Who are the producers behind Adele’s blockbuster album '30'?
It didn't take long for Adele to make her impression on the charts. Hours after releasing her anticipated fourth album, 30, her first in six years, she promptly dislodged Taylor Swift's Red (Taylor Version) from the top of the US iTunes album chart.
The British soul singer is also set to conquer other charts across the US, Europe and Australia in repeat fashion. Her success is seemingly well deserved, with Rolling Stone magazine and The New York Times describing 30 as her most powerful album yet.
The National concurs, with reviewer Si Hawkins praising Adele for her “confessional approach to a raw new level” and “remarkable vocal work".
However, behind every great record is an unsung (though, in some cases they provide backing vocals) team of producers and songwriters.
And while Adele's status means she can work with some of the best studio PR actioners in the market, 30 finds her providing space for some talented yet relatively unknown names. Here is a look at some of the people Adele collaborated with on the blockbuster album.
1. The cinematic Ludwig Goransson
One of Hollywood and pop music's hottest producers, the long-haired Swede made his way to Adele's studio with a formidable list of milestones.
They include an Emmy for scoring the Disney+ sci-fi series The Mandalorian, an Oscar for Best Soundtrack for Black Panther and a Grammy for Record of the Year for Childish Gambino's This is America. Some of those influences come to bear in 30's opening track Strangers by Nature, with its spacey synths that swell into an orchestral crescendo near the finale.
Goransson is heavily in the mix, playing up to five instruments on the track including the bass guitar and melodica. His contribution sets the tone for the lavish and brooding nature of the album.
2. The enduring Max Martin
Already credited by critics as a hidden gem, Can I Get It, the sixth track on 30, will surely be appreciated by all because of the pop meisters involved.
This ebullient track is co-produced by Max Martin, the melody doctor A-list pop stars have been seeking for chart success for more than three decades.
Joined by fellow Swede and protégé Karl Johan Schuster, known as Shellback, who found his own success with Taylor Swift and Maroon 5, Martin elevates sure-fire single Can I Get It to heights that will surely help it to conquer the charts in the future.
If that happens, it will be another great year for Martin who scored a No 1 album and single by producing Coldplay's Music of the Spheres and The Weeknd's Take My Breath.
A former singer of 1980s rockers It's Alive, Martin's background vocals can also be heard in Can I Get It, including the catchy whistles in the chorus.
3. The one-man band Greg Kurstin
One of the most dynamic producers in the industry, Kurstin has produced the lion's share of 30, with five of 12 tracks on the standard version, and an extra two on the 15-song deluxe release.
Unlike Martin and Goransson, Kurstin doesn't have a trademark sonic imprint. Instead, his magic lies in his uncanny compositional and melodic sense. That subtle influence is heard in the first single on 30 to be released: the sweeping ballad Easy On Me.
A one-man band, Kurstin was also an enthusiastic participant in the recording session and played a range of instruments including electric guitar, the organ, drums and percussion, as well as taking part in handclaps on Cry Your Heart Out and Oh My God.
This will go down as another busy year for Kurstin, who has worked with a wildly eclectic range of artists, including Foo Fighters – he produced the band's 10th album, Medicine at Midnight – David Guetta, Alessia Cara and Nick Jonas.
4. The up and coming Inflo
In addition to working with established names, Adele also found room to accommodate Inflo.
Real name Dean Cover, Inflo is an up-and-coming American producer and songwriter described by Luke Pritchard, frontman of British indie-rock group The Kooks, as a young Quincy Jones.
Inflo was involved in three tracks, most of which are torch songs, with a highlight being the retro-soul track Hold On.
5. Shawn Everett and his indie-rock vibes
The Canadian producer is big name in indie-rock circles, having worked with The Killers, Weezer and Alabama Shakes.
With six Grammy awards to his name, Everett co-produced To Be Loved, one of the two epic and cinematic tracks that conclude the album's standard edition.
