After debuting on Billboard’s Hot 100 from its first five hours of release, Adele’s “Easy on Me” continues to dominate radio airplay, streaming, and sales, a feat that not every household name in today’s music industry can accomplish. On the chart dated October 23, her new song following six years of hiatus landed on the 68th spot, thanks to its first five hours of availability. Since then, the single remained on top and is currently enjoying its position at the summit for the fourth consecutive week. It also stands as the biggest song in the world, notching a fourth No. 1 on both the Billboard Global 200 and Billboard Global Excluding U.S. charts.
The lead single off her fourth studio album, “Easy on Me” brings listeners back to Adele’s brand of vocals. This ballad produced by Greg Kurstin is a brutally honest take on divorce and serves as her plea to her son to be kind to her as she contends with the implications of a dissolved marriage. Upon its release on October 15, it immediately received positive reviews from music critics and shattered records. Not only did it break the previous Spotify record set by BTS’ “Butter” when it garnered over 24 million streams in its first twenty-four hours, but it also earned the most streams in a single week with 84.9 million streams.
“Easy on Me” is the English singer-songwriter’s 14th career entry on the Hot 100 and her fifth chart-topping track. Its performance on multiple platforms so far is not surprising, given the hype surrounding the single and the quality for which Adele’s discography is famous.
This week, Billboard reported that the ballad drew 78.1 million radio airplay audience impressions (up by 12% from last week) and 23.6 million U.S. streams. Additionally, it sold 14,600 downloads in the November 5-11 tracking week. Considering that Adele was one of the powerhouses in an era dominated by physical and download sales, her ability to still reign in a time where streaming has taken over the music industry is clear evidence of her rule. On top of staying at the No. 1 spot for the fourth consecutive week on the Hot 100, “Easy on Me” holds the honor of leading the U.K. singles, as well. This domination of both the U.S. and U.K. charts is only the start of what’s expected to be a historical run for Adele. 30, her upcoming fourth studio album, arrives on November 19 and features 12 songs, with the deluxe edition containing three more bonus tracks. Anticipation is already high about the album earning numerous recognition as the Grammy Award-winning singer is known for snagging achievements every time she drops a new body of work.
