Someone like You (Adele song)

Someone like You is the second hit single on Adele's record 21 released in 2011. This was her first number one song in the United Kingdom (UK) and her second in the United States (US).

Overview

Someone like You received positive review by musical critics. The song is played only with Adele's voice and piano. In 2012, the song was certified quintuple-Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America. "Someone like You" is Adele's third-best selling single in the United States, after Rolling in the Deep and Hello.  It reached number 24 on Billboard's Year-End Hot 100 of 2011 and number 43 on the year-end chart for 2012. During her concert tour in August 2024, Adele revealed that this song had changed her life.

Music video

The Music video filmed in September 2010 starts with Adele walking along a road alone in downtown Paris and singing the song sadly, during which she stops at the Pont Alexandre III to look over the Seine. She tends walks into a building, when her ex-lover shows up. However, her ex-lover walks away, leaving her staring at his back in silence. 

The video premiered on MTV and Vevo on 29 September 2011. The official MV has gathered over 2.24 billion views and 10 million "Likes" as of 19 October 2024, similar to that of Adele's another hit Rolling in the Deep whose official MV was uploaded around a year earlier.

Reviews

The song drew a substantial amount of positive reviews from music and media critics. 

 Amanda Dobbins 

Amanda Dobbins of the New York magazine commented that "the secretly devastating video" for "Someone like You" would remind Adele's ex-lover what he had done by leaving her.

 Sarah Dean 

Sarah Dean of the Huffington Post called it an "uncomplicated, moving film" and wrote,

 Jason Lipshutz 

Jason Lipshutz of Billboard magazine remarked that the video was "as simply constructed as the song's vocal-and-piano arrangement."

 Andrew Matson 

Andrew Matson of The Seattle Times said,

 Andrea Devaro 

Andrea Devaro of Long Island Press claimed,

Credits and personnel

Credits are taken from 21 liner notes.
 Vocals – Adele
 Production – Adele Adkins and Dan Wilson
 Songwriting – Adele Adkins and Dan Wilson

Charts

Weekly charts
+Weekly chart performance for "Someone like You"Chart (2011)Peakposition Brazil (Crowley Broadcast Analysis)1Europe (Euro Digital Songs)1Greece Digital Songs (Billboard)8Iceland (RÚV)1Japan (Japan Hot 100)43Luxembourg Digital Songs (Billboard)4Mexico (Billboard Mexican Airplay)7Mexico Anglo (Monitor Latino)5Poland Digital Songs (Billboard)1Portugal Digital Songs (Billboard)1Romania (Romanian Top 100)Romanian Top 100: 3 July – 10 July 2011 2South Korea International Singles (Gaon Chart) 9Spain (Promusicae)1Ukraine (Radio Hits Top 100)85US Hot Dance Club Songs (Billboard)24US Latin Pop Songs (Billboard)6

+2013 chart performance for "Someone like You" Chart (2013) Peakposition Slovenia (SloTop50)31

+2015 chart performance for "Someone like You" Chart (2015) Peakposition
+2018 chart performance for "Someone like You" Chart (2018) PeakpositionSouth Korea Digital Chart (Gaon Chart)96

+2021 chart performance for "Someone like You" Chart (2021) Peakposition South Africa (Recording Industry of South Africa) 55

Year-end charts
+2011 year-end chart performance for "Someone like You"Chart (2011)PositionAustralian Singles Chart4Ö3 Austria Top 4031Belgian Singles Chart (Flanders)5Belgian Singles Chart (Wallonia)10Brazil (Crowley) 25 Canadian Hot 100 16Hitlisten (Danish Singles Chart)17 German Singles Chart 28 Mahasz (Hungarian Airplay Chart)44 Tonlist (Icelandic Singles Chart) 7Irish Singles Chart1Media Forest7Italian Singles Chart1 Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)2 Netherlands (Mega Single Top 100)10 New Zealand Singles Chart4Romania (Romanian Top 100)69 Spanish Singles Chart39Swedish Singles Chart4 Swiss Hitparade9 UK Singles Chart1 US Billboard Hot 10024 US Adult Contemporary (Billboard)26 US Adult Pop Songs (Billboard)17 US Mainstream Top 40 (Billboard)29
+2012 year-end chart performance for "Someone like You"Chart (2012)PositionArgentine Digital Singles Chart6Austrian Singles Chart61Belgian Singles Chart (Flanders)30Belgian Singles Chart (Wallonia)15Brazil (Crowley) 5Canadian Hot 100 42Germany (Media Control AG)54Italian Singles Chart11Netherlands (Mega Single Top 100)90Mahasz (Hungarian Airplay Chart)83PROMUSICAE (Spanish Singles Chart)12Swedish Singles Chart42Swiss Singles Chart12US Billboard Hot 10043US Adult Contemporary (Billboard)8US Adult Top 40 (Billboard)44
+2021 year-end chart performance for "Someone like You" Chart (2021) PositionUK Singles (OCC)81
+2022 year-end chart performance for "Someone like You" Chart (2022) Position Billboard Global Excl. U.S 197
+2023 year-end chart performance for "Someone like You" Chart (2023) Position UK Singles (OCC) 87

Decade-end charts
+2010s-end chart performance for "Someone like You" Chart (2010–2019) Position Australia (ARIA) 10 UK Singles (Official Charts Company) 16 US Billboard Hot 100 38

All-time chart
Chart (All-time)PositionUS Billboard Hot 100 (Women)44US Billboard Hot 100144UK Singles (Official Charts Company)25

Covers

Someone like You has been covered by various singers since its release. Some of them are independent bands, including the First To Eleven. First To Eleven's cover version of the song has accumulated 535,736 views as of April 8, 2025.

References

Category:2010s ballads
Category:2011 songs
Category:Adele songs
Category:Pop ballads
Category:Soul songs
Category:R&B songs
Category:Torch songs