Adele, 'Rolling in the Deep'
Sometimes you hear a tune and you just know that it will last; that in twenty years you'll be scanning the radio dial, and the singer's opening wail will find you again, accentuated by a kick drum and beat so recognizable that they feel like an old friend. That song — one of them, anyway — will be Adele's "Rolling in the Deep." The British singer's passionate retort to a man who has hurt her is one of the boldest, bluesiest ballads ever written. Since its release last winter, "Rolling in the Deep" has become pervasive, appearing on Glee, on The Voice — hell, even John Legend covered it. It's the story of two people who "could have had it all," but one of them threw it away, leaving the listener aligned with the wounded one (that would be Adele). Adele's voice is in top form here, alternating between high and low notes smoothly and quickly, just as she switches between mournful and vengeful emotions. Anger and resentment never sounded this catchy.