What is it about British artist Adele's "Rolling in the Deep" that keeps it perched on that Billboard throne for weeks on end? First, and arguably most important, she could sing the ingredients on a cereal box and still entrance her listeners. Moreover, her voice has an incredibly distinct quality, one that conjures allusions of Aretha Franklin and Tina Turner, yet it still maintains wonderful individuality.
Aside from her voice, in a time where tabloid and reality stars with the musical talent of a drunk karaoke singer utilize auto-tuning and over-production to make "hits" (insert shudder here), Adele could sing that song with one guitar accompanying her and it would be equally great. Adele and co-songwriter Paul Epworth do such a remarkable job of marrying several musical genres in order to create this song that stands alone in its own genre entirely.
The only problem Adele is going to have with this song is where to go after. Way too often, an artist will release a song that is so unique and special that no matter what they do after, it can never live up to its idolized predecessor and the artist falls off the map as quickly as they climbed on. Do you think she can follow "Rolling in the Deep" with something of equal caliber or will she simply live off the proceeds of this mega-hit and reminisce about her hours of fame to her grandchildren by the fireplace in jolly old England?
Personally, to preserve the sanctity of music, I sincerely hope Adele and more artists like her can continue to provide the world with well-crafted songs rather than the crap that seems to find its way to the top way too often.
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