A Ranking of the Top Female Vocalists in Music History

Adele sings like she remembers every heartbreak you’ve ever had. You don’t listen to her—you confess through her. From the smoky sadness of Chasing Pavements to the chest-rattling climax of Someone Like You, her ballads are emotional subpoenas. Raised in Tottenham, shaped by heartbreak, Adele never needed gimmicks.

Just a piano, a spotlight, and that voice—rich, rounded, utterly real. No runs for show, no high notes to impress. Every syllable feels earned. She vanishes for years, returns with an album named after her age, and the world stops to think with her. Few connect like Adele. Few even dare try.