CLEVELAND, Ohio – To understand just how impressive Adele’s sweep at the 59th Annual Grammy Awards was, look no further than the husband of her greatest peer.
As Jay Z once said, “Men lie. Women lie. Numbers don’t.” Indeed, Adele became the first artist ever to sweep the Grammys big three categories – Record, Song and Album of the Year – in two separate ceremonies (She also has a Best New Artist award in her trophy case).
Many thought Beyonce’s “Lemonade” should have taken top honors on Sunday night. Even Adele praised Bey’s work as extraordinary.
ADELE MAKING BEYONCE CRY MADE ME CRY #GRAMMYs pic.twitter.com/sLeIeozd2P
— Students Problems (@SooFunnyPost) February 13, 2017
And while Beyonce’s album may be more symbolic of the tumultuous times we live in, Adele is the artist that has risen above the contemporary landscape of music in a way we haven’t seen since Michael Jackson in the 1980s.
In an age of digital streaming, Adele’s “25” sold nearly 4 million copies in its first week. You couldn’t find it on Apple Music, Spotify or Tidal. Fans had to buy a physical copy or purchase it on iTunes. And boy, did they?
While Drake and Beyonce dominated the streaming universe, Adele proved herself to be more timeless. Imagine if “25” had been released 15 to 20 years ago. Who knows how many copies it would have sold?
These are new heights for an artist, in a time when there is more parody in the industry than ever. It seems like anyone can be a star. But there’s only one Adele.
One can argue that the Grammys aren’t an accurate representation of the best music the world has to over. But the ceremony is a clear sign of what is the most significant. In the history of Grammy darlings, from Taylor Swift and U2 to Stevie Wonder and Paul Simon, no one has ever accomplished what Adele has.
Perhaps the competition isn’t as stiff. But it’s hard to imagine Adele having to compete with someone more formidable than Beyonce.
Do race and industry politics play into it? Sure. But you don’t sell as many records as Adele has if you’re audience doesn’t cross generations as well as culture barriers.
As Adele’s album title tells us, she’s still in her twenties. Her career is just beginning. Like the great divas before her – Aretha, Mariah, Celine – Adele’s voice will presumably last a long time. Her story and place in history are still being determined.
#Adele is definitely the best voice #GRAMMYs #grammys2017 #Hello pic.twitter.com/66oaSFXhdS
— Pak Media Revolution (@pmrevolution) February 13, 2017
We do know this – Adele is one of the greatest artists of all time. Music has long been a male-dominated art form. But even if we play the gender game and compare Adele to greatest the female artists ever, she’s moving up the list.
She’s a bigger star than Carole King, Sade or Stevie Nicks. Adele will move past Mariah Carey and Whitney Houston, if she hasn’t already. She just beat Beyonce. Madonna and Joni Mitchell are looking over their shoulders. Aretha Franklin is in her sights.
Yes, Beyonce’s “Lemonade” probably should have won Album of the Year. But the Grammys aren’t fair.
Besides, Adele didn’t just beat Beyonce once. She beat her several times. That’s not a fluke. It’s not even a trend. It’s utter dominance by the kind of musical juggernaut we haven’t seen in quite some time.
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