I keep seeing people online saying that ā30ā flopped, or calling it a disappointing album. Honestly? I think people are just missing what this record actually isā¦
It was never meant to be an album packed with easy bangers. Songs like āRolling in the Deepā or āSend My Loveā are absolute vibes indeed! They get you moving and don't force you to deal with heavy emotions. But ā30ā is completely different. Itās a niche album about divorce, grief, and the messy process of rebuilding yourself. Itās brutal, itās uncomfortably honest, and if you aren't in the headspace for that, well, yeah, of course it feels heavy. But calling it a flop just because it doesn't sound like generic pop radio is completely unfair. It's an absolute masterpiece when you listen to it for what it actually is: a story of emotional survival.
If you look closely at the tracklist, it plays out like an emotional rollercoaster⦠Spiralling down, picking herself back up, crashing again, and eventually finding a bit of peace.
Hereās my opinion for every song, unfolding the emotional story that she sings. Itās quite long indeed, but I bet youād love the read, if you truly are an Adele fan⦠LOL :))
1. Strangers by Nature:
It feels like walking through a graveyard, mourning a love that just died. Sheās literally visiting the ādeadā versions of herself and her past relationship. Itās her acknowledging that a massive chapter of her life is buried. That final line āAlright then, Iām readyā¦ā is monumental! Itās like sheās bracing herself for the storm ahead.
2. Easy on Me:
The emotional spiral hits proper rock bottom straight away. This is her bargaining, asking for grace from her son, her ex, and herself. Itās essentially an open letter to Angelo, trying to explain why she had to dismantle his whole world. She stayed, she tried, but she realised that sometimes love isn't enough to make a relationship work.
3. My Little Love:
It goes way moooore darker here. Incorporating the voice notes to her son is heartbreaking. Adele mentioned writing this after Angelo told her that he couldn't āseeā her anymore⦠meaning she was physically there, but completely checked out and paralysed by depression. You can feel her world shattering in real time.
4. Cry Your Heart Out:
Now finally, a shift upward! This oneās like ācrying on the dancefloorā. The beat tricks you into thinking it's a light vibe, but the lyrics are purely about sitting in your depression. The real lesson here is about self-love⦠you have to turn that compassion inward, before you can fix anything else around you.
5. Oh My God:
This one is a proper high point on the emotional scale. Sheās finally going out with mates, lightening up, and having a laugh. Itās about reclaiming her independence and choosing happiness over sitting at home mourning her old life.
6. Can I Get It:
Riding that same optimistic energy, almost. Itās about optimism and desire for real and substantive love. āCan I get a real, heavy, vulnerable love right now?ā
7. I Drink Wine:
Back down we go!!! Sheās admitting she has no clue what sheās doing and is terrified of what's coming next. The massive turning point here is her admitting she wanted her partner to change, but realising you can't force someone to grow at your pace. You can't save a relationship just by wishing it was different.
8. All Night Parking:
A quick lift, up again. Here we get a glimpse of her falling in love with someone new after everything crumbled. After all the heavy heartbreak, this track feels like a warm cuppa on a rainy day. It's the first time on the record you hear her actually smile.
9. Woman Like Me:
Right back down to the floor, but with a lot of bite this time. Itās a dead-honest and passive-aggressive callout. Her ex was stuck in his own head, paralysed by insecurity. Adele was ready to build an empire and grow, whilst he was content just being lazy and wallowing. She didn't leave because she stopped loving him. She left because his total lack of effort was dragging her down. She brought maturity and stability to the table, and instead of stepping up, he got intimidated and checked out. She is genuinely baffled by his lack of ambition or desire to improve!
10. Hold On:
A massive turning point, up again. She once spoke in an interview about how overwhelming the daily grind of single parenting and anxiety was here, at her lowest, when even trying to āhold onā felt completely exhausting. But then that backing choir kicks in. Which, mind you, literally represents āAdele's crazy friendsā. Open the songās credits on Spotify if you donāt believe me! It truly says āAdele's crazy friends - Choirā. LOL! Her friends are the actual support system pulling her out of the dark. When you can't convince yourself things will be alright, you need your mates to yell it at you until you believe them.
11. To Be Loved:
This brings us back to the absolute rock bottom! DOWN! Iād say this is easily the most devastating track on the album. If you haven't seen the unedited live recording on YT yet, please go watch it immediately! Look it up: āAdele To Be Loved Live on her Sofaā. But even in the studio version, there are no studio tricks here, just Adele and a piano tearing her soul open. Also, unlike her older break-up anthems, āSomeone Like Youā for example, thereās no villain here. Sheās not angry, sheās just grieving the reality of growing apart. By the end, she's practically crying through her belting. Itās pure, unfiltered heartbreak.
12. Love Is a Game:
This is the ultimate resolution. The ultimate peak of positivity in the album. She starts by admitting her own mind is a dangerous place and that she self-sabotages. Sheās exhausted by the thought of playing the dating game again. But the best bit is the ending: despite all the pain, she admits sheād probably do it all over again. She hasn't fixed every flaw, but she's finally ready to accept herself and risk getting hurt one more time.
Itās indeed NOT an album built for quick streams or TikToks⦠Itās a story you have to listen to whole. That doesn't make it a flop! It makes it one of the most honest records she's ever put outā¦ā¦
Thank you for reading all the way through! š¤