Adele’s “Hello” was an instant hit, and there was a lot of speculation about whether it would breach the record boards of achievement. It was in the runnings to join Lady Gaga, Taylor Swift, and Britney Spears , and it didn’t take long to top the charts and beat out some of her competition. Most notably, Adele’s music video for her first hit song in three years just smashed Taylor Swift’s “Bad Blood” record of most views in a 24-hour period.
Friday was its first day online, and the six-minute video managed to gain 27.7 million views, while T-Swift’s video only had 20.1 million in its first 24 hours. Adele has successfully superseded the top spot on the music video charts for now.
The video made an impressive debut, but Taylor still holds the record of most watched video of all time, with 1.2 billion views for “Blank Space.” Right now, “Hello” currently has nearly 100 million views and counting, so time will only tell if beating that record will be a possibility for her.
Watch the video below.
The abnormally long music video was filmed in Montreal under the direction of Xavier Dolan, a French Canadian film-maker who met Adele while on assignment in London. They made an instant connection, and when Adele needed someone to film her video, he was her first call. Dolan shared his thoughts on the production with Entertainment Weekly.
“The aesthetics, the story. … It was pretty clear from the beginning. I heard the song and all the images were so naturally running in front of my eyes and it was just like watching whatever scenery go by when you’re driving. Everything was so clear. It was almost like it had been edited already.”
Dolan also explained how he felt a personal connection to the song as well, and Adele was a natural in front of the cameras.
This is Adele’s first new song in three years after she gave birth to her son, Angelo. She took a step out of the spotlight for awhile to spend the first few years with him rather than on the road. “Hello” is a part of her upcoming third album, called 25.
About this album, Adele made a statement on her Facebook page .
“My last record was a break up record and if I had to label this one I would call it a make-up record. I’m making up with myself. Making up for lost time. Making up for everything I ever did and never did.”
She goes on to explain that the album is reminiscent of the time she turned 25, which was a turning point for the singer. “I made the decision to go into becoming who I’m going to be forever without a removal van full of junk,” she says.
If the single’s sales so far are any indication, Adele’s newest album, which is set for release on November 20, will be through the roof with sales. “Hello” has already sold 165,000 copies in three days in the U.K. and 450,000 downloads in the United States in just 48 hours. Fans are stunned by her incredible song writing skills and powerful vocal talent.
This isn’t the first record she’s broken, and it certainly won’t be the last. There’s no doubt that the world missed Adele and her incredible talent while she was on hiatus. She came back slimmer and more vibrant than ever before, and it really shows in her music.
Those who have fallen in love with Adele’s “Hello” can see a televised live performance during Saturday Night Live on November 21.
[Image via Ben A. Pruchnie / Getty Images]