I hope Soundscan reports similar numbers or higher. 5 million in one calendar year is beyond amazing! The last artist to accomplish that feat was Usher with his mega-seller Confessions way back in 2004.
And "Set Fire to the Rain" is really taking off! A lot of people expected this to be a success, but there is no video nor performance pushing it, which makes it current chart performance impressive. I really do hope they make a video for this song.
On Wednesday (December 14), Adele's "Rolling in the Deep" bested the likes of Nicki Minaj's "Super Bass," Lady Gaga's "Born This Way" and Katy Perry's "Firework" to be named MTV's Best Song of 2011.
And while that news isn't exactly shocking to anyone who listened to the radio/ watched TV/ got on the Internet at any point this year, it was a surprise to Adele herself, who emailed MTV News — and included a photo of her kissing her newly won hardware — to express her gratitude and continued amazement at the deeply personal song's success.
"Thank you very much for your support!" she wrote. "It's overwhelming how many people my life has resonated with. I find it quite hard to wrap my head around it."
To that end, though "Deep" was not only the year's best-selling song (and her 21 the year's best-selling album), Adele just can't seem to comprehend how the tune has come to mean so much to so many. After all, she was writing about her own failed relationship, and though she wanted the song to be the lead single from 21, she never thought it would end up being more than a critic's fave, let alone MTV's Song of the Year.
"I was pretty insistent it be a single. But I thought it would be more a tastemaker vibe than a hit," she wrote. "I loved the song the minute I wrote it. The melody and the beat added some conviction to it. I think that's why people have connected with it."
Though she's currently recuperating from her recent throat surgery, Adele closed her email by promising big things on the horizon (and sending us holiday well-wishes). There's talk of a full-blown arena tour and, of course, her expected triumph at February's Grammys. In fact, if you thought 2011 was huge, just wait until 2012.
"Happy holidays," she wrote. "And see you next year."
so i didn't want to fell in love with set the fire to the rain but i could help it!!!!!
because i was kinda liking Someone like you but here in puerto rico they played to damn much and it annoy me the same with Rollin in the deep i like the song back when it was a hit song not a smash hit!!!
SFTTR is already #22 on Pop radio. So, this feels like her fastest moving single on that format thus far. They should really think about sending RHI to radio in February. I think it could be at least a top 10 pop hit.
