Adele 21

Like Adele's widely praised 2008 debut, the Grammy-winning 19, the name of her second album, 21, is a nod to how old she was when its songs were written. And she is again working with Francis “Eg” White and Jim Abiss, who had a hand in her debut. But the British songstress has also teamed up with Rick Rubin, Ryan Tedder, and Dan Wilson, among others, to create 21. She's also been listening to a lot of roots and country music, such as Allison Krauss and Neko Case, while delving more into prior favorites, from Mos Def to Sinead O'Connor. According to a release for the album, Adele said “There's something in every single one of these artists that have really really inspired 21.”

Abstract by Andrew Martin