's hard to avoid writing about the diva, considering her "21" album is the top selling release of 2011 and is poised to return to No. 1 on the Billboard 200 next week. It's projected that "21" will skip 2-1 on the weekly Billboard 200, marking the album's 14th non-consecutive frame atop the list. The last album to spend more weeks at No. 1 was the "Titanic" soundtrack, which racked 16 weeks in the penthouse in 1998. The current No. 1, Michael Buble's "Christmas," will likely fall straight out of the top 10. That's not unusual, as holiday albums drop off dramatically in sales once Christmas has passed. It's too early to forecast exactly how many copies "21" will sell in the tracking week that ends on Sunday, Jan. 1, but it could likely move around 100,000. In other news, LMFAO could capture its first ...

Click for more photos The year in music Dave Grohl of the Foo Fighters performs in Sydney, 2011. The year began as it ended, with Adele selling. And selling. And then, just for some variety, selling some more. This year, PJ Harvey made the album of the year in Let England Shake , Eminem and Foo Fighters offered the ultimate stadium experiences, Laura Marling confirmed her status as the most likely to be a future great, Abbe May stunned smart people and Gotye made sure a mispronounced name wasn't going to stop the rise and rise of the song of the year, Somebody That I Used to Know . But even they were all but buried under a storm that turned into a landslide and finished as an all-encompassing avalanche caused by the second album from the surname-averse Londoner, Adele Adkins. Advertisement: Story continues below Impressive Adele. Photo: Getty Images Called 21 , as it was recorded in the year she turned 21, it was the biggest-selling album of the year on three continents and severa...

The music industry has been stuck in a rut for nearly a decade. But every once in a while, it still manages to produce one of those unstoppable hit albums that give everyone that good old feeling. This year's model is Adele 's 21 , which not only sold more copies than any other album in the U.S. in 2011 (more than 5.6 million to date), but which has also moved the most units of any artist since 2004. According to a Reuters report , those gaudy figures (which top 15 million worldwide) make the British songbird the first artist to cross the 5 million mark in one year since Usher did it with his fourth studio album, Confessions , which sold 7.9 million units more than seven years ago. And to think she did it by releasing just two mega singles, "Rolling in the Deep" and "Someone Like You," and barely touring North America due to recurring vocal issues. There have been other big hits along the way to Adele's mark, including Eminem selling more than 3.4 mill...

Adele MANILA, Philippines The years best pop song and album in the U.S. is by British soul singer Adele, who clinched both honors with her smash Rolling In The Deep from her five-million plus selling sophomore album 21. Rolling In The Deep, a soulful breakup song that highlights Adeles powerful, blues-steeped voice, spent a total of six weeks on top of the Hot 100 singles chart with 21 also tarrying at the number one spot of the Billboard 200 album charts for quite a while. The 23-year old singer, whose real name is Adele Laurie Blue Adkins, was crowned Billboards Top Artist for 2011 even as she also aced the year's top Digital Songs and Albums charts. More, Rolling In The Deep garnered the top honors on Rolling Stone magazines 50 Best Songs of 2011 list even as 21 fared well on its 50 Best Album of 2011. Right behind Adele is this years favorite party duo of DJs Redfoo and Sky Blu of LMFAO via their number one hit, Party Rock Anthem. This years parade of number one songs and arti...

She owned 2011. In an increasingly fragmented music world of subgenres and earbud isolation, Adele united teens and Boomers, grandmas and hipsters, headbangers and rap fiends. During a prolonged recession compounded by piracy, the 23-year-old British songbird managed to sell 13 million copies worldwide of sophomore album 21, a classic, Motown-kissed diary ruminating on the anguished split from her first true love. Adele puts it best in megahit Rolling in the Deep: Turn my sorrow into treasured gold. Pain, expressed in a powerhouse voice of mature emotional depth, never felt this good or proved this lucrative. A hum-along consensus also formed around Foster the Peoples ubiquitous Pumped Up Kicks, a quirky tune about a killing rampage that made it the years most unlikely crowd-pleaser. Equally unavoidable, though probably not as welcome in many quarters, was LMFAOs mindless Party Rock Anthem. Beyond those monster hits, the years volume of tuneage splintered across infinite playlists. Ade...

She owned 2011. In an increasingly fragmented music world of subgenres and earbud isolation, Adele united teens and boomers, grandmas and hipsters, headbangers and rap fiends. During a prolonged recession compounded by piracy, the 23-year-old British songbird managed to sell 13 million copies worldwide of sophomore album 21, a classic, Motown-kissed diary ruminating on the anguished split from her first true love. Adele puts it best in megahit Rolling in the Deep: Turn my sorrow into treasured gold. Pain, expressed in a powerhouse voice of mature emotional depth, never felt this good or proved this lucrative. A hum-along consensus also formed around Foster the Peoples ubiquitous Pumped Up Kicks, a quirky tune about a killing rampage that made it the years most unlikely crowd-pleaser. Equally unavoidable, though probably not as welcome in many quarters, was LMFAOs mindless Party Rock Anthem. Beyond those monster hits, the years volume of tuneage splintered across infinite playlists. Ade...

Adele has reportedly started 'basic vocal training' in preparation for her comeback. The 'Someone Like You' singer underwent surgery on her vocal cords for a benign polyp earlier this year, forcing her to cancel a string of concerts in America and England, but she is now on the road to recovery and expected to start singing live again in 2012. A source told US magazine: 'She has time off in her schedule for much of the first quarter of 2012. 'Depending on how her voice builds back up, she might go to this medical vocal academy in Seoul. It sounds extreme, but she wouldn't be the first artist to go there after removing polyps.' As part of her continuing recovery, the singer will have a quiet Christmas at home with her mother, and is cutting back on alcohol and partying. The source added: 'She's not going out raving or drinking. It's going to be really quiet.' Yesterday (21.12.11) Adele sent a Christmas tweet to her fans, showing a picture ...

Date: Sunday Dec. 25, 2011 7:09 AM ET TORONTO It's no wonder that British neo-soul powerhouse Adele couldn't stop her voice from disintegrating over the past year -- after all, the 23-year-old's robust instrument probably strained through almost every iPod, coffee shop and car-radio speaker in North America at some point over the course of her mammoth 12 months. In an age where nothing sells like it used to, Adele's sophomore effort "21" was positively retro, a masterpiece of all-ages accessibility that managed to camp out on the charts with such persistent resolve that it seemed to constitute its very own Occupy Billboard movement. The record has been certified diamond in Canada, where it had sold more than 800,000 copies by November. It moved another 3.4 million copies in Adele's native U.K. -- making it the bestselling album of the young century there -- and reached quadruple platinum designation in the U.S. back in October. And when Adele strides int...

Interview by Greg Cochrane Newsbeat music reporter Adele started the year by performing in Radio 1's Live Lounge in January What a year it has been for 23-year-old Adele. Her album 21 is the biggest-selling album in the world in 2011. Her two albums combined have sold more than 20 million copies globally with 21 shifting 16 million copies in the last 11 months. She's smashed records. She's has the highest-selling album of the century and has become the first living artist in nearly 50 years to have two top five singles and albums in the charts at the same time. Ben Beardsworth, managing director at Adele's record label XL, guides us through the ups and ups of her year. Adele's second album 21 is released (January) "There was a lot of planning in 2010 and a lot of hard work from Adele. We had finished 21 in time for it to be released for Christmas, but it would have been a rush. "The feeling was that we'd be sacrificing being able to put together a w...

Adele has said that she is "back on the grind". She posted a message on Twitter that also included a recent photo of herself on @OfficialAdele Twitter and wrote. "Back on the grind. Hair and make-up did. Merry Christmas! Axx" 1 of 1 In November, she underwent throat surgery in a Boston hospital to stop the bleeding from a benign polyp. She is said to be recovering well from the surgery and plans to get her voice back in shape before she pursues new projects. A source said: "She has time off in her schedule for much of the first quarter of 2012. Depending on how her voice builds back up, she might go to this medical vocal academy in Seoul. It sounds extreme, but she wouldn't be the first artist to go there after removing polyps."

As reported earlier (Dec. 21), Michael Buble 's "Christmas" album should hold at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 albums chart for a fifth consecutive week -- the seven-day period that ends at the close of business on Christmas Day, Dec. 25. Industry sources project the album will sell around 400,000 to 450,000 copies by the end of the week, which should easily bump the title into second-place among 2011's best-sellers. As the present, it is the year's third-biggest album, with 1.96 million sold according to Nielsen SoundScan, behind Adele 's "21" (5.3 million) and Lady Gaga's "Born This Way" (2.03 million). On SoundScan's Building chart below -- a precursor to the final Billboard 200 ranking -- reflecting the first four days (Monday through Thursday) of SoundScan's tracking week (ending Sunday), as reported by six major merchants, Buble's "Christmas" is at No. 1. Right behind him is, unsurprisingly, Adele's "2...

Adele has reportedly started 'basic vocal training' in preparation for her comeback. The 'Someone Like You' singer underwent surgery on her vocal cords for a benign polyp earlier this year, forcing her to cancel a string of concerts in America and England, but she is now on the road to recovery and expected to start singing live again in 2012. A source told US magazine: 'She has time off in her schedule for much of the first quarter of 2012. 'Depending on how her voice builds back up, she might go to this medical vocal academy in Seoul. It sounds extreme, but she wouldn't be the first artist to go there after removing polyps.' As part of her continuing recovery, the singer will have a quiet Christmas at home with her mother, and is cutting back on alcohol and partying. The source added: 'She's not going out raving or drinking. It's going to be really quiet.' Yesterday (21.12.11) Adele sent a Christmas tweet to her fans, showing a picture ...

If Adele was radiating a certain cheer in a photo posted on the English singing sensation's Twitter account yesterday, her hair and makeup stylists might not be able to take all the credit. Adele's 21 , already the best-selling album of 2011, has reached U.S. sales of more than 5 million copies, surpassing every album since Usher's Confessions crossed the 8 million mark in 2004, according to Billboard . Sometimes it lasts in love, and sometimes it spawns the best-selling album in seven years instead. But Adele isn't resting on her many laurels. While "Rolling in the Deep" fans are rolling deep these days, the retro-soul songbird is out there grinding her word, pretty much. Adele tweeted an endearing snapshot of her freshly done-up self sitting in the back of a car yesterday, writing, "Back on the grind. Hair and make up did. Merry Christmas! Axx." It's the latest hopeful sign of a successful recovery from the "Someone Like You" hitm...

Ah, Adele. Has she been on your mind too? We've been wondering when she'll be back to belting out her brilliant ballads after suffering from a horrid throat infection. Every one of our fingers are crossed that she'll be better soon and news of a whooping six Grammy nominations must have perked her up no end. Adele Judging by her Twitter feed, it sure looks like the singer is on the mend. Yesterday, Adele tweeted this photo of herself looking slimmer post-surgery and sporting possibly the most wondrous beehive we have ever laid eyes on. Look at that volume and the sweepy side fringe! It really is magnificent. With the photo, she wrote: 'Back on the grind. Hair and make-up did. Merry Christmas! A xx'. Hmm, could Adele be the new Beehive Queen, we wonder? Lady Gaga One thing's for sure, there are a pack of starlets ready to give the Brit beauty a run for her beehive money. In October, we spotted Lady Gaga working a similarly chic 'do while out and about in Lond...

Twitter Adele doesn't have to sing to stun! The British songbird, who underwent throat surgery early last month, tweeted a photo today of herself all dolled up and sitting in the backseat of a car in Londonwhere she was apparently en route to a business-related appointment. MORE: We have to wait how long for the next Adele album? "Back on the grind. Hair and make up did. Merry Christmas! Axx," she wrote, decked out in a black dress and sporting her signature beehivewhich topped a face that isn't as full as it was pre-operation. The "Someone Like You" singer underwent a microsurgery procedure in November to put an end to recurring hemorrhages in her throat being caused by a benign polyp. Meanwhile, the grind presumably now includes preparing for an appearance at the Grammy Awards in February, whether the six-time nominee performs or not. "Just home from New York, that's my main excuse for not posting a message sooner, but I'm also completely...

London, Dec 21 (ANI): Adele is reportedly set to strike a pose on the cover of Vogue this spring. According to WWD report, one of biggest fashion magazines in the world is rumored to have recruited the soulful crooner for the cover of their March 2012 issue, the Telegraph reported. This will be the 23-year-old's second Vogue cover this year, following her sultry appearance on the UK edition's October issue. However, the American shoot promises to be extra-special, with designers apparently having been asked to make cover-worthy outfits especially for the full-figured singer who takes clothes in a UK 16, rather than the unforgiving sample size of a UK 8. (ANI)

Rumor has it that Billboard Artist of the Year Adele will be striking a pose on the cover of Vogue this spring. WWD is reporting that Vogue, the world's most influential fashion magazine, has recruited the "Someone Like You" singer for the March 2012 cover story. The magazine has reportedly already reached out to designers, asking them for "cover-worthy" fashions that are a bit larger than the tiny sample sizes that strut down the runway. "Designers have been asked by the title to make special cover outfits for the full-figured chart-topper for the all-important March issue," WWD Reports. Adele covering Vogue seems like a natural progression for the poised singer, after already having been profiled in Vogue back in April 2009, and going on to grace the covers of the October issue of British Vogue and the American edition of Cosmopolitan. Last year, Lady Gaga covered the March issue of the Holy Grail of fashion mags in a revealing and ethereal Haider ...

Here's the AP's list of the best albums of 2011: 1."21," Adele: A predictable choice, to be sure. But when an artist has delivered an album that is as close to perfection as "21," where else would it fall? Inspired by heartbreak, Adele's sophomore album stirs more than just melancholy: Songs such as "Someone Like You" and "Don't You Remember" will make you want to weep at their beauty. On "21," Adele comes of age as an artist, a songwriter and one of music's great voices. 2."Barton Hollow," The Civil Wars: Joy Williams and Paul John White aren't a couple, but they radiate passion and chemistry on their debut album all through a batch of understated, mellow tunes that blend country with folk, acoustic pop and whatever else that gives them their intangible appeal. Their songs about aching love and broken dreams catch your ear, but it's their irresistible harmonies that will make your heart leap. 3....

12/19/2011 . (popmusiclife) Adele is rumored to be moving out of London to protect her voice from the pollution in the city. Following her recent throat surgery, The Mirror reports Adele has been advised by her doctors to make the move after she was warned the city's air could hinder her recovery from a throat condition. A source tells the Mirror that "Adele is a London girl through and through, but she's never been particularly into the showbiz circuit, so when it was suggested she move out of the city, she agreed immediately. The idea is for her to live in the countryside, away from the capital's smog and pollution." more on this story popmusiclife is an official news provider for the antiMusic.com. Copyright popmusiclife - Excerpted here with permission. Adele Tour Dates/Tickets Adele CDs, DVDs and MP3s Adele T-shirts and Posters Adele CDs, vinyl and rarities antiMUSIC News featured on RockNews.info and Yahoo News . ...end

Adele is looking for houses in the countryside as London's smog may adversely affect her voice. The Set Fire to the Rain singer underwent surgery for a vocal cord haemorrhage in early November. Adele is currently recovering from the operation. The London native and current resident is interested in leaving the hustle and bustle of the city for a more peaceful setting. "Adele is a London girl through and through, but she's never been particularly into the showbiz circuit so when it was suggested she move out of the city, she agreed immediately," a source told British newspaper the Mirror. "The idea is for her to live in the countryside, away from the capital's smog and pollution." Adele is seeking rest and relaxation while she recuperates. "The operation went well but she still needs to take good care of herself," the source added. Adele is deeply invested in her health at the moment. She wants her voice to be fit for the stage again as soon as ...

. On Thursday Adele Scores MTV's Best Song of 2011 was a top story. Here is the recap: (popmusiclife) Adele has already topped best-of 2011 lists by Billboard, Rolling Stone, Time magazine and iTunes, and now she has another list to add to her list of lists. MTV has named "Rolling In The Deep" as the Best Song Of 2011, ahead of tracks by Nicki Minaj, Rihanna and LMFAO. "Was there any doubt?," writes MTV. "The megahit so dominated 2011 that calling it the Song of the Year is putting it mildly. And we're not just talking commercially though it was the year's best-selling track or critically, mostly because focusing on those details fails to tell the whole story. Consider it the anthem to end all anthems, the feel-bad song of our time, the antidote for the Auto-Tuned masses." - more on this story popmusiclife is an official news provider for the antiMusic.com. Copyright popmusiclife - Excerpted here with permission. Adele Tour Dates/Tickets A...

Home News RSS Feeds Photo Gallery Home > News > hollywood-news London, Dec 18 : Singer Adele, who recently underwent a vocal chords surgery, has plans to move out of London due to fears that pollution levels could damage her voice. The 23-year-old award-winning singer is looking for a new home in West Sussex, to aid her recovery from her throat surgery for a haemorrhaged vocal chord, last month, reports dailymail.co.uk. Ironic as it may seem, Adele's first hit in 2007, "Chasing pavements", included the lyrics: 'I like it in the city when the air is so thick and opaque." "The operation went well but she still needs to take good care of herself. Adele is a London girl through and through, but she's never been particularly into the showbiz circuit. So when it was suggested she move out of the city, she agreed immediately," said a source. Adele is said to be looking at properties priced between two million pounds to three million pounds. "T...

11:59, Saturday, 17 December 2011 It seems that Adele is making her voice her number one priority following the recent operation on her vocal chords, because she's now apparently planning to move out of her beloved London. The singer, 23, is a proud Londoner, but The Mirror reports that she is already househunting in the countryside in a bid to escape the city's air pollution. A source told the paper: "The operation went well but she still needs to take good care of herself. "Adele is a London girl through and through, but shes never been particularly into the showbiz circuit so when it was suggested she move out of the city, she agreed immediately. "The idea is for her to live in the countryside, away from the capital's smog and pollution." Boy George recently publicly declared that Adele should pack in the ciggies if she wants to look after her voice, following her surgery in the US on her haemorrhaged vocal chord - but there has been no word on whe...

Exclusive by Clemmie Moodie, Daily Mirror 17/12/2011 Adele looks set to leave London CHART-topper Adele is leaving her beloved London because the pollution could ruin her golden vocals. The Grammy award-winning star shot to fame proudly singing about her Hometown Glory but is set to quit the capital on doctors orders. She is now house-hunting in the countryside after she was warned the citys air could hinder her recovery from a throat condition. Advertisement >> Ironically, she sang of her love of London in her first hit in 2007, including the words: I like it in the city when the air is so thick and opaque. The singer/songwriter, 23, whose other chart successes include Chasing Pavements and Someone Like You, had throat surgery for a haemorrhaged vocal cord last month . The career-saving operation was performed in Massachusetts by the same US doctor who treated Aerosmith frontman Steven Tyler. A! source said: The operation went well but she still needs to take good care of her...

By Sterling Wong It wasnt supposed to be like this: 2011 was supposed to be the year of Lady Gaga . Coming off a mammoth first album and incredibly successful world tour, the 25 year-old was expected to rule the world with her massively hyped and eagerly anticipated sophomore album, Born This Way . Make no mistake, Gagas Born This Way was a success, debuting on the Billboard 200 with over 1 million copies sold and putting four singles in the top ten. But the real zeitgeist this year was unexpected: a humble, English, 23 year-old soul singer who we know simply as Adele . The songstress found success with her first album, 2008's 19 , but it was she, and not Gaga, who enjoyed sophomore success the likes of which have not been seen since well, ever! The key to Adeles success is simple: Her soaring, soulful vocals, coupled with heartfelt lyrics and elegiac production, stood out and struck a chord in the hearts of everyone from teenagers mourning the loss of love to grandmothers enjoyin...

The year's most recognizable pop divas remained the fan favorites in the Billboard.com 2011 Readers' Poll, with Adele, Britney Spears, Lady Gaga and Nicki Minaj scoring the most votes the poll's major categories. Once Billboard.com readers weighed in on their favorite songs, albums and artists over the past 12 months and the hundreds of thousands of votes were tallied, Spears emerged as our 2011 MVP, and her "Til The World Ends" remix partner, Nicki Minaj, was voted Newcomer of the Year. Meanwhile Adele snagged the most votes for Favorite Hot 100 No. 1 ("Rolling in the Deep") and Favorite Billboard 200 No. 1 for sophomore album "21." Best Of 2011: Year In Music Main | Mid-Year Readers' Poll Awards 2011 MVP 1. Britney Spears (43%) 2. Lady Gaga (22%) 3. Adele (17%) Best Newcomer 1. Nicki Minaj (63%) 2. Foster The People (13%) 3. Scotty McCreery (10%) Favorite Hot 100 No. 1 1. Adele, "Rolling in the Deep" (32%) 2. Britney Spears, ...