Adele's '30' named global album of the year

The singer's first record in more than six years has dominated charts around the world since its release in November

Adele's '30' has topped the IFPI album charts for 2021. AFP

Adele has added another accolade to her long list of honours, with her latest record, 30, winning the, International Federation of the Phonographic Industry's Global Album All Format Chart award for 2021, the recording industry's representative body said on Tuesday.

The album went to No 1 around the world upon its release in November, and also topped the IFPI's Global Album Sales Chart and its inaugural IFPI Global Vinyl Album Chart.

The album, Adele's fourth, was her first in six years, since 2015's Grammy Award-winning 25. Last month, 30 won album of the year at Britain's pop music honours, the Brit Awards.

"It has been wonderful to have Adele back and releasing music over the second half of last year," IFPI chief executive Frances Moore said.

"Her dominance of all three IFPI Album Charts speaks to her unique song-writing talent, her iconic voice and unrelenting global popularity."

Known for her ballads about heartbreak and nostalgia, Adele said she wrote 30 to explain her divorce to her young son.

"Following its release in November 2021, 30 surpassed over five million physical album equivalent units in 2021 alone, in under two months," the IFPI said.

American singer Olivia Rodrigo's Sour was second in the Top 10 Global Album All Format Chart, followed by Canadian pop star Justin's Bieber's Justice.

Abba's Voyage, the Swedish supergroup's first album in 40 years, was No 2 in the Top 10 Global Album Sales Chart, followed by K-pop band Seventeen's Attacca.

For the vinyl album chart, Harry Style's Fine Line and Fleetwood Mac's Rumours completed the top three.